Supplement |
Why |
3 Stars
Alpha Lipoic Acid
600 to 1,200 mg a day
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Supplementing with alpha lipoic acid may protect against diabetic complications, such as nerve and kidney damage.
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.
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3 Stars
Cayenne Topical (Diabetic Neuropathy)
Apply an ointment containing 0.025 to 0.075% capsaicin four times per day to areas of nerve pain
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Topically applied capsaicin (from cayenne) has been shown to relieve symptoms of diabetic neuropathy.
Double-blind trials have shown that topical application of creams containing 0.025 to 0.075% capsaicin (from cayenne [Capsicum frutescens]) can relieve symptoms of diabetic nerve damage (neuropathy). Four or more applications per day may be required to relieve severe pain. This should be done only under a doctor's supervision.
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3 Stars
Chromium
200 mcg daily
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Chromium has been shown to help improve glucose tolerance in people with type 1 diabetes.
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 , LDL cholesterol, and (risk factors for heart disease). The typical amount of chromium used in research trials is 200 mcg per day. Supplementation with chromium or (a source of chromium) could potentially enhance the effects of drugs for diabetes (for example, 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.
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3 Stars
Fiber
30 grams daily
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Taking fiber supplements may help to stabilize your blood sugar.
When taken with meals, high-fiber supplements such as guar gum reduced the rise in blood sugar following meals in people with type 1 diabetes. More research is needed to determine if regular use of fiber supplements benefits long-term blood sugar control in type 1 diabetes.
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3 Stars
Magnesium
200 to 600 mg daily
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People with type 1 diabetes tend to have low magnesium levels, supplementing with the mineral may reduce the risk of deficiency-related problems, such as eye damage and neuropathy.
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).
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2 Stars
Acetyl-L-Carnitine (Diabetic Neuropathy)
500 to 1,000 mg three times per day
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Taking acetyl-L-carnitine may improve symptoms of diabetic neuropathy.
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.
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2 Stars
Bilberry
160 mg twice per day of an herbal extract containing 25% anthocyanosides
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Bilberry may lower the risk of some diabetic complications, such as diabetic cataracts and retinopathy.
Bilberry may lower the risk of some diabetic complications, such as diabetic cataracts and retinopathy. One preliminary trial found that supplementation with a standardized extract of bilberry improved signs of retinal damage in some people with diabetic retinopathy.
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2 Stars
Biotin
16 mg daily
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Biotin may improve glucose levels and reduce pain from diabetic nerve damage.
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.
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2 Stars
Gymnema
800 mg per day of an herbal extract standardized for 25% gymnemic acids
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Gymnema may help normalize blood sugar control in people with type 1 diabetes.
Test tube and animal studies have found several mechanisms by which gymnema may help normalize blood sugar control in diabetics. In a controlled trial with people with type 1 diabetes, 400 mg per day of gymnema extract reduced requirements for insulin. Whether the extract used in this study was standardized for active constituents is unclear. Recently, a preliminary trial found improved blood sugar levels after three months in a group of people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes who took 800 mg per day of an extract standardized for 25% gymnemic acids. Gymnema is not a substitute for insulin, but insulin amounts may need to be lowered in order to avoid hypoglycemia while taking gymnema.
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2 Stars
L-Carnitine
0.25 mg per 2.2 lbs (1 kg) of body weight
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Supplementing with L-carnitine may reduce cholesterol and triglyceride levels in people with diabetes.
L-carnitine is an amino acid needed to properly utilize fat for energy. When people with diabetes were given L-carnitine (0.5 mg per 2.2 pounds of body weight), high blood levels of fats—both cholesterol and triglycerides—dropped 25 to 39% in just ten days in one trial.
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2 Stars
Onion
20 grams fresh onion three times per day
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Large amounts of onion have been shown to lower blood sugar levels in people with diabetes, possibly by blocking the breakdown of insulin in the liver.
Preliminary trials and at least one double-blind trial have shown that large amounts of onion can lower blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. The mechanism of onion's blood sugar-lowering action is not precisely known, though there is evidence that constituents in onions block the breakdown of insulin in the liver. This would lead to higher levels of insulin in the body.
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2 Stars
Vitamin B1
25 mg daily, with 50 mg of vitamin B6 daily
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People with type 1 diabetes may be deficient in vitamin B1. Supplementing with vitamin B1 may restore levels and improve symptoms of diabetic neuropathy.
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.
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2 Stars
Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
Consult a qualified healthcare practitioner
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Taking vitamin B3 (as niacin or niacinamide) might prevent or limit the severity of type 1 diabetes in your family.
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.
