Vitabase

[Schlep]

I am interested to hear from anyone taking the Vitabase blood sugar formula and the results that they have had.

Thanks

[wiseguy]

I am interested to hear from anyone taking the Vitabase blood sugar formula and the results that they have had.

Thanks
These concoctions contain a variety of substances that are known to help reduce blood glucose levels. The problem is that they are not in near the quantity needed to produce results at the recommended dosage. So in my opinion they are totally useless.

[xMenace]

Someone's making lots of money, but you're not getting any better.

[Schlep]

Okay - thanks for the opinions but I would like to hear from anyone who actually has tried these.

[jeni]

You can always check out ______________for reviews on different products.

[Schlep]

You can always check out ______________for reviews on different products.

I did check that out was not sure if the reviews were unbiased or not.

[Old man]

I just replied to this question in the above "Which supplements do you take" so this is sort of a double post.
Tried a few bottles of Vitabase blood sugar formula and it seemed to do no harm. I found Nature's Way Completia Diabetic Tabs which I think is a good multi-vitamin and mineral supplement and it has everything listed in the Vitabase product at $14.95 per 90 tabs at Highlife-vitamins. I take one tablet three times per day. I did not notice a lowering of my usual 100 to 110 fasting levels. As a matter of fact after about a year I now have fasting of around 120. I actually think the Vitabase ingredients have neither helped nor hurt. Maybe someone with higher numbers would benefit. If I can't lower mine soon I may take a trip to the vet to get some met.

[Alice]

Since supplements aren't regulated, they can make all the claims they want and not have to provide research and testing to prove results. This is a huge loophole in the supplement business...and the reason why so many people are making huge amounts of money selling this stuff.

I don't think these things can "hurt"...but I'd take them with a grain of salt and knowing you are handing money over to a company that doesn't have to provide results.

I have a friend who is an attorney for such a company.

Someone is making a lot of money selling cinnamon right now (a few people)...who would have thought? (No, I don't want to hear about the miracles cinnamon provides...research and the ADA say nothing has been proven)

When it has been proven, then I'm open to spending money.

[Schlep]

Since supplements aren't regulated, they can make all the claims they want and not have to provide research and testing to prove results. This is a huge loophole in the supplement business...and the reason why so many people are making huge amounts of money selling this stuff.

I don't think these things can "hurt"...but I'd take them with a grain of salt and knowing you are handing money over to a company that doesn't have to provide results.

I have a friend who is an attorney for such a company.

Someone is making a lot of money selling cinnamon right now (a few people)...who would have thought? (No, I don't want to hear about the miracles cinnamon provides...research and the ADA say nothing has been proven)

When it has been proven, then I'm open to spending money.

I do not dispute any of this and that is why I asked for comments from those who have tried the supplement.

If we all close our eyes to everything that is said no one would be using insulin now as for every statement made someone can find a claim for it and one against it.

What about those that say there is a cure for diabetes out there but there is to much money to be made by not disclosing the cure.

What about the FDA approving nutra sweet if you read up on it you will find that it originally started as an ant poison and the FDA denied its use. Now it is okay?

So please in my post I asked for opinions from those that had used it to see what the results are. Don't be so sure that the FDA and other government departments are looking out for your best interest all the time.

Why has the FDA not approved stevia?

[AliB]

Hi. I am one of those people you have been wanting to hear a reply from.

I have been taking the Vitabase Blood Sugar Formula for over a month now. It has brought my sugar levels down from consistently over 300 to within, or just above 'normal' range.

I am absolutely delighted with the result. Not only is it cheap, it works.

You have to be sensible with your food control and limit the carbs - particularly if you are trying to lose weight, which is how Diabetics should eat anyway. If it is used as an excuse to pig out or carry on eating too much food and too much rubbish, it will not work.

My doc took me off insulin and put me on to Byetta, but took me off after 3 months as although it had helped me lose some weight (by making me feel so ill and giving me raging diarrhea), it had not touched my blood sugar levels and he felt the awful side effects weren't worth the sacrifice.

The day after going back on the insulin I started the Vitabase, getting virtually instant results which are improving all the time, and haven't looked back since. I get such a kick out of seeing most readings now consistently within in normal range!

Hey all you cynics out there - don't knock it till you've tried it! Give me a natural remedy over toxic drugs and their horrendous side effects any day!

[wiseguy]

Someone is making a lot of money selling cinnamon right now (a few people)...who would have thought? (No, I don't want to hear about the miracles cinnamon provides...research and the ADA say nothing has been proven)
What does the ADA have to do with it? These are the morons that tell you that an A1c under 7% is just fine. And how about the position of Richard Kahn, Chief Scientific Officer of the ADA, that there's no value in using an insulin pump, or a CGM system, or even a fingerstick meter if you're a Type 2 not on insulin.

In other threads, I have shown plenty of proof that cinnamon does help lower blood glucose levels in type 2 diabetics. I will not go into all of that again here.

[wiseguy]

Don't be so sure that the FDA and other government departments are looking out for your best interest all the time.

