Supplements For Type 2 Diabetes - Some Things You May Not Know About
Dietary supplements for type 2 diabetes patients are widely available and often heavily promoted. Yet the effectiveness of these products is frequently questioned. Critics argue they have little benefit at best and may be harmful if doses are too high. The US peak authority for complementary and alternative medicines (the NCCAM) has reviewed the medical evidence examining the effectiveness of these dietary supplements. It has published its findings online at its official website. The results are interesting and somewhat surprising.
Type 2 diabetes is the dominant form of diabetes. It accounts for at least ninety percent of all diabetes patients. Type 1 and 3 diabetes, one affecting young children the other pregnant women, are also serious but affect far fewer people.
All forms of diabetes impair the body’s ability to convert food into energy. The body breaks down most foods into glucose, being a form of sugar. Glucose is the main fuel for the body. To assist glucose to enter body cells, the body produces insulin. People with diabetes do not make sufficient insulin or their body cells do not interact properly with insulin, or both. Without treatment, glucose builds up in the blood instead of moving into the cells. Over time, the high blood glucose levels can damage many critical parts of the body such as the heart, veins, nerves, eyes, kidneys, nerves, skin and feet. Such complications are preventable by controlling blood glucose, as well as blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
People with type 2 diabetes have difficulty in keeping their blood glucose in a healthy range. The main conventional strategies for managing this issue are a healthy diet, exercise, and vigilant monitoring of blood glucose level. Many diabetes sufferers also take prescription pills, insulin, or both in strict consultation with their physician.
Some sufferers also elect to consume dietary supplements specially designed for diabetes patients. The key benefit claimed by these supplements is an enhanced control of the blood glucose. Perhaps the most common of these supplements are thioctic acid, chromium and omega-3 fatty acids (commonly known as good fats).
Thioctic acid (also known as alpha-lipoic acid) is one of many antioxidants. It protects body cells against various forms of damage. A balanced diet provides the body with all the thioctic acid it needs. The substance is present in many commonly available foods such as spinach, liver, and potatoes. It is perhaps not surprising therefore, that scientific studies do not universally support the use of this supplement. Indeed, the studies highlight that thioctic acid supplements may even be harmful by overly decreasing blood sugar below a safe level. Accordingly, the NCCAM urges diabetes patients, who take this supplement to be disciplined about the dosage, monitor blood sugar with particular care and consult with their physician.
Chromium is a critical trace mineral required by the human body. However, the body needs only small amounts of the mineral and it is present in a wide variety of foods including meats, whole grain products as well as some fruits, vegetables, and spices. The NCCAM concludes the scientific evidence regarding the efficacy of chromium supplements is ambiguous. The NCCAM also highlights that, for people with diabetes, too much chromium might cause blood sugar to sink too low. At the other end of the spectrum, high doses can cause serious side effects, including kidney problems, this being of particular concern to diabetes sufferers.
Omega-3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fatty acids. They are beneficial for health and well-being. They come from a variety of foods such as salmon and other fish, vegetable oil, walnuts, and wheat germ. Omega-3 supplements are available as capsules or oils (such as fish oil). Omega-3s are important for a number of bodily functions including the movement of calcium and other substances in and out of body cells as well as cell division and growth. Again, the scientific evidence on the effectiveness of this supplement for diabetes patients is mixed. The weight of evidence does not point to supplements being of positive benefit in terms of better blood glucose control be diabetes patients.
The Maryland-based NCCAM is the US government’s top authority for research on alternative medical systems, procedures and products that are not part of mainstream medicine. It concludes the above mentioned supplements appear not to assist the control of blood glucose. It emphasizes this can only be a preliminary conclusion since the available evidence is in some cases badly designed, lacking in depth and inadequate in terms of time period length.
Mentioned above are some of the things you need to know about dietary supplements for type 2 diabetes.
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