• Reishi was shown to be able to reduce the blood sugar levels significantly when taken orally as well as evoke a 1 to 4 fold stimulation of insulin secretion from the pancreatic beta cells.
  

• The pancreas is a versatile organ. It is involved in the production of many enzymes as well as hormones that are necessary for digestion. The BETA CELLS of the pancreas are responsible for the production of INSULIN, a hormone that usher glucose into the cells.
  

• Three species of Reishi have demostrated their ability to lower glucose levels in the blood as well as increase the beta cells insulin secretion without causing any toxic effect to the various organs.

Malaysian Journal of Science, 26 (2). PP 41-46. Hypoglycemic, Insulinotropic, and Cytotoxic Activity of Three Species of Ganoderma. Mhd. Saufi Bastami, SitiPauliena Mhd Bohari, WOng Mee Har, Mhd, Noow Wahab, Ariffi Suraya Rahmani, Nor Fadial Rajab, Mhajir Hamid, Malaysia.  



INCREASE IN INSULIN SECRETION

• Reishi's ability to lower blood sugar levels as well as increase insulin release from the pancreas was seen to be due to the herb's polysaccharides (or complex carbohydrates) that induces the influx of Calcium into the pancreatic cells resulting in the release or secretion of the hormone Insulin.

• It has been shown that the entry of Calcium into the BETA CELLS of the pancreas causes the release of the hormone.

Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2004 Feb: 25(2):191-5 Hypoglycemic effect of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides. Shang HN, Lin ZB. Peking University Beijing , China 


PROTECTION FROM DAMAGE OF THE BETA CELLS

• Reishi protects the pancreatic BETA CELLS from alloxan-induced damage that may result in Diabetes.
• Alloxan is a toxic compound that is a by-product of bleaching flour and several proteins. It has been strongly linked to the high incidence of type 1 Diabetes due its ability to destoy the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas. 


• Reishi protects the pancreatic beta cells from the free radicals produced by Alloxan by neutralizing them with its anti-oxidant polysaccharides.

Life Sci. 2003 Sep 19;73(18):2307-19. In vitri and in vivo protective effects of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides on alloxan-induced pancreatic islets damage. Zhang HM, Je JH, Yuan L, Lin ZB, Peking University Beijing, China.

• A double-blind, randomized, muti-center study evaluated the efficacy and safety of the Polysaccharide extract of Ganoderma lucidum in 71 patients confirmed with Type II Diabetes Mellitus. Half of the group was given the  Reishi extract and the other half received placebo for 12 weeks. After 12 weeks, all of them were evaluated for the signs of change.
  

• After 12 weeks, the group that received the Reishi extract showed SIGNIFICANT reduction of their glycosylated hemoglobin A1c, fasting and plasma glucose levels while the group that received the placebo     had NO CHANGE or even a slight increase in all the parameters tested. The extract was also well tolerated.

Int J Med Mushr 2004, 6(1):30-8 A Phase I/II Study of Ling zhi Mushroom Extract in Patients with Type II Diabetes Mellitus Gao Y, New Zealang; Land J, Dai X, Ye J, China; Zhou S, Singapore

PREVENTION OF DIABETIC KIDNEY COMPLICATIONS

•  Reishi prevents or delays the progression of the renal of kidney complications of diabetic mice. Reishi was able to REDUCE the serum Creatinine and Blood Urea Nitrogen levels, two of the most common tests for kidney functionality, as well as the blood glucose and triglycerides of Diabetic Mice.
  

J Asian Nat Prod Res. 2006 Dec; 8(8):705-11 Effect of polysaccharides from Ganoderma lucidum on streptozotocin-induced diabetic nephropathy in mice. He CY, Li WD, Guo SX, Lin SQ, Lin ZB. Peking University Beijing, China. 

    PREVENTION OF EYE AND NERVE COMPLICATIONS

• Glucose in high levels in the blood stream is converted to SORBITOL by the enzyme Aldose reductase. Sorbitol is a form of glucose that the body cannot use but that attracts a lot of water. Where ever it accumulates, Sorbitol induces damage due cellular swelling.  

• In the eyes, Sorbitol results in cataracts and retinal damage. In other parts of the body, they cause nerve damage as well blood flow obstruction.

• Reishi BLOCKS the enzyme called Aldose reductase and prevents it from converting glucose into sorbitol on the lens of the eyes of diabetic mice. Furthermore, this study also showed the Reishi inhibits the accumulation of glucose and its by-product sorbitol in the lens, the red blood cells as wells as the sciatic nerves of diabetic rats.  These results suggested that Reishi  might possess constituents with antidiabetic and inhibitory effects on diabetic complications.

Phyto Res. 2005 Jun;19(6):477-80. Inhibitory effects of Ganoderma applanatum in rat lens aldose reductase and sorbitol accumulation in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat tissues. Juing SH, Lee YS, Shim SH, Shin KH< Kim JS, Kand SS. Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.