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Ask the Pharmacist By Ron and Marla Chapleau |
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Q) I’d like to get off or at least lower the doses of some of my
diabetic medicines. Are there any supplements that might help? While they may not be glamorous, Psyllium (eg. Metamucil PGX, etc.) and other forms of fibre have the most evidence supporting that they do indeed work to lower your blood sugars. They also seem to be the most effective option as well. Consuming from 10-14 grams of fibre per day can lower your post-meal blood sugars by as much as 20 per cent. When you also factor in that fibre is effective for lowering cholesterol (a common problem for diabetics), aids in weight loss, is relatively free of side effects (transient gas, diarrhea and bloating) and is cheap to boot, maximizing your fibre intake is almost always a no-brainer for any diabetic. Ideally, aim for between 25-50 grams per day of fibre, whether from your diet or from supplements. Magnesium is a supplement that is also promoted for its usefulness in diabetes. This is because low magnesium levels are associated with both an increased incidence of diabetes and poorer control as well. Additionally, increasing dietary magnesium seems to reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. However, the results of studies using magnesium supplements have been mixed. This may be due to differences in dosages or the types of magnesium used. Other researchers speculate that it may only help those diabetic patients who are deficient in magnesium.
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Chromium is another supplement that has also been tried
for years. Diabetic patients who are chromium-deficient do receive
better glucose control when they take chromium
supplements. Unfortunately, it is usually not practical to test for
chromium deficiency in most patients. For diabetics without a chromium
deficiency, the question of whether taking chromium as a supplement is
helpful is still far from clear. For more information about this or any other
health-related questions, contact the pharmacists at Gordon Pharmasave, Your
Health and Wellness Destination. Most experts agree that as long as you do not currently suffer from kidney problems, using from 100-500 micrograms (mcg) of chromium twice daily can be tried safely. If there are no results after three months, therapy should be stopped. Other supplements frequently mentioned are cinnamon (conflicting results but a half-teaspoon per day of cassia cinnamon helps some diabetics), white mulberry leaf (which might help prevent absorption of dietary carbohydrates although it’s still too early to tell if it really works) and alpha-lipoic acid (which does not appear to lower a diabetic’s A1C, an important measure of glucose control). At the end of the day, the best bets are still optimizing your diet and exercise.
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