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.
The Maryland-based National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) provides its independent view online at its website. It has reviewed relevant scientific studies and summarized their overall conclusions. The NCCAM findings are available online. The results are worthy of attention and perhaps a little provocative.
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 diabetes sufferers also opt to take dietary supplements that claim to enhance control of blood sugar. Common supplements for diabetes sufferers include chromium, omega-3 fatty acids and thioctic acid.
Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA, also known as thioctic acid) is an antioxidant. It protects against cell damage. ALA occurs naturally in certain foods such as liver, spinach, broccoli, and potatoes. The scientific evidence on the effectiveness of this supplement for diabetes patients is mixed. One cautionary point that emerges from medical studies is that ALA might lower blood glucose too much, so people with diabetes that take this supplement are urged by the NCCAM to monitor their blood sugar very closely.
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.
Thioctic or alpha-lipoic acid is an antioxidant. It protects body cells against damage. The substance is present in many commonly available foods. As in the case of chromium and omega-3s, the NCCAM concludes that there is little evidence to confirm this supplement improves management of blood sugar level. Indeed, thioctic acid supplements may be harmful by overly decreasing blood sugar below a safe level. The NCCAM cautions diabetes patients who take this supplement to calculate dosage precisely, measure blood sugar carefully and consult a physician on the matter.
The Bethesda-based NCCAM is the US federal government’s lead agency for scientific research on the diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not considered part of conventional medicine. Its examination of the main diet supplements for diabetes sufferers indicates that the broad consensus of empirical studies appears to be that dietetic supplements for ALA, chromium and omega-3s do not assist type 2 diabetes sufferers in controlling blood glucose. If this conclusion were correct, the use of supplements would appear unnecessary. In particular, more well designed studies over long time periods are required.
You should take into consideration these things about dietary supplements for type 2 diabetes.
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