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November is Diabetes Awareness Month. In honor of this important event, we want to share some of the latest research findings with you about the best supplements for diabetes.
If you or someone you love has diabetes, you are probably already aware of the fact that managing the condition well is extremely important. High blood sugar can result in ketoacidosis, a potentially harmful or even fatal condition in which ketones build up in the blood. But low blood sugar, which causes hypoglycemia, can be just as dangerous.
The good news is that medications like Metformin and Insulin can help diabetes patients overcome their condition and remain healthy for life. But lifestyle changes and eating a healthy diet can help, too.
Now, researchers have discovered promising information about another potential treatment avenue: nutritional herbs and supplements for diabetes. Get to know which ones help, and how they benefit patients, in this list.
1. Cinnamon
There’s nothing like a little pinch of cinnamon on top of a hot apple cider or even a freshly baked sweet potato pie. But now, it turns out that same delightful spice might also be able to help you control your blood sugar, too.
Studies show that taking regular doses of whole cinnamon powder not only directly lowers blood sugar, but also empowers your body to better maintain control of it over time. It works by making your cells more sensitive to insulin, which allows your body to better utilize it in keeping blood sugar levels down.
Results have been the most promising for prediabetic patients and those who had been diagnosed with Type II diabetes.
In fact, participants in this study saw an 11 to 14 percent drop in blood sugar values over just a couple of months!
But you’ll have to do more than just add a dash of spice to your coffee to make this potential benefit work. The most common studies gave patients at least 120 mg to 500 mg capsules of cinnamon extract with breakfast and dinner.
Tip: Have Type I diabetes? Ask your pharmacist if it’s safe to integrate these supplements for diabetes and ask if it works with your protocol, as taking too much cinnamon may drop sugar levels too low.
2. Probiotics
There is also mounting evidence that gut bacteria might play a role in the development of Type II diabetes.
The human digestive system relies on a healthy balance between good and bad bacteria in order for optimal functioning. If healthy bacteria are not present, or are somehow chronically damaged (e.g., long-term antibiotic therapy), it allows bad bacteria to multiply at exponential rates.
At best, this results in:
- Flatulence
- Stomach pain
- Gas
- Poor digestion
At worst, it could also lead to poor insulin production and a lowered ability to digest carbs. This can cause blood sugar levels to rise steadily overtime.
In this study, researchers supplemented Type II diabetes patients with probiotics for two or more months. They found that nearly all patients saw an approximate 16-mg/dl decrease in blood sugar. AIC levels also dropped, proving that probiotics provide the most benefit when taken regularly over time.
So how can you work them in? Add sugar-free yogurts and kefir to your diet. Or, if you can’t have dairy, try a dairy-free fermented probiotic supplement instead. Formulas containing multiple species of bacteria, including L. acidophilus, B. bifidum and L. rhamnosus, seem to work best.
Tip: Are you immunocompromised or currently undergoing chemotherapy? Ask your doctor before you add a probiotic, as you may not be able to take them safely.
3. Vitamin D
The idea that Vitamin D can benefit patients with diabetes isn’t new. In fact, researchers have been aware of the critical role it may play in many chronic illnesses for some time. But it has only been within the last five years that we are finally beginning to understand just how important it might be for patients with diabetes.
In this study, almost 75 percent of patients with Type II diabetes were identified as deficient in the “sunshine vitamin.” Other studies, including this one, have confirmed this link and specifically identify Vitamin D deficiency as a risk factor for blood sugar problems later in life.
The most promising trial had patients take 4,500-IUs of a high-quality Vitamin D supplement daily for several months.
Fasting blood sugar levels and AIC levels both improved at numbers far too significant to ignore.
So where does this connection come from? In animal studies, Vitamin D stimulates pancreatic cells to produce more insulin. This makes it easier for the pancreas to mount a faster, more effective response to rising blood sugar levels.
The easiest way to add Vitamin D to your diet is to eat more vitamin-rich foods; however, it’s safer and more reliable to take them as supplements for diabetes. Ask your pharmacist to help you identify the best dose and option for you.
Tip: The human body naturally produces Vitamin D when exposed to sunlight. Getting out for a short walk or even spending five to 10 minutes in the sun (no more unless you wear sunscreen) may help.
4. Chromium
The name “chromium” might sound like “chrome,” but that doesn’t mean it’s made of the same metal used in vehicle rims or refrigerators and stoves. Instead, like iron, it’s a trace mineral that plays a critical role in nutrition and health.
For diabetes patients, chromium seems to make cells more sensitive to insulin while also providing direct support to pancreatic cells. As this study shows, there is also evidence that being deficient in chromium may inhibit your ability to digest carbs and clear simple sugars from the body.
So, can taking supplements for diabetes really help? Absolutely.
All of these papers concluded that patients who took chromium on a schedule enjoyed much lower fasting blood sugar and AIC levels.
This means that taking chromium not only immediately reduced blood sugar, but also helped keep it low over time.
As for how much patients used, each study took its own individual approach. Most, however, gave patients between 250mcg and 1000mcg per day, usually in the highly-absorbable form chromium picolinate. If you’re interested in trying this for yourself, your pharmacist can help set you up.
5. Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA)
Alpha-lipoic acid, also known as ALA, is highly similar to other essential fatty acids like omega-6 and omega-3. This powerful antioxidant is normally produced in the liver (at least in healthy patients), but it is also found in spinach, certain types of fish, beef steaks, and broccoli.
ALA plays a few different roles in health that are key to patients with diabetes. First, it can sensitize cells to insulin, helping to keep blood sugar levels from spiraling out of control. It also has a protective effect; taken regularly, it may help to prevent or even reverse oxidative damage from chronic diabetes.
In this study, patients who supplemented with between 300 and 1,200 mg of ALA each day saw significant improvements in fasting blood sugar and AIC.
Higher doses produced better results, and patients also noticed that their results improved more the longer they continued treatment.
The easiest way to take ALA is by taking a supplement with each meal. Most studies support a dose of around 600 mg to 1,200 mg, but this should be divided over the course of 24 hours rather than taken all at once.
Tip: Are you deficient in vitamin B1? Struggling with a thyroid condition? Ask your pharmacist if ALA is safe for you first, as these conditions might make these conditions worse.
Which Are the Best Supplements for Diabetes?
Supplements for diabetes can help to improve blood sugar and AIC and should be considered if you or a loved one has diabetes.
The best types of supplements for you will depend on your history and test results. If you think any of these are a good option for you, contact your doctor today.
