Dietary changes that may be helpful for Diabetes
Alpha lipoic acid
Alpha lipoic acid is a powerful natural antioxidant. Preliminary and double - blind trials have found that supplementing with 600 to 1,200 mg of lipoic acid per day improves the symptoms of diabetic nerve damage ( neuropathy ). In a preliminary study, supplementing with 600 mg of alpha-lipoic acid per day for 18 months slowed the progression of kidney damage in people with type 1 diabetes.61
Chromium
Chromium, a trace mineral that appears to increase the effectiveness of insulin, has been shown to improve glucose and related variables in people with many kinds of diabetes, including type 1 diabetes. Chromium may also lower levels of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides (risk factors for heart disease). The typical amount of chromium used in research trials is 200 mcg per day. Supplementation with chromium or brewer’s yeast (a source of chromium) could potentially enhance the effects of drugs for diabetes (e.g., insulin or other blood sugar-lowering agents) and possibly lead to hypoglycemia. Therefore, people with diabetes taking these medications should supplement with chromium or brewer's yeast only under the supervision of a doctor.
Magnesium
People with type 1 diabetes tend to have low magnesium levels, and magnesium given orally or by injection partially overcomes the reduction in magnesium levels. In one preliminary trial, insulin requirements were lower in people with type 1 diabetes who were given magnesium. Diabetes-induced damage to the eyes is more likely to occur in magnesium-deficient people with type 1 diabetes. In magnesium-deficient pregnant women with type 1 diabetes, the lack of magnesium may even account for the high rate of spontaneous abortion and birth defects associated with type 1 diabetes. A double-blind trial found that giving 300 mg per day of magnesium to magnesium-deficient type 1 diabetics for five years slowed the development of diabetic nerve damage ( neuropathy ). The American Diabetes Association acknowledges strong associations between magnesium deficiency and insulin resistance but has not said magnesium deficiency is a risk factor. Many doctors, however, recommend that adults with diabetes and normal kidney function supplement with 200 to 600 mg of magnesium per day ( those amounts would be lower for children ).
Evening primrose oil
Supplementing with 4 grams of evening primrose oil per day for six months has been found in double-blind research to improve nerve function and to relieve pain symptoms in people with diabetic nerve damage ( neuropathy ).
Acetyl-L-carnitine
In a double-blind study of people with diabetic nerve damage (neuropathy), supplementing with acetyl-L-carnitine was significantly more effective than a placebo in improving subjective symptoms of neuropathy and objective measures of nerve function. People who received 1,000 mg of acetyl-L-carnitine three times per day tended to fare better than those who received 500 mg three times per day.
B Vitamins
Blood levels of vitamin B1 (thiamine) have been found to be low in people with type 1 diabetes. A controlled trial in Africa found that supplementing with both vitamin B1 (25 mg per day) and vitamin B6 (50 mg per day) led to significant improvement of symptoms of diabetic nerve damage (neuropathy) after four weeks. However, since this was a trial conducted among people in a vitamin B1–deficient developing country, these improvements might not occur in other people with diabetes. Another trial found that combining vitamin B1 (in a special fat-soluble form) and vitamin B6 plus vitamin B12 in high but variable amounts led to improvement in some aspects of diabetic neuropathy in 12 weeks. As a result, some doctors recommend that people with diabetic neuropathy supplement with vitamin B1, though the optimal level of intake remains unknown.
Taking large amounts of niacin (a form of vitamin B3), such as 2 to 3 grams per day, may impair glucose tolerance and should be used by people with diabetes only with medical supervision.
Some clinical trials have shown that niacinamide (another form of vitamin B3) supplementation might be useful in the very early stages of type 1 diabetes, though not all trials support this claim. Although an analysis of research shows that niacinamide does help preserve some function of insulin-secreting cells in people recently diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, the amount of insulin required for those given niacinamide has remained essentially as high as for those given placebo. A controlled trial found no beneficial effect of niacinamide supplementation (700 mg three times per day in addition to intensive insulin therapy) on pancreatic function and glucose tolerance in people newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.
Some, but not all, reports suggest that healthy children at high risk for type 1 diabetes (such as the healthy siblings of children with type 1 diabetes) may be protected from the disease by supplementing with niacinamide. Parents of children with type 1 diabetes should consult their doctor regarding niacinamide supplementation as a way to prevent diabetes in their other children. Although the optimal amount of niacinamide is not known, recent evidence suggests that 25 mg per 2.2 pounds of body weight per day may be as effective as higher amounts.
Many people with diabetes have low blood levels of vitamin B6. Levels are even lower in people with diabetes who also have neuropathy. In a trial that included people with type 1 diabetes, 1,800 mg per day of a special form of vitamin B6—pyridoxine alpha-ketoglutarate—improved glucose tolerance dramatically. Vitamin B6 may also reduce the amount of glycosylation, so taking adequate amounts of this vitamin may be beneficial for all people with diabetes.
Biotin is a B vitamin needed to process glucose. When people with type 1 diabetes were given 16 mg of biotin per day for one week, their fasting glucose levels dropped by 50%. Biotin may also reduce pain from diabetic nerve damage (neuropathy). Some doctors try 16 mg of biotin for a few weeks to see if blood sugar levels will fall.
Vitamin B12 is needed for normal functioning of nerve cells. Vitamin B12 taken orally has reduced symptoms of nerve damage caused by diabetes in 39% of people studied; when given both intravenously and orally, two-thirds of people improved. In a preliminary trial, people with nerve damage due to kidney disease or to diabetes plus kidney disease received intravenous injections of 500 mcg of methylcobalamin (the main form of vitamin B12 found in the blood) three times a day for six months in addition to kidney dialysis. Nerve pain was significantly reduced and nerve function significantly improved in those who received the injections. Oral vitamin B12 up to 500 mcg three times per day is recommended by some practitioners.
By : Healthnotes
