Supplements and Diabetes The most important of all of the supplements for the diabetic is chromium. Many studies of the diabetic have shown that supplementation of the diet with chromium will decrease fasting blood sugar levels, improve glucose tolerance, lower insulin levels, and decrease total cholesterol and fat levels, while increasing HDL cholesterol. JAMA 1995; 73:1849-1854 Chromium deficiency may be the primary underlying factor contributing to the large number of Americans who suffer with blood sugar problems, both diabetes and hypoglycemia. Evidence if overwhelming that there is a significant chromium insufficiency in the United States. Flavonoids are very useful in treating diabetes. Quercetin promotes insulin secretion and along with other flavonoids is a potent inhibitor of sorbitol accumulation in the tissues and the blood. Sorbitol is dangerous in the red blood cells of diabetics. Flavonoids increase intracellular vitamin C levels, resulting in less leakage of blood into the tissues, preventing bruising, and maybe most important, enhancing the immune system. The diabetic should consider increasing the amounts of flavonoids in their diet per day by adding a flavonoid-rich extract such as bilberry and grapeseed extract. The Antioxidant Vitamin C How is diabetes related to anti-oxidants? There are two reasons. Number one, free radical damage to the beta cells that produce insulin in the pancreas has been implicated as a primary cause of diabetes. Number two, diabetic complications can be reduced drastically by the use of antioxidants. The transportation of vitamin C into the cells is accomplished b its connection to insulin. Therefore, diabetics often do not have enough intracelluar vitamin C, and vitamin C deficiency exists in many diabetics despite what would normally be considered adequate dietary consumption of vitamin C. Very important is the fact that vitamin C in high doses (at least 2,000milligrams per day) effectively reduces the accumulation of dangerous sorbitol in the red blood cells of diabetics. Diabetes 1989;38:1036-1041 Remember the accumulation of sorbitol is linked to many complications of diabetes, particularly eye and nerve disorders. Diabetics have an increased need for antioxidant nutrients like vitamins C an E due to increased oxidative stress. High dosages of vitamin E (e.g., 800 to 1200 IU) and vitamin C (>1,000mg) have been shown to improve not only antioxidant status, but also blood sugar control. Diabetic Medicine 13:800-5, 1996 Provex CV? contains quercitin, proanthocyanidins (grapeseed and skin) bilberry and gingko combined with a special enzyme blend that increases the bioavailability. Provex CV® was researched and developed by Dr. John Folts, Director of the Coronary Thrombosis Research Center at the Univ. of Wisconsin, and is owned by Melaleuca Inc. The extraction process for the proanthocyanidins from the grape seed and grape skin portion of Provex CV does not utilize a fermentation process which is used by most commercial manufacturers. By eliminating the fermentation process there is no need to add sulfur dioxide as a preservative which finds it way into the wine and the extracts as sulfites. Many people have reactions to sulfites. Melaleuca’s Provex CV® does not have any sulfites in their products. The Effects of Weight and Diabetes According to Dr. Simeon Margolis, M.D., Ph.D., professor of medicine and biological chemistry at The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Obesity increases the risk of diabetes, coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, high blood triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol, osteoarthritis, gallbladder disease, sleep apnea and colorectal cancer. Although the exact mechanism varies with the complicating disease, in general, obesity interferes with the action of insulin, the hormone that regulates the level of glucose in the blood. Tissues become insulin- resistant, which causes the pancreas to have pump out larger and larger amounts of the hormone. It’s thought that high insulin levels adversely affect blood vessels, raise blood triglycerides, lowers HDL cholesterol, and may cause hypertension. If the pancreas wears out because it can’t keep making all that insulin, the person gets diabetes. According to Dr. Margolis: Many studies show that hyperinsulinemia- or high blood insulin levels- can put people at risk for high blood pressure and heart disease. High blood insulin hastens the development of atherosclerosis and enhances the formation of blood clots. This combination may block a blood vessel and cause an ischemic stroke.. |
 |