Anyone use Holy Basil? Did it work for glucose levels?

[LazyMoose]

I have read that it helps cortisol production - Anyone have proof?

Have also read it can reduce blood sugar. Sound to good to be true. Again anyone actually know this to be true from your blood glucose #'s lowering?.

My adrenals are a little low, I have learned a lot about that now (thanks). BUT, my blood glucose can be 100 to 105 at times, doc says no big deal.  Well, It best to stop it from going up. I I'm interested in anything that can get it into the 80 - 90 range again.  

No, I do not consume sweets, pop ect, have a good diet already.

thanks

[Sugarbeet3]

I had to get off Holy Basil, it lowered my blood sugar which made me ravenous. I could not control my eating for the 2-3 weeks I was on it. It took me a while to figure out what he hec was happening to me. Thought maybe it was pms related at one point, but it didn't stop after the TOM. It was like a 24 hr pms binge for weeks. As soon I stopped it,  I wasn't hungry anymore.

[LazyMoose]

I posted this in 2010........

I now know holy basil does indeed lower blood glucose as I have tested it in the AM fasting many times now (bought a cheap meter).

Only issue is HB is kind of hard on the stomach. Dont like burping HB two hours after taking it.

[Electricfence]

Same-same Paxil w/d issues. ;-(

Paxil: def. A cure in search of a cure.

Currently researching holy basil when I happened upon your post. You convinced me.

Have you tried divided doses of phosphatidylserine? I'm having some good results - so far. (300mg x 3)

[sick and tired 47]

I have found Tulsi Tea, which is Holy basil tea. I  am drinking a cup or two every day. I love the taste ( especially the peppermint) and it relaxing to me. Anyone else try it and let us know what you think.
Good luck all/

[Paxiled]

It does help, but nothing helps me much since my Paxil debacle.  Quitting it did something to me and I don't know how to undo it.  So I'm not a good test vehicle for anything, I get odd reactions since it happened.  But I must say Holy Basil is one of the few herbs that doesn't give me a paradoxical reaction, and as I say does help some.  

[peggy64]

Laura, I am still not sleeping.


I have been taking the holy basil for about a week and it really seems to be helping with lowering the cortisol. I am still waking up all night, but not having the adrenaline surges. I am also taking some lemon balm with it. I got these products from vitacost.

[laura1967]

Yes Isocort is glandular.  Are you still not sleeping Peggy??
I use to take Holy Basil and really liked it....it is great at leveling you out.....more ways than one! lol
Pax how are you doing on it? Is it helping your anxiety at all?

[peggy64]

I am thinking the isocort is NOT synthetic, I believe it is made from new zealand sheep.

To suppress cortisol, you would not take as much as needed to increase it.

[peggy64]

I am now taking the holy basil to see if it will lower my cortisol. Have been on it for about 4 days. I think it is to soon to say if it is or not. I sure do hope it does as I have cortisol surges all night long which wake me up about every 1.5-2 hours.
Keep your fingers crossed. I sure could use some sleep.

[LazyMoose]

Isocort is perscription , right?  Isnt it a synthetic cortisol like hydracortisone?

[peggy64]

You might want to check into pantothentic acid. That is reported to help raise cortisol.  And I have used Isocort too. That is something else you can research for your use.

[LazyMoose]

I thought Holy Basil raised cortisol, guess I was backwards. Mine is a little low already, so lowering it more would not be good.

Looking for something to lower glucose that will not lower adrenals.

"American ginseng is also known for reducing blood sugar and supporting the adrenals."
- that sounds good, and wont lower cortisol.

R-lipoic acid that gymdandee mentioned also sounds good.

[Paxiled]

Holy Basil lowers cortisol, it doesn't raise it, which is what you seem to be asking.  I use it because I suffer from anxiety.  While I don't have a known blood sugar problem, I do notice it can leave me a bit tired a half hour after I take it, which would confirm it's blood sugar lowering properties, anecdotally anyway.  If you google these things or read books on herology you can find studies and historical use that backs up claims, but you're not going to find any of the kind of double blinded large source kinds of studies we'd all like to have but don't exist for anything, not even meds.  It's just too expensive particularly for not-patentable plants in an era when general research is difficult to get funded if no patentable product exists at the end of the chase.  Other countries do more of this kind of research than the US does, particularly Japan and India because of their long written histories of natural medicine.  But even there they're usually looking for patentable products.  That's how we got statins -- a Japanese researcher used traditionally used Chinese mushrooms, isolated the statins, and patented it.  So you're really left with what we have, is historical use, studying the active ingredients to see what they theoretically do, and trial and error.  American ginseng is also known for reducing blood sugar and supporting the adrenals.  There are many adaptogens that support the adrenals so they function in a more balanced fashion, reducing stress on them, including ashwagandha and eleuthero.  More stimulating adaptogens include rhodiola and Chinese ginseng.  Happy hunting.    

[gymdandee]

at least 3 grams omega-3 fats a day, aged garlic extract, fruits and vegetables, Add fiber to your diet, Avoid eating foods that are high in absorbable iron, flavonoids from vegetables, Alternatives for Lowering Blood Sugar The most effective and potent form of alpha-lipoic
acid is R-lipoic acid, which can be purchased without a prescription. Also, fenugreek seeds are comprised of about 50% fiber and have been effectively used to lower blood sugar.