A comparative analysis of complementary therapies use among patients attending diabetic clinics in Taiwan: 2007 vs. 2023.

BACKGROUND: We conducted a comparative study to examine the differences in the use of complementary therapies (CT) among patients who attended diabetic clinics for follow-up treatment between 2007 and 2023 in Taiwan. METHODS: This study employed a cross-sectional survey design to recruit individuals with diabetes from two regions (northern and southern) of Taiwan. A total of 183 and 307 participants were included in the surveys of 2007 and 2023, respectively. The data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 28.0 to compare the survey results between the two time periods. RESULTS: Among the various CTs, nutritional supplements remained the most prevalent, with a significant increase in usage from 68.3% in 2007 to 89.9% in 2023. Conversely, other therapies, such as Chinese herbal medicines, manipulative-based therapies, supernatural healings, and bioelectromagnetic-based therapies, demonstrated a significant decrease in usage between the two time periods. Furthermore, the disclosure rate of CT use to healthcare professionals remained persistently low, with only 24.6% in 2007 and a slight increase to 30.3% in 2023. CONCLUSION: The significant rise in the use of nutritional supplements in conjunction with conventional medicine, without adequate monitoring and guidance from healthcare professionals, poses a substantial risk of unregulated blood sugar control, compromised diabetes management, and potential harm to health outcomes.

The efficacy and safety of concentrated herbal extract granules, YH1, as an add-on medication in poorly controlled type 2 diabetes: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot trial.

BACKGROUND: In Asian countries, many patients with type 2 diabetes fail to achieve controlled glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels while taking several classes of oral hypoglycemic agents (OHAs). Traditional Chinese medicine could be an alternative therapeutic option for poorly controlled type 2 diabetes. YH1 is a concentrated Chinese herbal extract formula that combines Rhizoma Coptidis and Shen-Ling-Bai-Zhu-San. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study evaluated YH1 as an add-on medication for poorly controlled type 2 diabetes. METHODS: Forty-six patients with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes were randomly assigned 1:1 to the YH1 or placebo group. Before the trial, all subjects had received three or more classes of OHAs with HbA1c > 7.0% (53 mmol/mol) and a body mass index ≥ 23 kg/m2. During the 12-week trial, participants continued to take OHAs without any dose or medication changes. The primary endpoint was the percentage change in HbA1c level. Per-protocol analysis was applied to the final evaluation. RESULTS: At week 12, there was an 11.1% reduction in HbA1c from baseline and a 68.9% increase in homeostatic model assessment (HOMA) of ß cell function in the YH1 group, which also exhibited significant reductions in two-hour postprandial glucose (-26.2%), triglycerides (-29.5%), total cholesterol (-21.6%), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (-17.4%), body weight (-0.5%), and waist circumference (-1.1%). The changes in fasting plasma glucose, HOMA insulin resistance and symptom scores were not significantly different between the YH1 and placebo groups. No serious adverse events occurred during this clinical trial. CONCLUSIONS: This pilot study indicates that YH1 together with OHAs can improve hypoglycemic action and ß-cell function in overweight/obese patients with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes. YH1 is a safe add-on medication for OHAs and has beneficial effects on weight control and lipid metabolism. A larger study population with longer treatment and follow-up periods is required for further verification.