Capers: Overview, Uses, Side Effects, Precautions, Interactions, Dosing and Reviews

Overview

The caper bush is a plant. The fruit, unopened flower bud, other parts that grow above the ground, and the root are all used for medicine.

Capers are used for diabetes. They are also used for many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support the use of capers for any condition.

Capers are also eaten as a food and used as a flavoring.

Capers contain chemicals that might help control blood sugar. Capers might also have antioxidant activity.

How does it work ?

Capers contain chemicals that might help control blood sugar. Capers might also have antioxidant activity.

Uses & Effectiveness

Insufficient Evidence for

Diabetes. Some early research shows that capers can lower blood sugar levels in some people with type 2 diabetes who are already taking diabetes medicines. But not all research agrees.
Fungal infections.
Chest congestion.
Intestinal worms.
A skin disease caused by parasites (leishmaniasis).
Skin disorders, when applied directly.
Improving blood flow near the skin's surface, when applied directly.
Dry skin, when applied directly.
Other conditions.

More evidence is needed to rate the effectiveness of capers for these uses.

Side Effects

When taken by mouth: Capers are LIKELY SAFE for most people when eaten as a food. Caper fruit extract is POSSIBLY SAFE when taken by mouth as a medicine, short-term.

When applied to the skin: There isn't enough reliable information to know if capers are safe. They might cause side effects such as skin rash and skin irritation in some people.

Special Precautions and Warnings

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: There isn't enough reliable information to know if capers are safe to use when pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and stick with the amounts found in food.

Allergy to other plants in the same family as capers: Capers contain a chemical that is also found in mustard oil. If you are allergic to mustard oil, be cautious when trying capers.

Diabetes: Use caution while taking this supplement. Capers might lower blood sugar in people with diabetes. Watch for signs of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) and monitor your blood sugar carefully if you have diabetes and use capers in medicinal amounts.

Interactions

Moderate Interaction

Be cautious with this combination

Medications for diabetes (Antidiabetes drugs) interacts with Capers
Capers might lower blood sugar in some people with diabetes. Diabetes medications are also used to lower blood sugar. Taking capers along with diabetes medications might cause your blood sugar to go too low. Monitor your blood sugar closely. The dose of your diabetes medication might need to be changed.

Some medications used for diabetes include glimepiride (Amaryl), glyburide (Diabeta, Glynase PresTab, Micronase), insulin, pioglitazone (Actos), rosiglitazone (Avandia), chlorpropamide (Diabinese), glipizide (Glucotrol), tolbutamide (Orinase), and others.

Dosing

The appropriate dose of capers for use as treatment depends on several factors such as the user's age, health, and several other conditions. At this time there is not enough scientific information to determine an appropriate range of doses for capers. Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important. Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult your pharmacist or physician or other healthcare professional before using.

View References

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