Bitter melon
Bitter melon, Momordica charantia, is a tropical vine with an edible bitter fruit. Its extracts contain glycosides and triterpenes.
Also listed as Organic Bitter Melon, Bittermelon, Momordica charantia, Bitter Melon Extract
Can it lower blood sugar?
A 2014 review of four trials in 208 people with type 2 diabetes found no significant improvement in HbA1c or fasting glucose. A larger 2025 review of 25 trials in prediabetes or type 2 diabetes found reductions in both measures, but rated the evidence low for fasting glucose and very low for HbA1c. 1 2
A glucose-lowering effect is plausible and supported by some pooled findings, but inconsistent trials and low certainty limit confidence in its size and reliability. 1 2
What did the Dutch trials add?
Two 2025 trials compared bitter gourd with cucumber-based controls in people with prediabetes. Four weeks of freeze-dried juice produced no significant overall advantage. Twelve weeks of whole-fruit powder improved fasting glucose and an insulin-resistance measure, while other glucose-related markers did not differ significantly. 3
Questions outside this review
This page focuses on blood sugar and does not assess weight loss, cholesterol, gut-health or antioxidant claims.
Effects by health goal
Open an effect to see the studies behind its rating. Bars show the size of the effect; the letter grades the evidence.
Longevity1 effect
No study is linked to this rating.
Weight Management3 effects
No study is linked to this rating.
No study is linked to this rating.
No study is linked to this rating.
Gut Health1 effect
No study is linked to this rating.
Cardiovascular1 effect
No study is linked to this rating.