diabetes supplements

Diabetes is a serious condition that affects millions of people worldwide, and can be partially controlled by taking diabetes supplements. If you have diabetes, it’s important to carefully monitor your blood sugar levels and take steps to keep them under control. One way to do this is by taking a diabetes supplement. But with so many supplements on the market, how do you know which one is right for you? Here are a few things to look for when choosing a diabetes supplement.

Choose Supplements Wisely

First, you need to make sure the supplement contains ingredients that have been shown to be effective in controlling blood sugar levels. More about that further on in this article. Next, it is important to make sure the supplement is FDA-approved. This ensures that it’s been through rigorous testing and that it’s safe for human consumption. It is preferable to choose a supplement that contains natural ingredients. This helps to ensure that your body will be able to absorb the nutrients more effectively.

It might not be the first thing you think of, but choose a supplement that is easy for you to take. You don’t want something that you’ll struggle to swallow or that you don’t like the taste of. You need a supplement that you will be able to stick with for the long term.

Affordability

Affordability is the next consideration when choosing a supplement. Diabetes can be a costly condition to manage, so you’ll want to find a supplement that won’t break the bank. On this point, it is important to select a supplement that has a good reputation. Reading reviews from other customers can inform whether or not a particular product is likely to be effective. Bear in mind that it is not just about buying the cheapest. Value for money and efficacy are more important.

Always Under Doctor Supervision

Finally, talk to your doctor about any supplements you’re considering taking. They can help you determine if a particular supplement is right for you. Your doctor will know if it could interact with any medications you’re currently taking. Taking a diabetes supplement can be a helpful way to control your blood sugar levels. Just be sure to do your research and choose a product that is right for you.

Vitamins and Minerals Startup

When first diagnosed with diabetes or prediabetes, you are likely to be advised initially to follow a healthy diet and take up regular exercise. This is because type 2 diabetes is caused, in part, by a poor diet and lack of exercise. With regard to supplements, it is a good idea to start with vitamins and minerals that play a part in the control of blood sugar. So what are these nutrients? Let’s dive in.

Magnesium

It’s no secret that magnesium is essential for good health. This essential mineral is involved in hundreds of different biochemical reactions in the body, including regulating blood sugar levels. Magnesium helps to promote insulin sensitivity and decrease insulin resistance. They both are important for keeping blood sugar levels in check.

To gain the benefit from taking a magnesium supplement, studies recommend 360mg per day. The recommended daily intake of magnesium for women is around 315mg and for men is 410mg. Ideally we should be having this much in our diet. Sadly, this is often not the case. You should not just rely on supplementation. It is a good idea to eat a variety of magnesium-rich foods. These include nuts, seeds, beans, green vegetables, salmon and even dark chocolate. In addition, magnesium helps to reduce inflammation, which can also contribute to diabetes.

Although magnesium overdose is not common, do not be tempted to fall into the trap of thinking that more is better. Sticking to the recommended intake is best. Popping too many magnesium supplements can lead to vomiting, diarrhea and low blood pressure. It can even negatively affect the lungs and heart.

While more research is needed to understand exactly how magnesium regulates blood sugar, there’s no doubt that this essential mineral plays a vital role in maintaining healthy blood sugar levels and overall health in general.

Chromium

Chromium is an essential trace mineral that is found in red meat, egg yolks, and poultry. On the vegetation spectrum, find chromium in whole grains, brewer’s yeast, green beans and broccoli. Despite only being needed in tiny amounts, it plays a vital role in regulating blood sugar and sugar metabolism. When chromium levels are low, it can lead to high blood pressure and not enough ‘good’ cholesterol. It can also negatively impact the body processing sugar, which can lead to type 2 diabetes.

Taking a chromium supplement has been shown to help control blood sugar, increase the insulin sensitivity of cells, and can even play a part in the prevention of the development of pre-diabetes into diabetes.

Chromium is available as either a stand-alone supplement or as a multi-nutrient supplement. A very effective way of taking a chromium supplement is in combination with other trace element nutrients such as molybdenum, selenium and manganese to boost all round health. As chromium is evident in various forms, do your due diligence and make sure that the supplement contains chromium 3 and not chromium 4. The former supports human health, but the latter is toxic. It is also safe in the form of chromium picolinate.

Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)

Vitamin B1, also known as thiamine, is found in a variety of foods, including pork, whole grains, sunflower seeds and legumes, such as lentils. It’s also available in supplement form, as benfotiamine. Vitamin B1 plays a very important role in several important body processes, including carbohydrate metabolism and glucose regulation.

This means that getting enough vitamin B1 could help to keep blood sugar levels in check and improve sugar metabolism in people with diabetes. A complication of chronic diabetes is nerve damage. Vitamin B1 is essential for the health of the nervous system. It helps to protect nerve cells from damage and promotes proper nerve function, which is another reason to take this vital vitamin supplement.

Vitamin B1 deficiency can lead to a condition known as beriberi, which can cause fatigue and muscle weakness. As with diabetes, it can also cause peripheral neuropathy, causing the feet and hands to have loss of feeling, and reduced reflex action. In extreme cases it can be deadly.