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2 Stars
Vitamin B6
1,800 mg daily of of pyridoxine alpha-ketoglutarate or 50 mg daily pyridoxine
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People with diabetes often have low vitamin B6 levels. Supplementing with the vitamin may restore levels and improve glucose tolerance.
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. 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.
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2 Stars
Vitamin C
500 mg twice per day
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Supplementing with vitamin C may benefit people with type 1 diabetes in several ways, including by reducing sorbitol levels, urinary protein loss, glycosylation, and eye damage.
People with type 1 diabetes appear to have low vitamin C levels. As with vitamin E, vitamin C may reduce glycosylation. Vitamin C also lowers sorbitol levels in people with diabetes. Sorbitol is a sugar that can accumulate inside the cells and damage the eyes, nerves, and kidneys of people with diabetes. Vitamin C supplementation (500 mg twice a day for one year) has significantly reduced urinary protein loss in people with diabetes. Urinary protein loss (also called proteinuria) is associated with poor prognosis in diabetes. Many doctors suggest that people with diabetes supplement with 1 to 3 grams per day of vitamin C. Higher amounts could be problematic, however. In one person, 4.5 grams per day was reported to increase blood sugar levels.
One study examined antioxidant supplement intake, including both vitamins E and C, and the incidence of diabetic eye damage (retinopathy). A surprising finding was that people with extensive retinopathy had a greater likelihood of having taken vitamin C and vitamin E supplements. The outcome of this study, however, does not fit with most other published data and might simply reflect the fact that sicker people are more likely to take supplements in hopes of getting better. For the present, most doctors remain relatively unconcerned about the outcome of this isolated report.
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2 Stars
Vitamin D
Consult a qualified healthcare practitioner
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Vitamin D is needed to maintain adequate insulin levels, and supplementing with it may reduce the risk of developing type 1 diabetes.
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 some, but not all preliminary evidence suggests that supplementation might reduce the risk of developing type 1 diabetes. Vitamin D supplementation may also slow the decline of pancreatic function in people with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes who have not yet suffered an extensive loss of pancreatic function. 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.
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2 Stars
Vitamin E (Diabetic Retinopathy)
1800 IU daily
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Supplementing with vitamin E may combat free radicals associated with diabetic retinopathy.
People with low blood levels of vitamin E are more likely to develop type 1 diabetes, but no studies have been done using vitamin E supplements to try to prevent type 1 diabetes. Animal and preliminary human data indicate that vitamin E supplementation may protect against diabetic eye damage and nephropathy, serious complications of diabetes involving the eyes and kidneys, respectively, though no long-term trials in humans have confirmed this preliminary evidence. Glycosylation is an important measurement of diabetes; it refers to how much sugar attaches abnormally to proteins. Excessive glycosylation appears to be one of the causes of the organ damage that occurs in diabetes. Vitamin E supplementation has reduced the amount of glycosylation in many,although not all, studies of people with type 1 diabetes.
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2 Stars
Vitamin E (Diabetic Nephropathy)
900 to 1,800 IU daily
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Vitamin E supplementation may protect against diabetic neuropathy.
People with low blood levels of vitamin E are more likely to develop type 1 diabetes, but no studies have been done using vitamin E supplements to try to prevent type 1 diabetes. Animal and preliminary human data indicate that vitamin E supplementation may protect against diabetic eye damage and nephropathy, serious complications of diabetes involving the eyes and kidneys, respectively, though no long-term trials in humans have confirmed this preliminary evidence. Glycosylation is an important measurement of diabetes; it refers to how much sugar attaches abnormally to proteins. Excessive glycosylation appears to be one of the causes of the organ damage that occurs in diabetes. Vitamin E supplementation has reduced the amount of glycosylation in many,although not all, studies of people with type 1 diabetes.
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2 Stars
Zinc
Consult a qualified healthcare practitioner
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Supplementing with zinc may lower blood sugar levels and improve immune function in people with type 1 diabetes.
People with type 1 diabetes tend to be zinc deficient, which may impair immune function. Zinc supplements have lowered blood sugar levels in people with type 1 diabetes.
Some doctors are concerned about having people with type 1 diabetes supplement with zinc because of a report that zinc supplementation increased glycosylation, generally a sign of deterioration of the condition. This trial is hard to evaluate because zinc supplementation increases the life of blood cells and such an effect artificially increases the lab test results for glycosylation. Until this issue is resolved, those with type 1 diabetes should consult a doctor before considering supplementation with zinc.
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1 Star
Açaí
Refer to label instructions
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Açaí is reported to be a traditional remedy for diabetes.
Açaí is reported to be a traditional remedy for diabetes. Although oxidative stress may contribute to diabetes and anthocyanins may improve insulin secretion, there is no published evidence that açaí has any effect on diabetes.