Why has the FDA not approved stevia?
Stevia has been approved by the FDA as a supplement but not as a sweetener. So it won't hurt you if you ingest it as a supplement, but don't dare use it to sweeten your coffee. Just another example of the FDA's ties to big business. Stevia is a natural substance that cannot be patented and therefore is detrimental to the profits of the sugar substitute industry.

[Alice]

ADA aside, there needs to be some protection of people who throw money into hope. It's my personal option to wait and review research and testing before giving someone my money. I find fault with ADA for many things (lack of public education for one...related to my issue with supplements)... but they are at least a body working, with all their faults, toward filtering some of this mis-information that permeates our community.

Those that say they benefit from a supplement are also using other methods that can reduce glucose...such as meds, exercise & diet.

To say that a supplement has magically reduced someones glucose level is very misleading and dangerous.

But, in the US, people can hand their money to whatever hope they wish for...

Diet supplements, muscle-building supplements...I think it's a cagey business. My opinion...but I have a hard time watching these forums fill up (not just DF) with ads for supplements via postings. Not suggesting that's what the original poster is doing, but without expressing my opinion on the lack of regulation, a lot of people only get the "sell"...not the caution.

[Schlep]

ADA aside, there needs to be some protection of people who throw money into hope. It's my personal option to wait and review research and testing before giving someone my money. I find fault with ADA for many things (lack of public education for one...related to my issue with supplements)... but they are at least a body working, with all their faults, toward filtering some of this mis-information that permeates our community.

Those that say they benefit from a supplement are also using other methods that can reduce glucose...such as meds, exercise & diet.

To say that a supplement has magically reduced someones glucose level is very misleading and dangerous.

But, in the US, people can hand their money to whatever hope they wish for...

Diet supplements, muscle-building supplements...I think it's a cagey business. My opinion...but I have a hard time watching these forums fill up (not just DF) with ads for supplements via postings. Not suggesting that's what the original poster is doing, but without expressing my opinion on the lack of regulation, a lot of people only get the "sell"...not the caution.

I don't think anyone can be quick to judge unless they have tried something and it did not work. To spend $10.00 on a supplement to see if it works and the claims are true or false is something after getting as much information as I can I think myself and others have the right to do.

My goodness what happens if something actually works will you continue to deny it or wait for the FDA to okay it in 10 years?

They okayed saccharin and what happened there? And what about thalidomide?

[notme]

ADA aside, there needs to be some protection of people who throw money into hope. It's my personal option to wait and review research and testing before giving someone my money. I find fault with ADA for many things (lack of public education for one...related to my issue with supplements)... but they are at least a body working, with all their faults, toward filtering some of this mis-information that permeates our community.

Those that say they benefit from a supplement are also using other methods that can reduce glucose...such as meds, exercise & diet.

To say that a supplement has magically reduced someones glucose level is very misleading and dangerous.

But, in the US, people can hand their money to whatever hope they wish for...

Diet supplements, muscle-building supplements...I think it's a cagey business. My opinion...but I have a hard time watching these forums fill up (not just DF) with ads for supplements via postings. Not suggesting that's what the original poster is doing, but without expressing my opinion on the lack of regulation, a lot of people only get the "sell"...not the caution.

I don't think anyone can be quick to judge unless they have tried something and it did not work. To spend $10.00 on a supplement to see if it works and the claims are true or false is something after getting as much information as I can I think myself and others have the right to do.

My goodness what happens if something actually works will you continue to deny it or wait for the FDA to okay it in 10 years?

They okayed saccharin and what happened there? And what about thalidomide?

I can see valid points in both posts. My big concern is that people get "sold" on some item (and there are SO many claims to cure) and they damage their health taking a so called natural suppliment. Many of these natural suppliments are harmful if taken in excess.

The American public, in general, is gullable. There does need to be someone or body of people that protect the public from the scammers that tell us we will be cured if we ingest some foreign substance.

If a miracle cure or suppliment is found, you can be assured that word will get out. Claiming that a suppliment will lower your blood sugar enough to give up taking insulin is pretty wreckless. I would hope that people would be careful when experimenting with this drastic decision.

Honestly, I would be much more inclined to believe this type of claim from a long time poster on our site who tried something new and found it to be amazing. I am always leary of people that post without an introduction and claim a miracle drug is out there. No offense intended to anyone. Just my opinion.

[Harold]

I don't think anyone can be quick to judge unless they have tried something and it did not work. To spend $10.00 on a supplement to see if it works and the claims are true or false is something after getting as much information as I can I think myself and others have the right to do.

My goodness what happens if something actually works will you continue to deny it or wait for the FDA to okay it in 10 years?

They okayed saccharin and what happened there? And what about thalidomide?Supplements are by the the name a supplement to meds, diet, and exercise. They are not a substitute for meds, diet, and exercise. People desperately in denial will latch on to supplements as cures. When you have watched someone waste away taking supplements instead of their meds and skipping meals because they did not have enough money left for food you will understand the hostility some have for supplements.

