A climbing plant from India, known as the sugar destroyer.
Why it’s used: Traditionally used to support normal blood sugar and reduce sweet cravings.
Gymnema sylvestre is a woody climbing plant native to the tropical forests of India, Africa and Australia. In Hindi it is called gurmar, which translates as sugar destroyer, a name that comes from a curious effect: chewing the leaves temporarily dulls your ability to taste sweetness, so sugar can taste like sand for a while.
It has been used in Ayurveda for centuries and is traditionally used to support normal blood sugar and to reduce sweet cravings. The effect on taste comes from compounds called gymnemic acids, which briefly block the sweet receptors on the tongue. Researchers have studied gymnema in small trials, but the evidence is limited and it has no authorised health claim.
On labels you will see gymnema, Gymnema sylvestre leaf extract or gurmar, usually standardised to a percentage of gymnemic acids, such as 25% or 75%. That percentage is the best way to compare products. It is often combined with other traditional herbs such as cinnamon, bitter melon or fenugreek.
3 findings behind this ingredient. Hover a card for the detail and the source.
Meta-analysis of six randomised controlled trials in adults taking gymnema for over a week. It significantly reduced fasting blood sugar, triglycerides, total and LDL cholesterol and diastolic blood pressure, though trials were heterogeneous and of low quality.
Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 30 patients with impaired glucose tolerance. In the gymnema group, 2-hour glucose fell from 9.1 to 7.8 mmol/L and HbA1c from 5.8% to 5.4%, with a rise in the Matsuda insulin sensitivity index.
Randomised crossover study in 32 healthy adults with a sweet tooth, using gymnema mints on a fixed or as-needed schedule for 14 days each. The as-needed regimen reduced sugar-sweetened drinks and cravings versus placebo, and both regimens reduced desire for chocolate.
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Its Hindi name, gurmar, means sugar destroyer. Gymnemic acids in the leaves briefly block sweet taste receptors on the tongue, so sweet foods taste less sweet for a while after chewing the leaf. The name describes this taste effect.
Gymnema is traditionally used to reduce sweet cravings, and it can temporarily dull the taste of sweetness. Whether a supplement reliably changes cravings is not well established, as studies have been small. It is best thought of as a traditional herb rather than a guarantee.
Liver problems are rare. The NIH LiverTox database lists gymnema as a possible rare cause of liver injury, based on a few isolated reports where the link was often uncertain. Stop and seek advice if you notice jaundice, dark urine or unusual tiredness.
Information only, not medical advice. If you take medication, are pregnant or breastfeeding, speak to your GP or pharmacist first.
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