Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disease that affects how the body utilizes blood sugar (glucose), a vital energy source for the muscle and tissue cells. As per the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), in 2021, over 537 million adults worldwide lived with diabetes.
The condition caused over 6.7 million deaths globally. The number of diabetes patients worldwide is expected to rise to 643 million by the end of 2030 and 783 million by 2045.
What Causes Diabetes?
To know the causes of diabetes, you must understand how the body uses glucose. After you consume food, the body breaks it down into sugar (glucose) and releases it into the bloodstream. Then it signals the pancreas (a gland behind and below the stomach) to release insulin, a hormone that sends the blood sugar into the body’s cells for energy.
In the case of diabetes, the pancreas either does not produce enough insulin, or the body is unable to use it properly. As a result, too much sugar remains in the bloodstream, leading to serious health issues like kidney diseases, vision loss, heart problems, etc.
Types of Diabetes
There are three main types of diabetes:
- Type 1 Diabetes: It is an autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks the pancreatic cells and destroys them, hindering the body’s insulin production. It affects only 5%-10% of all diabetes patients and is primarily diagnosed in children and teens.
- Type 2 Diabetes: This condition happens when the cells stop responding to insulin, and the body becomes resistant to this hormone, thus causing excess blood sugar buildup. It is the most common form of the condition, affecting over 90%-95% of all diabetes patients worldwide, usually adults over 40 years.
- Gestational Diabetes: It develops during pregnancy among women who have never had diabetes due to the production of certain hormones that block insulin production. While it usually goes away after the baby is born, it increases the risk of type 2 diabetes among those women. Consequently, the child will also likely develop this condition later in life.
Common Symptoms
The general symptoms of diabetes include:
- Increased hunger and thirst
- Weight loss
- Frequent urination
- Extreme fatigue
- Slow-healing sores
- Blurry vision
How Vijaya Works With ECS to Alleviate Diabetes
Vijaya exhibits incredible efficacy in alleviating diabetes because of its direct impact on the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS). Increasing scientific evidence shows that the ECS contributes to the development of diabetes by influencing glucose and lipid metabolism.
When the ECS is disturbed, it decreases the production of insulin and adiponectin (a protein responsible for controlling blood sugar levels). This causes an imbalance in the body’s energy levels, metabolism, and other vital functions, leading to diabetes and the associated pain and inflammation.
When patients consume cannabis-based medicines, the cannabinoids (naturally occurring chemical compounds) in Vijaya activate the ECS by binding to its receptors spread throughout the body. Thus, it gains control over the body’s blood sugar levels, insulin production, and overall health and functioning of the system. This allows the hemp plant to alleviate diabetes and its associated symptoms among patients.
The ECS has two main kinds of receptors, CB1 (concentrated in the brain and the spinal cord) and CB2 (mostly found in the immune system). By activating the brain’s CB1 receptors, Vijaya can regulate the body’s pain processing pathways and hinder the transfer of pain signals, thus alleviating the symptomatic neuropathic pain among diabetic patients.
Furthermore, the activated CB2 receptors allow the herb to regulate the body’s immune function and prevent the immune cells from producing pro-inflammatory cytokine and chemokine cells. This significantly decreases the inflammation in the nerves and arteries (blood vessels).
What the Research Says
In a study, it was found that THC in Vijaya improved blood sugar and lipid (fat and oil) levels in people with type 2 diabetes, while CBD boosted gut hormone levels and decreased the body’s insulin resistance.
As per a report by the American Alliance for Medical Cannabis (AAMC), the hemp plant can-
- stabilize blood sugar levels
- ease diabetic neuropathic pain
- decrease nerve inflammation
- decrease diabetes-associated arterial inflammation
- lower blood pressure over time to reduce the risk of heart disease
- improve blood circulation and overall cardiac and arterial health
- calm diabetic restless leg syndrome to improve sleep
A study in the American Journal of Medicine concluded that Vijaya helps control blood sugar and that patients using this herb are less likely to be obese. They had higher carbohydrate metabolism, lower fasting insulin levels, and lesser insulin resistance.
Another study published in the Natural Medicine Journal reaffirmed that consuming the hemp plant led to lower fasting insulin, insulin resistance, and blood glucose.
Chronic inflammation in the body is a prominent cause of insulin resistance and consequent type 2 diabetes. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem released a study concluding that the anti-inflammatory properties of CBD in Vijaya and cannabis-based medicines can reduce this inflammation and help improve the body’s overall metabolism. It also benefits the body’s immune system, heart function, cell growth, and the breakdown of sugar.
Research showed that THC in cannabis-based medicinessignificantly dropped fasting blood glucose, improved insulin production, and raised adiponectin levels among type 2 diabetes patients.
How to Benefit From This Herb?
One can easily leverage Vijaya’s therapeutic properties to alleviate diabetes and help manage its symptoms through effective cannabis-based medicines like the Trailokya Vijaya Vati. This Ayurvedic formulation combines the wide-ranging health benefits of Vijaya and another valuable herb, Vansh Lochan (Bambusa Arundinacea).
As per a study, the leaves of Vansh Lochan have natural compounds like flavonoids and tannins that help reduce sugar or glucose levels in the blood. These hypoglycemic and anti-diabetic properties are why both Vansh Lochan and Vijaya have been used to help people manage diabetes and its symptoms since ancient times.
Find out more about Vijaya’s efficacy in easing this condition by contacting Hempstreet and getting the right medical consultation from the best Ayurvedic doctors.
References
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetes/symptoms-causes/syc-20371444
https://www.healthline.com/health/diabetes#types
https://www.healthline.com/diabetesmine/treating_diabet#Research-on-Diabetes-and-Cannabis