When people come in claiming they have been taking a supplement and stopped taking their meds because they have great numbers good for them. However not knowing if they have been a type 2 or type 1.5 or any other of the many factors that go into the making of diabetes, can we take it with anything other than a grain of salt? I want to know all of the particulars and want to hear how they are doing in 5, 10, and 15 years before I waste my time and health. IMHO anything else smells of desperately seeking a cure. Just my opinion.

[Schlep]

Supplements are by the the name a supplement to meds, diet, and exercise. They are not a substitute for meds, diet, and exercise. People desperately in denial will latch on to supplements as cures. When you have watched someone waste away taking supplements instead of their meds and skipping meals because they did not have enough money left for food you will understand the hostility some have for supplements.

When people come in claiming they have been taking a supplement and stopped taking their meds because they have great numbers good for them. However not knowing if they have been a type 2 or type 1.5 or any other of the many factors that go into the making of diabetes, can we take it with anything other than a grain of salt? I want to know all of the particulars and want to hear how they are doing in 5, 10, and 15 years before I waste my time and health. IMHO anything else smells of desperately seeking a cure. Just my opinion.

Supplements are natural and where do you think 90 % of the drugs we take today originated? With natural supplements.

No one has been advised to quit their medication, no one has been advised to quit eating because they are taking supplements.

If people are doing that then they are sick and need strong medication.

I admit it is hard to believe only one post, but that is why I asked for more information and I don't feel it is the right for others to come on and condemn my request for information with their biased opinions about a product they know nothing about.

If you had a mechanic that tried to fix your car but had never been under the hood of a car would you trust him?

[notme]

I don't think anyone intends to say that suppliments aren't worth investigating. However, care needs to be taken when adding suppliments while you are taking medications or forgoing medication entirely and only taking a suppliment. Women who are pregnant or nursing should be especially cautious about using herbal supplements or any type of dietary supplement that contains herbs, either alone or in mixtures since these products can act like drugs. This caution also applies to treating children with herbal supplements. Just because something is marked as "natural" doesn't make it safe.

Nobody is condemning anyone for posting their personal experience using a suppliment. What is questionable is a first time post that reads like an advertisement. I think your question was definitely worth asking and I want to hear responses. We do have a policy on diabetes forums about advertising and it needs to be remembered by all of us who post. Almost daily we get people who sign on to DF and try to sell their products. Most are deleted before anyone has to be bothered with them. A few slip through.

There have been snake oil salesmen since time began. If we lifted the rule about advertising, you would not be able to read your daily posts without having to sift through a million sales presentations and some of them would be dangerous.

Please try and lighten up a bit Schlep. There has to be a voice of reason on DF that weeds through all of the advertisting posts. I am not saying our new poster is an advertiser however we get some sneaky advertisers here. Nobody would like to see anyone hurt by a product that wasn't well tested and known safe. Certainly Tony would not want anyone injured.

Name of natural supplement and
(Also known as),
Dangers and
Regulatory actions

DEFINITELY HAZARDOUS
Documented organ failure and known carcinogenic properties
Aristolochic acid(Aristolochia, birthwort, snakeroot, snakeweed, sangree root, sangrel, serpentary, serpentaria; asarum canadense, wild ginger). Can be an ingredient in Chinese herbal products labeled fang ji, mu tong, ma dou ling, and mu xiang. Can be an unlabeled substitute for other herbs, including akebia, asarum, clematis, cocculus, stephania, and vladimiria species.


Potenthuman carcinogen; kidney failure, sometimes requiring transplant; deaths reported.
FDAwarning to consumers and industry and import alert, in April 2001. Banned in 7 European countries and Egypt, Japan, and Venezuela.



VERY LIKELY HAZARDOUS
Banned in other countries, FDA warning, or adverse effects in studies

Comfrey (Symphytumofficinale, *** ear, black root, blackwort, bruisewort, consolidae radix, consound, gum plant, healing herb, knitback, knitbone, salsify, slippery root, symphytum radix, wallwort)


Abnormalliver function or damage, often irreversible; deaths reported.
FDAadvised industry to remove from market in July 2001.

Androstenedione
(4-androstene-3, 17-dione, andro, androstene)
Increased cancer risk, decrease in HDL cholesterol.
FDAwarned 23 companies to stop manufacturing, marketing, and distributing in March 2004. Banned by athletic associations.



Chaparral(Larrea divaricata, creosote bush, greasewood, hediondilla, jarilla, larreastat)
Abnormalliver function or damage, often irreversible; deaths reported.
FDAwarning to consumers in December 1992.

Germander(Teucrium chamaedrys, wall germander, wild germander)
Abnormalliver function or damage, often irreversible; deaths reported.


Bannedin France and Germany.

Kava (Pipermethysticum, ava, awa, gea, gi, intoxicating pepper, kao, kavain, kawa-pfeffer, kew, long pepper, malohu, maluk, meruk, milik, rauschpfeffer, sakau, tonga, wurzelstock, yagona, yangona)


Abnormalliver function or damage, occasionally irreversible; deaths reported.
FDAwarning to consumers in March 2002. Banned in Canada, Germany, Singapore, South Africa, and Switzerland.

