Herbal and Natural Therapies in Patients with Diabetes

Increasingly, patients are seeking complementary and alternative medicine sources for a variety of reasons. Even in general patient populations, the spontaneous onboarding of such products may help alleviate symptoms…or it may create serious unintended complications. For patients with diabetes, the potential for unintended complications is magnified. It is important, then, for health care practitioners to recognize the most beneficial and problematic agents that patients with diabetes are adding as self-therapy. This session seeks to explore the world of herbal and natural products through the lens of a patient with diabetes, identifying opportunities for safe synergistic therapy and warning of potentially problematic agents.