The Asian Diabetes Association has revealed research about a natural product that has been used in China for many years to treat Type II Diabetes: the Goji berry. Its polysaccharides have been shown to help balance blood sugar and insulin response.

In his first clinical trials, Dr. Victor Marcial-Vega, M.D., researcher on the effects of goji juice for years, discovered that “blood sugar levels decrease in 64 percent of the patients with diabetes, and more than half of them decreased or eliminated their medications.”

Here’s one testimonial:

I was taking 14 medications, and never anticipated the quality of my life improving. My blood sugar numbers were running in the 280s – the lowest would be approximately 250. After the tenth day of drinking goji juice, my blood sugar was 118, and that was not in a fasting environment, and was without any of the 14 medications that I would normally be taking. I’m a goji-for-life person. I can’t imagine taking it out of my daily routine.
- Max V., Queen Creek, Arizona
(Breakthroughs In Health, August 2006, Vol. 1, issue 1, p. 127)

According to medical research, goji causes the red blood cells to release oxygen to the cells more efficiently via an enzyme called 23BPG. This tends to make better use of the available oxygen.

Dr. Victor Marcial-Vega, M.D. has been studying the before- and after-effects of various treatments on the blood, with thousands of his patients.

He discovered that when the blood is too acidic, the red blood cells tend to clump together, and there is normally a higher level of bacteria in the blood as well.

Dr. Marcial-Vega discovered that in only 24 to 36 hours after drinking Goji juice, the blood became more alkaline, and the red blood cells had separated, making oxygen delivery to the cells more efficient. Some of his research was published in the August 2006 issue of Breakthroughs In Health magazine (vol. 1, issue 1), as follows:

He noticed that as the alkalinity changed, so did the reversal of all illnesses, including cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes, chronic renal failure, obesity, high cholesterol, arthritis and other illnesses associated with physical or mental discomforts, including attention deficit disorder, anxiety and depression.

“Blood sugar levels decrease in 64 percent of the patients with diabetes, and more than half of them decreased or eliminated their medications” (p. 13).

The ancient Himalayan healers were also aware thousands of years ago that people were much healthier, stronger, had more endurance, and even lived longer when they consumed goji.

A well-known story is told of Li Qing Yuen, a Chinese man born in 1678, who lived to be 252 years old! His life span has even been verified by scholars, who found that “each day he consumed a ‘soup’ made of the Goji berry.”

And like with most natural products, there are no unpleasant side-effects associated with normal use.

An interesting product currently being used by the Asian Diabetes Association, the Red Cross Hospital in Beijing and nearly 50 hospitals in China as a medical treatment for Type II Diabetes, is an herbal product called Yu Xiao San 8805.

Developed by Dr. Lianjin Chong, Director of The Red Cross Hospital in Beijing, it is designed to restore pancreatic function and to increase insulin beta cells.

This product has been clinically shown to gradually and effectively lower blood-sugar levels and increase insulin secretion. Additionally, it has also been shown to help regulate carbohydrate metabolism, improve blood circulation, lower blood cholesterol and increase immune response.

Yu Xiao San 8805 has undergone experimental tests in both the United States and China with good results, and has further been used by diabetics in over fifty countries worldwide. So far, no adverse or allergic reactions have been reported from its use, nor have there been any reports of damage to the liver, kidney or any other organs

From February to October 1992, 10,618 patients were chosen based on the diagnostic guidelines established for diabetes mellitus by the World Health Organization. These cases were selected for clinical assessment from the China Beijing Chao Yang District Red Cross Hospital and from 48 other similar hospitals across the nation.

Here are the results after 4 months of treatment and monitoring:

• 1794 (19.12%) patients with Type II diabetes were able to discontinue their diabetes medications;
• 2346 (25.01%) patients saw their diabetes symptoms significantly improve and diabetic complications reduced;
• 3835 (40.88%) noticed some improvement; and
• 1407 (15.00%) experienced no evidence of symptom improvement nor diabetes improvements.

The primary herb components of Yu Xiao San are being patented, to be sold in the United States as a health food.