There are various myths suggesting that diabetes medications aggravate diabetes and worsen the patient’s condition with side effects. As a result, it is recommended to lower blood sugar through non-medicinal methods, including food, supplements, herbal medicine, and acupuncture.

But are these claims true?

"There are many misconceptions that taking diabetes medication has various side effects that worsen diabetes and cause complications. Some patients even ask, 'Doesn't the function of the beta cells in my pancreas deteriorate by using diabetes drugs, forcing me to use insulin?' said Professor Moon Jun-ho of the Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital on the hospital's YouTube channel.

However, the truth is that diabetes drugs can give the beta cells of the pancreas a little rest and maintain healthy pancreatic function for a longer time by controlling high blood sugar, Professor Moon explained.

"There may come a point when you can't control it anymore with medication and you need to use insulin. Again, good glucose control can postpone the need for insulin. There's a misconception that you'll inevitably need to use insulin at some point. However, you should try to delay the insulin use as much as possible by managing your blood sugar well," he added.

Studies have shown that people with diabetes who have good glycemic control by using diabetes medications have better preservation of pancreatic function over the long term and can delay the need for insulin, Professor Moon noted. Furthermore, while diabetes medications are not without side effects, they have been proven safer than dietary supplements in large-scale studies.

"Diabetes medications are used by hundreds of millions of people worldwide and have been studied for side effects but proven to be safer than any dietary supplement," Moon said. "This is not to say they are completely free of side effects. Metformin, one of the most common treatments, is known to cause some gastrointestinal discomfort. It's important not to be misled and risk increasing the risk of complications by not taking your medication, as side effects can be controlled by reducing the dose if you experience these symptoms."

Can foods and supplements with ingredients that can lower blood sugar, such as barley, onion skins, bitter gourd, and pork potatoes, replace diabetes medications?

"There are studies that show that some of the ingredients in these foods can lower blood sugar," Dr. Moon said. "However, you have to eat a lot more of them to enjoy the benefits of the specific ingredients in these foods. In some cases, that can raise blood sugar and make you gain weight."

Do people with diabetes who consume foods or supplements that contain ingredients supposed to lower blood sugar have better blood sugar control?

"I see many cases of liver and kidney damage due to consuming a lot of things known as functional foods. Some people also consume bitter gourd and pork potatoes, and such patients almost always have bad blood sugar," Moon said. "If the effectiveness of diabetes medications in lowering blood sugar is 100, the part that can be lowered through health functional foods and foods is about 5 or 10, even if you take a large amount. It is necessary to believe in the blood sugar-lowering effect of diabetes medications and take these drugs."

It is also difficult to stop diabetes medication and maintain blood sugar through herbal medicines or acupuncture.

"I've never seen a case of stopping taking diabetes medication and becoming healthy by taking oriental medicines. I think it's also next to impossible to go to an acupuncture clinic, spend a lot of money, and expect to improve blood sugar or improve pancreatic beta cell function through acupuncture," Professor Moon said. "I also see many cases where the liver or kidneys are damaged due to the toxicity of the oriental medicines. In some cases, the damage is irreversible and the kidney function remains lowered. I hope you don't make that mistake.”