LIKELY HAZARDOUS Adverse-event reports or theoretical risks
Bitter orange(Citrus aurantium, green orange, kijitsu, neroli oil, Seville orange, shangzhou zhiqiao, sour orange, zhi oiao, zhi xhi)


Highblood pressure; increased risk of heart arrythmias, heart attack, stroke.


None

Organ/glandular extracts(brain/adrenal/pituitary/
placenta/other gland “substance” or “concentrate”)
Theoretical risk of mad cow disease, particularly from brain extracts.
FDAbanned high-risk bovine materials from older cows in foods and supplements in January 2004. (High-risk parts from cows under 30 months still permitted.) Banned in France and Switzerland.



Lobelia(Lobelia inflata, asthma weed, bladderpod, emetic herb, gagroot, lobelie, indian tobacco, pukeweed, vomit wort, wild tobacco)
Breathing difficulty, rapid heartbeat, low blood pressure, diarrhea, dizziness, tremors; possible deaths reported.


Bannedin Bangladesh and Italy.

Pennyroyaloil(Hedeoma pulegioides, lurk-in-the-ditch, mosquito plant, piliolerial, pudding grass, pulegium, run-by-the-ground, squaw balm, squawmint, stinking balm, tickweed)
Liverand kidney failure, nerve damage, convulsions, abdominal tenderness, burning of the throat; deaths reported.


None

Scullcap(Scutellaria lateriflora, blue pimpernel, helmet flower, hoodwort, mad weed, mad-dog herb, mad-dog weed, quaker bonnet, scutelluria, skullcap)


Abnormalliver function or damage.
None

Yohimbe (Pausinystalia yohimbe, johimbi, yohimbehe, yohimbine)
Changein blood pressure, heart arrythmias, respiratory depression, heart attack; deaths reported.


None

According to product labels.
Sources: Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database 2004 and Consumers Union's medical and research consultants.

[REDLAN]

nice list of stuff not to take....

I googled the ingredients for the vitabase blood formula.

it contains amongst other things...

1) bitter melon. There is some (limited) evidence that it may lower blood sugar. However all the studies I found listed are from either rat or mice studies. There are some abstracts about it's use in humans but no clinical data to back it up.

2) gymnema sylvestra - this is my favourite. This stuff is used in Ayurveda (traditional Indian medicine). It is claimed to block sugar - what it actually does is to change the taste of sugar for a short period, and so discourage the taker from eating sugar.

3) Guggul - I found 1 whole clinical trial for this one - Guggul is supposed to lower cholesterol (it does not have any claimed effect on blood sugars). In the clinical trial guggul actually managed to raise LDL cholesterol by a modest amount, and 6 of the subjects suffered a hypersensitivity rash from taking guggul (about 10% of the participants).

so...

you can take a supplement that lowers blood sugars in rodents, makes sugar taste a bit funny for a while, which may raise your cholesterol by a small amount, and possibly give you a rash.

it will however most definitely relieve you of your cash.

[Schlep]

I don't think anyone intends to say that suppliments aren't worth investigating. However, care needs to be taken when adding suppliments while you are taking medications or forgoing medication entirely and only taking a suppliment. Women who are pregnant or nursing should be especially cautious about using herbal supplements or any type of dietary supplement that contains herbs, either alone or in mixtures since these products can act like drugs. This caution also applies to treating children with herbal supplements. Just because something is marked as "natural" doesn't make it safe.

Nobody is condemning anyone for posting their personal experience using a suppliment. What is questionable is a first time post that reads like an advertisement. I think your question was definitely worth asking and I want to hear responses. We do have a policy on diabetes forums about advertising and it needs to be remembered by all of us who post. Almost daily we get people who sign on to DF and try to sell their products. Most are deleted before anyone has to be bothered with them. A few slip through.

There have been snake oil salesmen since time began. If we lifted the rule about advertising, you would not be able to read your daily posts without having to sift through a million sales presentations and some of them would be dangerous.

Please try and lighten up a bit Schlep. There has to be a voice of reason on DF that weeds through all of the advertisting posts. I am not saying our new poster is an advertiser however we get some sneaky advertisers here. Nobody would like to see anyone hurt by a product that wasn't well tested and known safe. Certainly Tony would not want anyone injured.

Name of natural supplement and
(Also known as),
Dangers and
Regulatory actions

DEFINITELY HAZARDOUS
Documented organ failure and known carcinogenic properties
Aristolochic acid(Aristolochia, birthwort, snakeroot, snakeweed, sangree root, sangrel, serpentary, serpentaria; asarum canadense, wild ginger). Can be an ingredient in Chinese herbal products labeled fang ji, mu tong, ma dou ling, and mu xiang. Can be an unlabeled substitute for other herbs, including akebia, asarum, clematis, cocculus, stephania, and vladimiria species.


