Salacia reticulata root-and-stem teas and capsules taken with carbohydrate flatten after-meal blood sugar and modestly improve longer-term sugar control in prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. Lipid and fat-mass findings are thinner. Main human adverse effects are gas, bloating, and loose stool. Pregnancy is treated as an absolute reason to avoid use. Trials are short, small, and often company-funded. (Full Review)
| Marker | Target | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Fasting glucose | 70–85 mg/dL (3.9–4.7 mmol/L) | Tracks fasting effect beyond one meal |
| HbA1c | 4.6–5.3% | Three-month sugar exposure |
| Fasting insulin | 2–6 μIU/mL | Insulin demand |
| HOMA-IR | <1.5 | Combined glucose–insulin load |
| LDL cholesterol | Individual target; many functional panels use <100 mg/dL | Lipid signal in the bark-extract trial |
| Triglycerides | <80–100 mg/dL | Fat handling after lipase/PPAR effects |
| ALT / AST | ALT often <25–30 U/L in functional panels | High-dose animal liver-weight signal |
| eGFR | ≥90 mL/min/1.73 m² preferred | Renal safety window used in the biscuit trial |
| After-meal glucose | Smaller peak than personal baseline | 1- and 2-hour readings after the usual carbohydrate meal |
Cadence: Home meal-time glucose in week 1; repeat fasting glucose, insulin, HbA1c, lipids, ALT/AST, and eGFR at 8–12 weeks, then every 3–6 months while use continues. Home glucose logs for 1–2 weeks if insulin or a sulfonylurea is already in use.