There’s a huge industry around supplements to help you ‘cure’ diseases and ‘flush out’ toxins. But many supplement companies market their products without solid evidence to support their claims. And because diabetes affects the majority of our population, many people are not only curious, but sometimes desperate to try any supplement that just might give them relief. But don’t believe everything that you hear. In this article, we’ll uncover some of the Diabetes supplements on the market and the research around them.
The following supplements, per NIH, may be appropriate for some patients, but there are no natural or manufactured supplements that have been proven with either a strong correlation or a lot of research to lower blood sugars. Here is a list of supplements that you may have heard about, along with a summary of the major research studies on what they might do, and their potential side effects.
Takeaways
While there are no supplements for diabetes proven to surely help lower risk, nutrition and physical activity are important parts of a healthy lifestyle for people with diabetes. Eating well and being physically active can help you:
- Keep your blood glucose level, blood pressure, and cholesterol in your target ranges
- Lose weight or stay at a healthy weight
- Prevent or delay diabetes problems
- Improve mood
- Have more energy
Living a healthful lifestyle may also help force diabetes into remission for those that are borderline and newly diagnosed. As always, besides diet and exercise, taking your prescribed diabetes medications is a sure way to keep your glucose in control. Talk with your doctor if you are wondering about a medication adjustment, or are thinking about starting any supplements. Also, speak with your Health Coach or Dietitian to ensure we are doing everything that we can with the diet before starting a supplement.
