Bitter melon is one of those natural foods and herbal remedies that are really fun to learn about. Bitter melon is very useful for many health applications. It is used in some cultures as a food source, and researchers have only begun to fully understand how and why it is so beneficial. All of these factors make bitter melon a wonderful gift from our Creator. Its positive effects on treating and preventing diabetes is probably the most well-known benefit of bitter melon, but, as with most natural substances, new uses are cropping up all the time as we begin to understand better the ins and outs of the interplay between its various components.The bitter melon plant (momordica charantia) has a long history of use in Eastern cultures, and its virtues have become more popular worldwide in recent decades. Also known as bitter gourd or balsam pear, this vegetable was originally native to Asia and today grows wild or is cultivated in tropical regions around the globe. It is similar in appearance to a cucumber with a bumpy skin, has a bitter taste as the name indicates, and most of its medicinal value is concentrated in the extract of the unripe fruit, interestingly enough. In a Chinese medical book from the 16th century, bitter melon is described as "bitter in taste, non-toxic, expelling evil heat, relieving fatigue, and illuminating." Supplemental forms of bitter melon capitalize on its qualities that have been known in traditional medicine for many years.
Bitter Melon and Diabetes
Diabetes is growing at epidemic rates throughout the West and around the world, with 50 million cases currently worldwide, and that number projected to reach 300 million by 2025. Big Pharma has jumped on this crisis and developed drugs that help manage insulin and regulate blood sugar. However, the catch is that they have potentially hazardous side effects including buildup of fluids, weight gain, and heart failure.
The exciting thing about bitter melon is that it functions to counteract diabetes in similar ways to these drugs, but without any known side effects. Researchers have identified at least four distinct components of bitter melon that stimulate an enzyme called AMPK, which is a protein that plays a key role in the progressing of fuel in the body, especially glucose. The action of bitter melon on AMPK is just like that of physical exercise on the body. For diabetics, or to prevent diabetes, taking a bitter melon supplement along with exercising is a powerful one-two punch.
Bitter melon is effective on both type 1 (insulin dependant) and type 2 (maturity onset) diabetes. Certain compounds in bitter melon help lower and maintain proper levels of blood sugar in the body. Of particular benefit to type 2 diabetes, bitter melon also reduces a phenomenon known as insulin resistance by which diabetics cannot properly absorb and use insulin. Even beyond that, scientists studying the effects of bitter melon have discovered that it can actually increase the number of cells in the pancreas that produce insulin, thereby helping the body to naturally help itself.
Not only do components of the Bitter Melon plant act to lower blood sugar levels in diabetes, but they also have beneficial effects on conditions associated with this disease. These include prevention of the development of diabetes-related cataracts, a result that has been demonstrated in preliminary studies thus far in humans and mice. Reductions in diabetes-related nerve damage (neuropathy) and also stomach conditions (gastropathy) have been demonstrated in experimental rats fed Bitter Melon as well.(1)
Bitter melon is an excellent example of a natural substance that has numerous bioactive components that work together synergistically to produce health benefits that could not occur if the ingredients were isolated. (This is why consuming organic fruits and vegetables, especially if raw, is better for us than just drinking the juice, for example.) To date, about 32 different components of bitter melon have been identified that have various bioactive properties. Some are unique to bitter melon, but others that you probably recognize include lycopene, vitamins B and C, beta-carotene, potassium, calcium, and iron.
Other Uses for Bitter Melon
Bitter melon has been used over the centuries for many health applications. It has proven itself beneficial as a preventative measure and a treatment for digestive disorders, respiratory ailments such as bronchitis and asthma, and diarrhea, to name a few.
Weight loss. In India, Bitter Melon has traditionally been used as a weight-loss aid. A number of studies Bitter Melon fruit and/or seeds have been shown to reduce blood levels of cholesterol and triglycerides, both in the presence and absence of dietary fats. University of Hong King researchers have demonstrated that Bitter Melon reduces adiposity (the ability to store fat or create adipose tissue) in rats fed a high-fat diet. The Bitter Melon powder used in this study did not work by blocking fat absorption within the gastrointestinal tract; rather it appeared to regulate fat metabolism within the rat's tissues.
Cancer. A phytochemical isolated from Bitter Melon has clinically demonstrated the ability to inhibit an enzyme, guanylate cyclase, that is thought to be linked to the pathogenesis of cancer. MAP30, a Bitter Melon derivative, also inhibits prostate tumor growth.
Herpes/AIDS. Bitter melon is also a versatile anti-viral substance, with experiments studying its effectiveness on the herpes-1 virus being very promising. One of the most exciting areas of research regarding bitter melon has been about using it to fight HIV/AIDS. The protein MAP 30 inhibits new growth of the HIV virus in white blood cells, and slows down the duplication of the virus in infected cells as well. Perhaps the potential of bitter melon as a wellness tool is far greater than we even know at this point in time.
Bitter Melon Contraindications(2)
If taken in capsules, power or liquid form, I highly suggest being monitored by a qualified healthcare practitioner. Bitter Melon may have additive effects when taken with other drugs whose action is to lower blood glucose levels. Bitter Melon should never be taken in combination with these therapies, especially in addition to insulin.
Since the fruit and seed of Bitter Melon have proven to be effective in lowering blood cholesterol levels in animal studies, those taking medication to lower blood cholesterol should avoid using Bitter Melon.
Bitter Melon has been used to promote uterine contractions so its use should be avoided during pregnancy. Nursing mothers should also avoid using Bitter Melon both as a food and as an herbal remedy.
Avoid Bitter Melon if one has a known allergy or an allergy to any member of the Curcurbitaceae plant families.
Reference
Bitter Melon -- Nature's Anti-Diabetic by W. G. Goreja. (1)(2)
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