Potenthuman carcinogen; kidney failure, sometimes requiring transplant; deaths reported.
FDAwarning to consumers and industry and import alert, in April 2001. Banned in 7 European countries and Egypt, Japan, and Venezuela.



VERY LIKELY HAZARDOUS
Banned in other countries, FDA warning, or adverse effects in studies

Comfrey (Symphytumofficinale, *** ear, black root, blackwort, bruisewort, consolidae radix, consound, gum plant, healing herb, knitback, knitbone, salsify, slippery root, symphytum radix, wallwort)


Abnormalliver function or damage, often irreversible; deaths reported.
FDAadvised industry to remove from market in July 2001.

Androstenedione
(4-androstene-3, 17-dione, andro, androstene)
Increased cancer risk, decrease in HDL cholesterol.
FDAwarned 23 companies to stop manufacturing, marketing, and distributing in March 2004. Banned by athletic associations.



Chaparral(Larrea divaricata, creosote bush, greasewood, hediondilla, jarilla, larreastat)
Abnormalliver function or damage, often irreversible; deaths reported.
FDAwarning to consumers in December 1992.

Germander(Teucrium chamaedrys, wall germander, wild germander)
Abnormalliver function or damage, often irreversible; deaths reported.


Bannedin France and Germany.

Kava (Pipermethysticum, ava, awa, gea, gi, intoxicating pepper, kao, kavain, kawa-pfeffer, kew, long pepper, malohu, maluk, meruk, milik, rauschpfeffer, sakau, tonga, wurzelstock, yagona, yangona)


Abnormalliver function or damage, occasionally irreversible; deaths reported.
FDAwarning to consumers in March 2002. Banned in Canada, Germany, Singapore, South Africa, and Switzerland.

LIKELY HAZARDOUS Adverse-event reports or theoretical risks
Bitter orange(Citrus aurantium, green orange, kijitsu, neroli oil, Seville orange, shangzhou zhiqiao, sour orange, zhi oiao, zhi xhi)


Highblood pressure; increased risk of heart arrythmias, heart attack, stroke.


None

Organ/glandular extracts(brain/adrenal/pituitary/
placenta/other gland “substance” or “concentrate”)
Theoretical risk of mad cow disease, particularly from brain extracts.
FDAbanned high-risk bovine materials from older cows in foods and supplements in January 2004. (High-risk parts from cows under 30 months still permitted.) Banned in France and Switzerland.



Lobelia(Lobelia inflata, asthma weed, bladderpod, emetic herb, gagroot, lobelie, indian tobacco, pukeweed, vomit wort, wild tobacco)
Breathing difficulty, rapid heartbeat, low blood pressure, diarrhea, dizziness, tremors; possible deaths reported.


Bannedin Bangladesh and Italy.

Pennyroyaloil(Hedeoma pulegioides, lurk-in-the-ditch, mosquito plant, piliolerial, pudding grass, pulegium, run-by-the-ground, squaw balm, squawmint, stinking balm, tickweed)
Liverand kidney failure, nerve damage, convulsions, abdominal tenderness, burning of the throat; deaths reported.


None

Scullcap(Scutellaria lateriflora, blue pimpernel, helmet flower, hoodwort, mad weed, mad-dog herb, mad-dog weed, quaker bonnet, scutelluria, skullcap)


Abnormalliver function or damage.
None

Yohimbe (Pausinystalia yohimbe, johimbi, yohimbehe, yohimbine)
Changein blood pressure, heart arrythmias, respiratory depression, heart attack; deaths reported.


None

According to product labels.
Sources: Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database 2004 and Consumers Union's medical and research consultants.

Wow how you have taken my posts and original thread out of context and added so much to a simple request for people to tell of their experience with a certain product.

I watch on this site many times and see people giving medical advise to others without knowing who they are or about the other drugs they are on.

But yet a simple request About peoples own experience draws the anger of mods and others just for asking for peoples opinions.

Yes I agree (as I said before) that the person who gave raving reviews on Vitabase only had one post, does that mean they are not telling the truth. According to you yes it does and again I do not know the answer but I certaninly can go through 100's of posts on this board where people are left to make their own decisions.

Again who said to stop taking your medication not me all I asked for was personal experiences. You do not seem to want to let people post that.

If you think that the person who wrote About their personal experience on Vitabase was someone doing an advertisement then please delete the post.

Why are people who reccomend medications to others without medical knowledge allowed to post what they want with no control.

Again if you feel someone advertised in my thread then delete the post.

Perhaps the poster should be contacted rather than triing to prove them wrong without knowing anyone who has taken the product.

Please take the time to research the positive as well as the negative before posting. Again all I wanted to know was if anyone had used the product as it seemed like a simple question.

[Schlep]

Deleted........

[Schlep]

nice list of stuff not to take....

I googled the ingredients for the vitabase blood formula.

it contains amongst other things...

1) bitter melon. There is some (limited) evidence that it may lower blood sugar. However all the studies I found listed are from either rat or mice studies. There are some abstracts about it's use in humans but no clinical data to back it up.

