For the first installment of our weekly content featuring the renowned epidemiologist Dr. Emil Aligui, we’ll be covering pregnancy and the taking of anti-diabetic supplements. This question has been asked repeatedly on our website and social media pages and we hoped that Dr. Aligui’s answer will make things clearer.
Is it okay for pregnant women to take herbal supplements with Bitter Gourd (Ampalaya), Lagerstroemia Speciosa (Banaba), or Turmeric (Luyang Dilaw)?
It is not advisable for pregnant women to take any medications or food supplements without doctor’s recommendation. All medications or food supplements without studies on metabolism or teratogenicity (will cause abnormality in the fetus) for which the unborn child might be exposed should not be given.
If the food supplements can provide the vitamin support, they can be given with a doctor’s supervision. Ampalaya (without seeds) and luyang dilaw are food and may be given but not banaba. Even food if taken in excess can cause harm. Example: pineapple because it contains the enzyme bromelain. In both cases of intake of ampalaya seeds and excessive pineapple, the potential for miscarriage may occur.
All fruit seeds can be a potential abortifacient. Banaba can cause glucose depletion in the newborn. Because of the difficulty of studying pregnant mothers for supplementation trials, the ethics of unnecessarily exposing pregnant women is the greatest consideration. At best, only good food and pre-natal vitamins would be the only recommendation to give for normal pregnancy. In cases of special conditions such as gestational diabetes, many would recommend diet and exercise to keep a controlled blood sugar and not allow the baby to get very large.
