Diabetes and its complications are the fifth-leading cause of death in the United States, yet a report issued by the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists found that two out of three diabetics weren't in control of their blood sugar levels. People who don't control their blood sugar are at much higher risk of complications such as heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, blindness, and amputations.
"Diabetics are two to four times more likely to either die of a heart attack or experience a stroke, and cardiovascular disease is the cause of death in 80 percent of diabetics who die prematurely," said Dr. Russell Blaylock, author of The Blaylock Wellness Report.
Experts say the following six nutritional supplements (and the foods they are found in) can help you lower your blood sugar levels naturally and safely, and may reduce your risk of developing diabetes in the first place.
1. Selenium
French researchers found that high levels of selenium, an antioxidant present in nuts and liver, may protect men from developing diabetes.
The study, published in the journal Nutrition and Metabolism, discovered that men who had high levels of selenium in their bloodstream were half as likely to develop dysglycemia as men with low levels. Dysglycemia is a condition of abnormal glucose levels in which the body fights to normalize blood sugar, and can lead to diabetes. The RDA for selenium is 55 mcg daily for adults.
2. Vitamin D
Researchers at Britain's Warwick Medical School reviewed 28 studies involving 99,795 people and found that those participants with the highest levels of vitamin D lowered their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by 55 percent when compared to those with low levels of the vitamin.
Vitamin D can be obtained from exposure to sunlight, vitamin supplements, and foods such as salmon and tuna. The National Institute of Health's Office of Dietary Supplements recommends that adults under the age of 50 get 200 IU of vitamin D each day. Adults ages 50 to 70 should get 400 IU daily, and adults ages 71 and above should have an intake of 600 IU each day.
3. Vitamin K
A Dutch study involving more than 38,000 participants reported in the journal Diabetes Care that those who got the most vitamin K in their diets had a 20 percent lower risk of being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes during the 10-year study period. The recommended daily intake for vitamin K in the United States is 120 mcg for men and 90 mcg for women. Vitamin K is found in two forms: vitamin K-1, which is found in green leafy vegetables and some vegetable oils, and vitamin K-2, which is found in meats, eggs, and cheese.
4. Chromium
Studies have shown that chromium supplements improve the body’s utilization of insulin. In some cases, glucose levels returned to normal in most people who took chromium.
A study at the University of Vermont College of Medicine found that adding chromium to the diet increased insulin sensitivity in those with Type 2 diabetes. The subjects who randomly received chromium had a mean increase in insulin sensitivity of 8.9 percent while the placebo group had a mean decrease of 3.6 percent. In a double-blind Chinese study of people with Type 2 diabetes, those who were given 500 mcg of chromium twice a day had significant reductions in blood glucose levels. Getting sufficient chromium through foods is difficult, but those high in chromium include tomatoes, onions, romaine lettuce, whole grains, and potatoes.
5. Alpha lipoic acid
"A number of studies have shown that alpha lipoic acid can correct blood sugar in Type-2 diabetics and improve or even eliminate insulin need in insulin-dependent diabetics," Blaylock said. A study at Germany's Max Grundig Clinic found that alpha lipoic acid improved insulin sensitivity by an average of 27 percent in individuals with Type 2 diabetes. Alpha lipoic acid has been used in Europe for many years to help prevent complications such as cataracts and neuropathy. Alpha lipoic acid is widely available in supplement form, and is also found in both green plants and animal foods. Broccoli is an excellent source.
6. CoQ10
CoQ10 has been shown to lower blood glucose in diabetics by 30 percent, according to Blaylock. Studies have found that diabetics have low CoQ10 levels. Researchers at Royal Perth Hospital in Australia conducted a 12-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 74 people with diabetes and found that subjects who took 200 mg of CoQ10 daily "significantly" improved blood sugar control as compared to those who took a placebo.
And an eight-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 59 men also found significant improvements in blood sugar levels in those subjects who took CoQ10. Food sources for CoQ10 include fish, beef and other meats, vegetables, and grains.
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