2) gymnema sylvestra - this is my favourite. This stuff is used in Ayurveda (traditional Indian medicine). It is claimed to block sugar - what it actually does is to change the taste of sugar for a short period, and so discourage the taker from eating sugar.

3) Guggul - I found 1 whole clinical trial for this one - Guggul is supposed to lower cholesterol (it does not have any claimed effect on blood sugars). In the clinical trial guggul actually managed to raise LDL cholesterol by a modest amount, and 6 of the subjects suffered a hypersensitivity rash from taking guggul (about 10% of the participants).

so...

you can take a supplement that lowers blood sugars in rodents, makes sugar taste a bit funny for a while, which may raise your cholesterol by a small amount, and possibly give you a rash.

it will however most definitely relieve you of your cash.

Would you like to see the reports on nutri sweet? Why do people get upset because others do not have the same opinion as themselves?

You can find anything you want on the net to prove for or against a product that is why I asked for personal experiences.

I ended up with poisoning from nutra sweet but that is okay the FDA approved it.

[notme]

Schlep, nobody is angered by your post. Nobody was upset at you for asking. The original post was perfectly fine.

Supplements can be dangerous, but they can also be helpful to some. What worries people are claims of miraculous cures and the ability to abandon insulin from a poster that has never been here or even told us what type diabetes they have. It screams of advertisement.

There are no mods or anyone else as far as I know that are angry. There are a few that are concerned about the claims made about this amazing supplement that all but cures diabetes. If you look at the thread you just posted, it is a question about what supplement people take. Nobody made any miraculous claims and most people just answered the question about what they were taking and why.

[wiseguy]

Schlep, you're fighting a losing battle. The majority of people actually believe that the FDA is protecting them and that any substance that has not been FDA approved must be snake oil. The fact that FDA approved substances have ended up killing many thousands of people doesn't seem to matter. Anyone who doesn't see that the FDA is heavily influenced buy big business has their head in the sand.

What you hear over and over again is that this and that supplement has not been proven to work. They never will be if we leave it up to the medical establishment. They are the ones who fund all the research and they are not going to spend any money researching something that they can't patent. Where's the profit in that?

If you search enough you will find evidence that some supplements actually do help with BG levels. The only "proof" will be your own, and others, experiences. But don't expect many people to believe you.

[Schlep]

Schlep, you're fighting a losing battle. The majority of people actually believe that the FDA is protecting them and that any substance that has not been FDA approved must be snake oil. The fact that FDA approved substances have ended up killing many thousands of people doesn't seem to matter. Anyone who doesn't see that the FDA is heavily influenced buy big business has their head in the sand.

What you hear over and over again is that this and that supplement has not been proven to work. They never will be if we leave it up to the medical establishment. They are the ones who fund all the research and they are not going to spend any money researching something that they can't patent. Where's the profit in that?

If you search enough you will find evidence that some supplements actually do help with BG levels. The only "proof" will be your own, and others, experiences. But don't expect many people to believe you.

Thank you well said.

Approved drugs that kill, worth reading.

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS THAT KILL: ANOTHER KIND OF DRUG PROBLEM (http://consumerlawpage.com/article/drugs_that_kill.shtml)

Have you ever listened to the drug commercials on TV and the side effects and yet some do not even tell you what they are for.

[wiseguy]

Thank you well said.

Approved drugs that kill, worth reading.

PRESCRIPTION DRUGS THAT KILL: ANOTHER KIND OF DRUG PROBLEM (http://consumerlawpage.com/article/drugs_that_kill.shtml)

Have you ever listened to the drug commercials on TV and the side effects and yet some do not even tell you what they are for.
I always get a chuckle from those drug commercials. The possible side effects are always much worse than the condition the drugs are meant to treat. And isn't it amazing how some people will ardently point out the dangers of natural supplements while readily consuming synthetic concoctions that are far more likely to harm them.

[Alice]

Since a few of you are advocates for supplements, thought I'd ask this question...always wondered and have seen some consumer shows investigate this:

How do you know what you are really getting in those supplements? I don't mean this in a accusatory fashion, but how do you feel confident you are getting fresh, natural ingredients? And the same ingredients that they are marketing?

I guess that's the regulation I'm worried about. Just curious and open to your opinions.

[Schlep]

Since a few of you are advocates for supplements, thought I'd ask this question...always wondered and have seen some consumer shows investigate this:

How do you know what you are really getting in those supplements? I don't mean this in a accusatory fashion, but how do you feel confident you are getting fresh, natural ingredients? And the same ingredients that they are marketing?

I guess that's the regulation I'm worried about. Just curious and open to your opinions.

Nothing is perfect but I have noticed that all supplements list their ingredients in the order of the amount in the product.

I do not say that all supplements are good and true, but are all drugs?

I have never seen a prescription medicine list any ingredients on the bottle.

[Alice]

No, but they are regulated and tested with rigorous standards. Yes, some are recalled, but that's a good thing in the long-run. As you say, nothing is perfect.