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1 Star
Amylase Inhibitors
Refer to label instructions
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Amylase inhibitors, when given with a starchy meal, can reduce the usual rise in blood sugar levels of people with diabetes.
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.
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1 Star
Asian Ginseng
Refer to label instructions
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Asian ginseng is commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat diabetes.
Asian ginseng is commonly used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to treat diabetes. It has been shown in test tube and animal studies to enhance the release of insulin from the pancreas and to increase the number of insulin receptors. Animal research has also revealed a direct blood sugar–lowering effect of ginseng. However, no human trials have tested Asian ginseng in people with type 1 diabetes.
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1 Star
Coenzyme Q10
Refer to label instructions
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Supplementing with CoQ10 may improve blood sugar metabolism.
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is needed for normal blood sugar metabolism. Animals with diabetes have been reported to be CoQ10 deficient. In one trial, blood sugar levels fell substantially in 31% of people with diabetes after they supplemented with 120 mg per day of CoQ7, a substance similar to CoQ10. In people with type 1 diabetes, however, supplementation with 100 mg of CoQ10 per day for three months neither improved glucose control nor reduced the need for insulin. The importance of CoQ10 supplementation for people with diabetes remains an unresolved issue, though some doctors recommend approximately 50 mg per day as a way to protect against possible effects associated with diabetes-induced depletion.
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1 Star
Evening Primrose Oil
See Learn More for details
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Evening primrose oil has been associated with improved diabetic neuropathy. However, the principal investigator who conducted these clinical trials was found to have falsified research results, so whether EPO or GLA is of any value for neuropathy is still unknown.
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). However, the principal investigator who conducted these clinical trials was subsequently found by the professional conduct committee of the General Medical Council (United Kingdom) to have falsified the results of the research. Therefore, it is not clear whether evening primrose oil or GLA is of any value for patients with diabetic neuropathy.
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1 Star
Fenugreek
Refer to label instructions
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Fenugreek seeds are high in soluble fiber, which helps lower blood sugar by slowing down carbohydrate digestion and absorption.
Fenugreek seeds are high in soluble fiber, which helps lower blood sugar by slowing down carbohydrate digestion and absorption. Animal research suggests that fenugreek may also contain a substance that stimulates insulin production and improves blood sugar control. In a controlled study in people with type 1 diabetes, incorporating powdered fenugreek seed into lunch and dinner meals (50 grams per meal) for ten days improved several measures of blood sugar control compared to a similar ten-day diet without added fenugreek.
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1 Star
Fish Oil
Refer to label instructions
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Supplementing with fish oil may improve glucose tolerance and symptoms of diabetic neuropathy and nephropathy.
Glucose tolerance improves in healthy people taking omega-3 fatty acid supplements. And in one trial, people with diabetic nerve damage (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, controlled studies have found that fish oil supplementation increases cholesterol in people with type 1 diabetes. Until the risk–benefit ratio of using fish oil is clarified, people with diabetes should feel free to increase their fish intake, but they should consult a doctor before taking fish oil supplements.
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1 Star
Ginkgo
Refer to label instructions
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The herb ginkgo may help prevent and treat early-stage diabetic nerve damage.
Ginkgo biloba extract may prove useful for prevention and treatment of early-stage diabetic nerve damage (neuropathy), though research is at best very preliminary in this area.
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1 Star
Glucomannan
Refer to label instructions
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Glucomannan delays stomach emptying, leading to more gradual sugar absorption and possibly lowering insulin requirements for people with type 1 diabetes.
Glucomannan is a water-soluble dietary fiber derived from konjac root (Amorphophallus konjac). Glucomannan delays stomach emptying, leading to a more gradual absorption of dietary sugar. This effect can reduce the elevation of blood sugar levels that is typical after a meal. This could lower insulin requirements for type 1 diabetics, but no research has been done to test this possibility.
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1 Star
Hibiscus
Refer to label instructions
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Hibiscus is a traditional remedy in India for diabetes, and is supported by preliminary research.
Hibiscus is a traditional remedy in India for diabetes; this treatment is supported by preliminary studies from that country and by animal studies. Hibiscus is usually taken as tea, 1 to 2 teaspoons (3 to 6 grams) of dried flower infused in to 1 cup (250 ml) of water three times per day.
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1 Star
Inositol
Refer to label instructions
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Supplementing with inositol may improve diabetic neuropathy.
Inositol is needed for normal nerve function. Diabetes can cause a type of nerve damage known as diabetic neuropathy. Certain measures of the severity of this condition have been reported to improve with inositol supplementation (500 mg taken twice per day); however, in other trials, inositol was ineffective.
