Gluco6

Gluco6 wants to be a good blood sugar support supplement.

The supplement contains a decent blend of six science-backed ingredients linked to blood sugar.

The messaging somewhat gets lost along the way with awkward claims of “GLUT-4 receptors” and a mysterious traditional remedy from Sudan.

Nevertheless, there’s a good underlying blood sugar support formula here made with green tea, Gymena sylvestre, chromium, and other ingredients popular among diabetics.

No supplement should replace doctor-prescribed medication or a doctor-recommended treatment plan – especially if you have diabetes or pre-diabetes. However, Gluco6 could help maintain blood sugar within a normal range when combined with healthy diet and lifestyle practices.

Features

Gluco6 has a whacky origin story. It’s based on a traditional remedy from the country of Sudan, where locals have purportedly used many of the same natural ingredients to help maintain healthy blood glucose levels.

By taking Gluco6 daily, you can release 570mg of a proprietary formula within your body. That formula contains six active ingredients – including natural ingredients linked to blood sugar control.

As with other “glucose control” supplements available online today, Gluco6 should not – and cannot – replace a doctor-recommended treatment plan for diabetes or pre-diabetes. Nevertheless, the supplement appears to be primarily marketed to people concerned about blood sugar.

Ingredients

Gluco6, as you may have guessed from the name, contains six active ingredients linked to blood glucose control. Those six active ingredients are spread across a 570mg proprietary formula. All six, surprisingly, have been linked to blood sugar in at least one major trial.

Sukre: Sukre is a proprieatry compound made by Compound Solutions. It’s a natural sweetener that aims to avoid the side effects – like digestive issues – caused by other alternative sweeteners. Plus, it also aims to promote prebiotic effects without the downsides of inulin or sugar alcohols. Overall, Compoud Solutions advertises Sukre as a “healthy ‘filler’” in various types of supplements.

TeaCrine: TeaCrine is another proprietary formula. It’s a special type of theacrine, which is a purine alkaloid similar to caffeine. Some take TeaCrine daily for energy prodution, focus, and mood. There’s limited research, however, connecting it to blood sugar control.

Gymnema Sylvestre: Gymnema sylvestre is a plant extract commonly found in blood sugar support supplements. Some diabetics take it daily for blood sugar balance. Traditionally used in Ayurvedic medicine, the plant may help with fasting blood sugar, HbA1c levels, and insulin sensitivity, according to some trials.

Chromium: Chromium is an essential trace mineral linked to blood sugar balance, carb metabolism, and lipid control. If you’re deficient in chromium, taking a chromium supplement could help with gylcemic control. One review found chromium appeared to play a significant role in insulin resistance.

Cinnamon: Cinnamon – yes, the spice – has been studied for its effects on blood sugar and glycemic control. Multiple meta analyses have linked cinnamon supplementation to a reduction in fasting blood glucose and cholesterol levels.

Green Tea: Found in everything from weight loss aids to energy supplements, green tea is packed with polyphenols and catechins that could promote blood sugar balance. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), for example, has been shown to help with fasting blood glucose and HbA1c levels.

Trick Factor

Gluco6 avoids many of the tricks seen in other blood glucose supplements. It doesn’t claim to reverse diabetes, cure high blood sugar, or eliminate metabolic syndrome overnight.

Instead, Gluco6 delivers a transparent dose of six active ingredients that could help keep blood sugar in a normal range when combined with a balanced diet and lifestyle.

I took a couple points off for the marketing and messaging: the manufacturer claims to have built the formula on a traditional remedy from Sudan, for example. They also claim the formula targets GLUT-4 receptors to manage blood sugar without providing good evidence to validate that claim.

Pricing

At $39 to $59 per bottle, Gluco6 is cheaper than the average diabetes supplement – but more expensive than buying the six ingredients separately. You’re paying a premium for the convenience of having all six active ingredients in one single, easy-to-swallow, daily capsule.

Gluco6: Overall Rating

Overall, Gluco6 gets a 7. It avoids the pitfalls of other diabetes supplements in this sleazy corner of the supplement industry while delivering genuine science-backed ingredients at a price that isn’t absurd.

Nevertheless, it should not replace a doctor-recommended treatment plan for diabetes, nor should you stop taking doctor-prescribed medication. The 570mg of proprietary formula in each serving of Gluco6 could mildly support healthy blood sugar levels already within a normal range – but it’s unlikely to lower high blood sugar or create a meaningful difference for your diabetes or pre-diabetes.

References

Compound Solutions. (n.d.). Sükre™ – Clean-tasting natural sweetener. https://compoundsolutions.com/ingredients/sukre/

Chai, S. C., Hooshmand, S., Saadat, R. L., Payton, M. E., & Arjmandi, B. H. (2021). Cinnamon improves glycemic control in type 2 diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Clinical Nutrition, 40(5), 2535–2545. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnu.2020.10.037

Shanmugasundaram, E. R. B., Gopinath, K. L., Radha Shanmugasundaram, K., & Rajendran, V. M. (1990). Possible regeneration of the islets of Langerhans in streptozotocin-diabetic rats given Gymnema sylvestre leaf extracts. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 30(3), 265–279. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3767714/

Allen, R. W., Schwartzman, E., Baker, W. L., Coleman, C. I., & Phung, O. J. (2013). Cinnamon use in type 2 diabetes: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis. Annals of Family Medicine, 11(5), 452–459. https://doi.org/10.1370/afm.1517

Anderson, R. A., Chromium, glucose intolerance and diabetes. (2003). Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 22(1), 5–6. https://doi.org/10.1080/07315724.2003.10719277