[AliB]

Someone asked if anyone had tried Vitabase. I did not have to respond but I wanted to supply an answer to the question with an honest appraisal of the product from my own experience.

I only came across it myself because someone had mentioned Diabeticine and when I was researching that Vitabase came up as a similar but cheaper product. Well I am always for cheaper as long as it works. I would have been glad to have had more feedback than I could find, but I thought, what the heck, it's cheap enough, if it works I am on to a winner, if not, it won't bankrupt me. So I did. Now I am giving you the benefit of the fact that I was prepared to take the risk and try it.

So I am new to this forum. Everyone has to start somewhere. I would not have found it at all except that I was mooching through the internet to see if there was any other more recent mention of Vitabase and picked up this thread. There are so many sites linked to Diabetes that it is impossible to find them all or post on them all and quite frankly I don't have the time to do that. I may be new on this one, but I am 'old' on others.

Too many people are quick to give their opinion on things they have never tried. Well I am not one of them. This is my honest opinion and it is up to you whether you choose to believe it or not. At the end of the day, it's $12 a bottle. What's to lose?

I am not selling anything. I am not giving anything other than my opinion and my experience. I am not connected with the company (although the way things are going with it I might just consider buying some shares!!!). It helped me and I am delighted myself to hear from others who have tried it. I have had a few positive comments from others on my own blog on another site which is encouraging and some of my internet friends have also tried it and benefitted. The more that try it, the more feedback there is, good or bad, which is very helpful. How will we ever know if something works unless others tell us about it? My doctor told me about Byetta, and that it had some good results. How I wish I had heard of the Vitabase first. I would not have ended up being his guinea pig on that awful drug that has left me with dreadful stomach problems and has now also been found to cause Pancreatitis. And they have the cheek to condemn natural remedies.

I never claimed it to be a miracle cure, or that I could do away with the insulin or metformin I have to take, even if it might be possible. It has done what the drugs haven't and lowered my blood sugar to normal. Can't I indulge in a little smugness at having found it and some generosity of spirit in wanting to share my discovery of this useful item that might just benefit others ????

[AliB]

By the way I am Type 2 although veering more towards Type 1, diagnosed in '97 at the age of 40, on insulin for 5 years and have had sugar levels way too high for way too long. My Mum (killed by toxic drugs and medical negligence) was Type 1 since she was 16, my Dad (also killed through medical negligence) was Type 2 late onset as was his mother, my gran and as is his eldest sister and younger brother. Do I have much experience of Diabetes? Do I have much experience of the difference between toxic drugs and natural remedies?

Sorry, I would have mentioned this from the outset but it never occurred to me that others would be so suspicious of my motives.

[notme]

Hi AliB, Generally people introduce themselves on the forums, just say hello and give a short introduction. You will have to understand that the internet is a hotbed for advertisers and scammers. People are always suspicious of the motives of a new posters that claim amazing results of any product. Daily, we delete posts from scammers and advertisers or people promoting their new product. Go back to your original post and read it. It does read a bit like an advertisment. I am sorry you were offended by the replies to your post, but the members of this site see advertisers daily.

Put this aside and let me be the first to say "Welcome to Diabetes Forums". There are a lot of good people here. Please introduce yourself and get to know a few people. I think you will find it to be a great place.

[AliB]

Hi Notme. Yes, I am pretty good at spotting adverts on the site my blog is on. As you say, they are often fairly obvious. As I am not one of them I wasn't looking at my own post with any suspicion or for any ulterior motive!

I would have posted again more promptly to allay any fears but the posts had gone on to a new page and I was wondering why no-one had responded to my post (darn it, that gets me every time!)! I didn't twig until I logged in today and realised there was another page!

Anyway, here I am. Genuine as they come and most certainly without a shred of ulterior motive (unless it involves a chocolate eclair!). Plus, there is no way I would have even bothered to mention the Byetta if my post wasn't genuine! (Try that one if you dare - I did and that is one I definitely won't be recommending, but then there are some who have managed to overcome the side effects and cope ok with it). I did lose some weight on it but only because it made me feel so sick I didn't feel like eating.

I have always had a very sensitive tum and that has really mucked it up. I have had so many bad nights with my digestion during and since I was on it that I am frightened it has done some permanent damage. It might just be an ulcer or something but I just can't seem to settle it down.

How the heck did they know that the spit of the Gila Lizard would help Diabetics? I suspect that it was a tribal (natural) remedy that the scientists have just extracted part of to chemically manufacture so that they can make a huge profit (and have probably left out the bits that stop you getting the side-effects - which is probably true of most drugs). That probably explains why the natural alternatives to the chemically manufactured drugs are far better tolerated by most people, like the difference between natural and chemical progesterone, for instance, or even natural and chemical aspirin.

Drugs are a necessary evil, but sometimes they are just plain evil.

[AliB]

Harold, I am so sorry that you have had such a sad experience. Unfortunately that has understandably coloured and embittered your opinion of 'supplements' somewhat.

