Vitamin D
Vitamin D is needed to maintain adequate blood levels of insulin. Vitamin D receptors have been found in the pancreas where insulin is made, and preliminary evidence suggests that supplementation can improve some measures of blood sugar control in people with type 2 diabetes. Not enough is known about optimal amounts of vitamin D for people with diabetes, and high amounts of vitamin D can be toxic ; therefore, people with diabetes considering vitamin D supplementation should talk with a doctor and have their vitamin D status assessed.
Inositol
Inositol is needed for normal nerve function. Diabetes can cause a type of nerve damage known as diabetic neuropathy. This condition has been reported in some, but not all, trials to improve with inositol supplementation (500 mg taken twice per day).
Taurine
Animal studies have shown that supplementing with taurine, an amino acid found in protein-rich food, may affect insulin secretion and action, and may have potential in protecting the eyes and nerves from diabetic complications. However, a double-blind trial found no effect on insulin secretion or sensitivity when men with high risk for developing diabetes were given 1.5 grams per day of taurine for eight weeks. In another double-blind trial, taurine supplementation (2 grams per day for 12 months) failed to improve kidney complications associated with type 2 diabetes.182
Fish oil
Glucose tolerance improves in healthy people taking omega-3 fatty acid supplements, and some studies have found that fish oil supplementation also improves glucose tolerance, high triglycerides, and cholesterol levels in people with type 2 diabetes. And in one trial, people with diabetic neuropathy and diabetic nephropathy experienced significant improvement when given 600 mg three times per day of purified eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)—one of the two major omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil supplements—for 48 weeks. However, other studies have found that type 2 diabetes worsens with fish oil supplementation. Until this issue is resolved, people with diabetes should feel free to eat fish, but they should consult a doctor before taking fish oil supplements.
Quercetin
Doctors have suggested that quercetin might help people with diabetes because of its ability to reduce levels of sorbitol—a sugar that accumulates in nerve cells, kidney cells, and cells within the eyes of people with diabetes—and has been linked to damage to those organs. Clinical trials have yet to explore whether quercetin actually protects people with diabetes from neuropathy, nephropathy, or retinopathy.
Vanadium
Vanadyl sulfate, a form of vanadium, may improve glucose control in people with type 2 diabetes. Over a six-week period, a small group of people with type 2 diabetes were given 75 to 300 mg of vanadyl sulfate per day. Only in the groups receiving 150 mg or 300 mg was glucose metabolism improved, fasting blood sugar decreased, and another marker for chronic high blood sugar reduced. At the 300 mg level, total cholesterol decreased, although not without an accompanying reduction in the protective HDL cholesterol. None of the amounts improved insulin sensitivity. Although there was no evidence of toxicity after six weeks of vanadyl sulfate supplementation, gastrointestinal side effects were experienced by some of the participants taking 150 mg per day and by all of the participants taking 300 mg per day. The long-term safety of the large amounts of vanadium needed to help people with type 2 diabetes (typically 100 mg per day) remains unknown. Many doctors expect that amounts this high may prove to be unsafe in the long term.
Fructo - oligosaccharides
In a preliminary trial, supplementation with fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) (8 grams per day for two weeks) significantly lowered fasting blood-sugar levels and serum total-cholesterol levels in people with type 2 diabetes. However, in another trial, supplementing with FOS (15 grams per day) for 20 days had no effect on blood-glucose or lipid levels in people with type 2 diabetes. In addition, some double-blind trials showed that supplementing with FOS or galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) for eight weeks had no effect on blood-sugar levels, insulin secretion, or blood lipids in healthy people. Because of these conflicting results, more research is needed to determine the effect of FOS on diabetes and lipid levels.
Manganese
People with diabetes may have low blood levels of manganese. Animal research suggests that manganese deficiency can contribute to glucose intolerance and may be reversed by supplementation. A young adult with insulin-dependent diabetes who received oral manganese chloride ( 3 to 5 mg per day as manganese chloride ) reportedly experienced a significant fall in blood glucose, sometimes to dangerously low levels. In four other cases, manganese supplementation had no effect on blood glucose levels. People with diabetes wishing to supplement with manganese should do so only with a doctor’s supervision.
Medium - chain triglycerides
Based on the results of a short-term clinical trial that found that medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) lower blood glucose levels, a group of researchers investigated the use of MCT to treat people with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Supplementation with MCT for an average of 17.5% of their total calorie intake for 30 days failed to improve most measures of diabetic control.
Starch Blockers
Starch blockers are substances that inhibit amylase, the digestive enzyme required to break down dietary starches for normal absorption. Controlled research has demonstrated that concentrated starch blocker extracts, when given with a starchy meal, can reduce the usual rise in blood sugar levels of both healthy people and diabetics. While this effect could be helpful in controlling diabetes, no research has investigated the long-term effects of taking starch blockers for this condition.
By : Healthnotes
