Don’t rely on `DME 6’ for diabetes explains Dr. Fawad Ali

An advertisement for a diabetes control supplement is making rounds on social media.

In the viral advertisement, it is claimed that DME 6 Ayush 82 can control diabetes.

The caption of the viral post reads, “DME 6 | Ayush 82 For Diabetes, developed by Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) Ministry of Ayush. Most effective and economical sugar medicine.”.

The same post can be seen here.

The viral ad has also featured CCRAS director General KS Dhiman endorsing the drug.

FACT CHECK

NewsMeter found the claim to be misleading.

On performing a simple keyword search, we found a media report in which the Director General of CCRAS gave a clarification on the efficacy of the drug and exceptions that have misled the consumers.

“The drug is strictly for type two diabetics who do not need insulin. The clinical test of the drug was conducted on 800 patients in three different hospitals of CCRAS and the results were satisfying. The quality of life of many patients has improved after taking the medicine,” he said

He admitted that the advertisement is quite misleading for a lot of people. “The drug company with marketing rights of the drug wrongly used the clippings for promotion. The clippings have now been withdrawn,” he said.

We contacted our expert Dr.Fawad Ali, consultant General Physician at Udai Omni Hospital to debunk the viral advertisement.

Diabetes is a chronic disease characterized by high levels of sugar (glucose) in the blood. This condition is caused by either the body's inability to produce enough insulin or the inability of the body's cells to effectively use insulin. When these levels become too high, it can lead to serious health problems and even death.

Diabetes affects millions of people worldwide and is a leading cause of death and disability. Diabetes is a major risk factor for a number of other health problems, including heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, and blindness.

There are two main types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder that results in the destruction of insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. And typically develops in childhood or young adulthood and requires lifelong treatment with insulin injections or an insulin pump.

Type 2 diabetes, on the other hand, is caused by a combination of insulin resistance and a decrease in insulin production. This type of diabetes is much more common and typically develops in middle-aged or older adults, but it is becoming increasingly common in younger people as well and is often associated with obesity, a sedentary lifestyle, and a diet high in sugar and unhealthy fats.

Regarding a video about a certain Ayurvedic tablet called DME 6, which claims to control sugars and help the patient to discontinue Insulin use. he said it cannot be substantiated unless and until we have real-time data and large randomized trials.

Ayurvedic science is different from modern allopathic science where in the latter we rely on real-time data and evidence and after stringent protocols, the drug is launched in the market.

The long-term side effects of DME 6 tablets are not available and the mechanism of action is not clearly understood. Hence the claim and guarantee of controlling blood sugars should be taken with caution as it might not be suitable and not a good choice for a lot of patients who are insulin-dependent and on multiple anti-diabetic medications!