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1 Star
Manganese
Refer to label instructions
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People with diabetes may have low manganese levels, which can contribute to glucose intolerance. Supplementing with the mineral may help.
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 (3 to 5 mg per day as manganese chloride) reportedly experienced a significant fall in blood glucose, sometimes to dangerously low levels. In three other people with type 1 diabetes, manganese supplementation had no effect on blood glucose levels. People with type 1 diabetes wishing to supplement with manganese should do so only with a doctor's close supervision.
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1 Star
Mistletoe
Refer to label instructions
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Mistletoe extract has been shown to stimulate insulin release from pancreas cells, and it may reduce diabetes symptoms.
Mistletoe extract has been shown to stimulate insulin release from pancreas cells, and animal research found that it reduces symptoms of diabetes. No research in humans has yet been published; however, given mistletoe's worldwide reputation as a traditional remedy for diabetes, clinical trials are warranted to validate these promising preliminary findings. Traditionally, mistletoe is prepared by soaking 2 to 4 teaspoons (5 to 12 grams) of chopped mistletoe in 2 cups (500 ml) of water overnight. The mixture is drunk first thing in the morning and sweetened with honey if desired. Another batch may be left to steep during the day and drunk at bedtime.
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1 Star
Olive Leaf
Refer to label instructions
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Olive leaf extracts have been used experimentally to lower high blood sugar in diabetic animals
Olive leaf extracts have been used experimentally to lower elevated blood-sugar levels in diabetic animals. These results have not been reproduced in human clinical trials.
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1 Star
Quercetin
Refer to label instructions
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Quercetin may be helpful for its ability to reduce levels of sorbitol—a sugar that accumulates in cells and damages the nerves, kidneys, and eyes of people with diabetes.
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 nerve damage (neuropathy), nephropathy, or eye damage ( retinopathy).
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1 Star
Reishi
Refer to label instructions
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Reishi may have some beneficial action in people with diabetes.
Animal studies and some very preliminary trials in humans suggest reishi may have some beneficial action in people with diabetes.
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1 Star
Sea Buckthorn
Refer to label instructions
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Animal and preliminary research suggests a connection between sea buckthorn and improved measures of blood sugar control.
Animal research reports that sea buckthorn flavonoids lower blood glucose. In a preliminary trial, children with type 1 diabetes who consumed a concentrated mixture of sea buckthorn berries and blueberries (concentration and relative proportions not stated) for two months had improved blood measures of glucose control. Double-blind research using sea buckthorn alone is needed to confirm these findings and to determine an effective daily amount of sea buckthorn.
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1 Star
Selenium, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and Vitamin E (Diabetic Retinopathy)
Refer to label instructions
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Antioxidant nutrients including selenium, vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin E may combat free radicals associated with diabetic retinopathy.
Because oxidation damage is believed to play a role in the development of diabetic eye damage ( retinopathy), antioxidant nutrients might be protective. One doctor has administered a daily regimen of 500 mcg selenium, 800 IU vitamin E, 10,000 IU vitamin A, and 1,000 mg vitamin C for several years to 20 people with diabetic eye damage ( retinopathy). During that time, 19 of the 20 people showed either improvement or no progression of their retinopathy. People who wish to supplement with more than 250 mcg of selenium per day should consult a healthcare practitioner.
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1 Star
Selenium, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and Vitamin E
Refer to label instructions
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A combination of the antioxidants selenium, vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin E has been shown to improve diabetic retinopathy.
Because oxidation damage is believed to play a role in the development of diabetic eye damage ( retinopathy), antioxidant nutrients might be protective. One doctor has administered a daily regimen of 500 mcg selenium, 800 IU vitamin E, 10,000 IU vitamin A, and 1,000 mg vitamin C for several years to 20 people with diabetic eye damage ( retinopathy). During that time, 19 of the 20 people showed either improvement or no progression of their retinopathy. People who wish to supplement with more than 250 mcg of selenium per day should consult a healthcare practitioner.
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1 Star
Taurine
Refer to label instructions
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People with type 1 diabetes tend to have low taurine levels, a condition that increases the risk of heart disease. Supplementing with taurine may restore levels.
Taurine is an amino acid found in protein-rich food. People with type 1 diabetes have been reported to have low blood taurine levels, a condition that increases the risk of heart disease by altering blood viscosity. Supplementing with taurine (1.5 grams per day) has restored blood taurine to normal levels and corrected the problem of blood viscosity within three months.
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1 Star
Vitamin B12
Refer to label instructions
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Supplementing with vitamin B12 may improve symptoms of diabetic neuropathy.
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.
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