Cholesterol Effects

• According to the "Journal of Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition," taking Gymnema Sylvestre may decrease cholesterol levels in human beings. Rats in clinical studies showed improvement in their ability to break down lipids in their bloodstream after ingesting Gymnema Sylvestre. Excessive lipids in your bloodstream increase serum cholesterol levels, which can cause flow stoppages in your heart valves over time, leading to heart attacks. Sylvestre could potentially be used as a medicinal tool for preventing artery blockages in at-risk individuals.
  
  

Antioxidant

• Gymnema Sylvestre reportedly acts as an antioxidant in your body when iingested as an alcoholic extract. After three weeks of drinking the alcohol liquid produced from the Sylvestre leaf, research subjects showed increased levels of vitamin C and E in their body. According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, the two vitamins eliminate free radicals in your body. Free radicals are produced in your body when you are exposed to smoke, alcohol, radiation and other harmful substances.
  
  

Diabetes

• A study conducted at the Harvard Medical School showed that test subjects with diabetes or unstable glucose levels benefited from the ingestion of Gymnema Sylvestre leaves. Type 1 diabetics must take insulin injections to control their blood sugar (glucose) levels throughout the day. Without insulin, diabetics could go into shock and possibly die. Stabilizing the blood glucose in a person with diabetes allows her to possibly live a life free of needle pricks and blood sugar monitoring.
  
  

Weight Loss

• People who take Sylvestre are reportedly less likely to eat sugary foods due to the plant's ability to curb sugar desire. After you eat Gymnema Sylvestre, your body's ability to taste sugar or sweetness in foods is greatly reduced, curbing sweet food intake. This reduction in sugar content can lead to weight loss. For example, a person taking Sylvestre would possibly be less likely to consume a soft drink because it would not taste sweet.