Use of herbal products by diabetic patients in coping with health problems: a cross-sectional study from Turkey

This study aimed to determine the herbal products used by type 2 diabetes patients for health problems, the purpose of use, and related factors. This cross-sectional study employed a face-to-face interview with patients who had applied to the diabetes outpatient clinic between June-October 2022. The questionnaire included questions about personal characteristics, data related to disease and treatment, the herbal products used, and their intended use. The mean age of the 280 patients was 58.18 ± 9.4 years, with 63.9% female. A total It 30.4% patients reported the use of herbal products. Those with a high school education or above used it significantly more than those with less education (p = 0.014). No significant relationship was found between herbal product use and diabetes duration, insulin use and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels. Patients with nephropathy used herbal products at a significantly lower rate compared to those without nephropathy (p = 0.045). The main reasons for using herbal products were determined as regulating blood sugar (58.8%), losing weight (17.6%), lowering cholesterol (14.1%) and lowering blood pressure (9.4%) and other reasons. Most frequently used herbs were olive leaf, cinnamon, black seed for regulate blood sugar; walnut juice, lemon for hyperlipidemia; garlic, lemon for hypertension, lemon, green tea for weight problem. Approximately one-third of type 2 diabetic patients used herbal products for managing blood glucose, weight, cholesterol, and blood pressure. Education level and the presence of nephropathy were significant factors influencing herbal product use.