While most people get enough vitamin B1 from their diet, people with diabetes may be at risk for deficiency due to the increased demands placed on the body by the condition Therefore, supplementation is recommended, on top of making sure you eat vitamin B1-rich foods, to make sure you are having adequate intake.

This vitamin is available in a multi-nutrient supplement or can be taken on its own. As mentioned above, it is often in a manmade, synthetic form in supplements, so it is best to try and source supplements that use natural foods to manufacture their supplements. This means the body can absorb and utilize them more effectively.

Probiotics

Probiotics are live, “good” bacteria that are beneficial for overall physical and mental health. The microbiome is a community of many varieties of bacteria living in the gut. Having a healthy and diverse microbiome has also been linked to preventing the development of diabetes. Probiotics do this because they reduce inflammation, improve blood sugar levels and prevent the destruction of cells in the pancreas that release insulin.

Probiotics are safe, and they can be found in many fermented food sources, such as yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi. You can buy these at health food stores or, better still, make your own at home. Probiotics are also available in supplement form as capsules containing billions of bacteria.

Diabetes can deplete the ‘good’ bacteria in the gut. So it is important to take a probiotic supplement, especially if you have been diagnosed with this disease. This is because not having enough ‘good’ bacteria in the gut can allow disease-causing bacteria to infiltrate the gut. If you have been told by your doctor that you have pre-diabetes, taking probiotics can help prevent the onset of full-blown diabetes.

You might be surprised to learn that your spice cabinet can be a powerful tool in managing blood sugar levels. Certain herbs and spices have been shown to help regulate insulin levels and improve glucose metabolism. So what have you got lurking in your kitchen cupboards that can help manage your blood sugar levels?

Cinnamon

Cinnamon has been shown to mimic the effects of insulin, helping cells to absorb sugar from the bloodstream. Because of this effect, cinnamon has a number of benefits for blood sugar control. These include improving the insulin sensitivity of cells which then increases the amount of glucose taken in. This is illustrated by lower blood sugar levels, especially after meals. Therefore, cinnamon can help to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. Whether you are at risk for type 2 diabetes or are already managing diabetes, including cinnamon in your diet may help to improve your blood sugar control.

You can use cinnamon by adding it to all sorts of meals. A few suggestions are adding it to curries or porridge, or sprinkling it into coffee. If you are not keen on the flavour, you can buy it in tablet form as a supplement.

Apple Cider Vinegar

You may have heard about the health benefits of apple cider vinegar which includes weight loss. It does this by increasing the hormone glucagon, which encourages fat burning; reducing fat being made from excess glucose, by the liver and preventing weight gain by changing fat storage genes.

However, the studies that reached these conclusions were carried out on rodents, and not humans. With that being said apple cider vinegar can help to improve insulin sensitivity and reduce fasting blood sugar levels. The acetic acid in vinegar is thought to be responsible for these effects.

Vinegar can also help to lower blood sugar levels after meals by slowing the rate at which food empties from the stomach You can add apple cider vinegar to your diet by drinking one tablespoon full in half a pint of water each day, adding it to salads, or using it to make fermented foods, which help support the gut microbiome, as mentioned earlier.

An additional benefit to this food is that it contains vitamin B1 which we also learnt is necessary to support your health if you have diabetes. Vinegar is acidic and some people may not like the sharp flavor, so the good news is that it is also available as a supplement from your local health food store or online.

Vitamin D

Another supplement worth considering if you have been diagnosed with pre-diabetes or diabetes, is vitamin D to reduce insulin resistance and support the health of the cells in the pancreas that release insulin.

Alpha-Lipoic Acid

Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA) is another supplement that can reduce blood sugar and also lessen the damage that high blood sugar causes in the body (28). ALA is available as a supplement or is also found in red meat, beetroot and green vegetables such as broccoli and spinach (29). Remember that eating plenty of fibrous vegetables is recommended to lower blood sugar, slow down how fast food is digested and deliver vitamins and minerals. All of which support your health when fighting the effects of diabetes.

Green Tea

Green tea is delicious, but did you know that it can also help to improve blood sugar levels and reduce insulin sensitivity? Polyphenols are a type of plant-based compound with antioxidant benefits. These compounds, specifically catechins, are found in green tea, and are the reason why it can increase insulin sensitivity and decrease blood sugar levels. This means green tea can play a small part in the prevention of the development of type 2 diabetes. You can drink green tea, or green tea extract is available as a supplement.

Next Steps

We have explored several foods, vitamins and supplements that can support your health if you have diabetes. However, remember that a healthy diet including whole foods and plenty of fruit and vegetables, along with regular exercise, should be the basis on which you seek to improve your health outcomes. Supplements have a place but should not replace a healthy diet. Finally, do check that any supplements you want to try do not interfere with any medication your doctor has prescribed to manage your diabetic symptoms.

Click here to access our Dealing With Diabetes section, and accompanying articles.

Click here to access the American Diabetes Association website and article : “Vitamins and Diabetes”