Bittergourd 'cure' in fight against diabetes

NST: KUALA LUMPUR: It takes some bitterness to fight the nemesis of those who have a sweet tooth.
And as it turns out, using bittergourd to fight diabetes is not an old wives’ tale after all.
With the ever-growing numbers of diabetics, many pharmaceutical companies are looking for alternative cures, and they have discovered that bittergourd works to control blood sugar levels.
It has been used as an Ayurvedic treatment for diabetes for centuries.
CCM Duopharma Berhad, a Chemical Company of Malaysia (CCM) subsidiary, has developed bittergourd capsules which can be used as a preventive measure to help keep diabetes at bay.
This could indirectly help to lower the number of patients with the disease.
The National Diabetes Institute (Nadi) estimates that up to 14 per cent of the adult population has diabetes.
Ninety-five per cent have Type 2 diabetes, which can be controlled with a healthy life-style, supplements, or medication if necessary.
"Assuming just 40 per cent of the population (estimated at 25 million) are 30 years and above, we should have at least 16 million adult diabetics in this country now," said Nadi executive director Datuk Professor Dr Mustaffa Embong.
He was at the launch of "Diamelon", CCM Duopharma’s bittergourd capsules.
Dr Mustaffa said that Type 2 diabetes was no longer considered a disease of middle and old age.