Sometimes we have to try and put personal feelings aside and try to keep an open mind. I have a similar strength of feeling about drugs and the harm that they do because of my past experiences, but I was prepared to give the Byetta a go and at least give it the benefit of the doubt.

Nothing is perfect. There is no cure. There are things we can do to try to help ourselves. However, it is all a complete lottery. Sometimes we get it right, sometimes we get it wrong. Sometimes, unfortunately, even those 'experts' we entrust with our well-being also get it wrong.

My Dad and Mum also spent a considerable amount of money on 'supplements' in a attempt to help themselves and plug the holes not filled by the medical profession. Some things worked, some didn't, but it was the drugs and medical negligence that actually resulted in their deaths.

I take vitamins and minerals to try to keep my immune system supported, and to strengthen my blood vessels, but I will not go overboard. To eat well and sensibly and keep relatively fit is far more important. But I am very pleased to have found a product that plugs my holes not filled by the medical profession and which supports my medication and gives me some good results not acheived by the medication alone.

Nowhere in my original post, or since, did I claim to have come off insulin or stopped my medication. I am merely using the Vitabase as extra support. From your perspective supplements may seem to be 'snake oil', from mine it is drugs. Somehow we just have to try and acheive a balance.

We are privileged to have freedom of choice. Whether we make the right choices is totally up to us. However, it is hard to make those choices when we are bombarded from all directions with such an overwhelming array of options.

We live in an evil world where the gullible can be chewed up and spat out without any twinge of conscience. It naturally makes us suspicious and cynical. But that is where personal experience counts. We are so fortunate now to have the benefit of the internet to be able to research products before we proceed. If we do it carefully it can prove to be a protection for us.

I will never discount anything out of hand, or be blatantly sceptical without good reason, but will always research as much as I can before making any decisions. How foolish it would be to completely and sceptically dismiss an opportunity to improve my health and well-being. I do not consider being able to bring my blood sugar down to normal from 300+ to be an inconsequential thing. Trying the Vitabase could well have been worthless, but in my experience it has more than proved itself well worth the risk.

[wiseguy]

Since a few of you are advocates for supplements, thought I'd ask this question...always wondered and have seen some consumer shows investigate this:

How do you know what you are really getting in those supplements? I don't mean this in a accusatory fashion, but how do you feel confident you are getting fresh, natural ingredients? And the same ingredients that they are marketing?

I guess that's the regulation I'm worried about. Just curious and open to your opinions.
Basically, you buy from a trusted and established company. There are several around that have been in the supplement business for many years. Personally, I confer with an organic chemist who steers me in the right direction when I'm checking out something new.

Again, "federally approved" means very little to me. Your safety comes second in line to the interest of large corporations. I feel much safer taking an herb that has been used by millions of people for hundreds or thousands of years than I do taking a synthetic substance that has been tested for a few years on a few people and labeled safe by some government agency.

[AliB]

Wiseguy by name, wiseguy by nature.........I couldn't have put it better myself!

[AliB]

By the way, the other reason I didn't respond immediately to the comments suggesting my first post was advertising was that I was fast asleep and totally oblivious. Here, it is at least 6 hours ahead of you at half past midnight and that is where I am going right now, so you won't get a peep out of me for, well, hours. Did I hear someone say 'hooray'...........

[LynnRut]

I don't know if you know, but Vitabase is offering a free 60 day supply of that product. I have already signed up and will keep people informed.

[kclay0840]

I noticed that too. The only requirement for getting the 60 day supply from Vitabase is that they want you to keep track of your results and let them know. They don't collect payment information.

[wiseguy]

I don't know if you know, but Vitabase is offering a free 60 day supply of that product. I have already signed up and will keep people informed.
Yes, this offer is genuine. I submitted the simple form and within a week I had a bottle of Vitabase in my mail box. But I must say that when I opened the bottle I noticed a strong smell of what I could only describe as fingernail polish. Makes me kind of leery of taking these capsules.

[LynnRut]

Yes, this offer is genuine. I submitted the simple form and within a week I had a bottle of Vitabase in my mail box. But I must say that when I opened the bottle I noticed a strong smell of what I could only describe as fingernail polish. Makes me kind of leery of taking these capsules.

LOL. I have never smelled any pills that smelled good. Walk down the supplement aisle in any drugstore and it is not really pleasant if you have a keen sense of smell. However, I do not know that you can really make herbs like that smell good.

[wiseguy]

LOL. I have never smelled any pills that smelled good. Walk down the supplement aisle in any drugstore and it is not really pleasant if you have a keen sense of smell. However, I do not know that you can really make herbs like that smell good.
Believe me, I have opened many bottles of vitamin and herbal formulas. Much more than your average consumer. I have never found anything with a purely chemical smell like these capsules.

[LynnRut]

A quick update on this trial I am doing with Vitabase. I am taking the product regularly and seeing a solid improvement. It is hard to say how many points a day or anything like that, but just seems considerably lower on a average basis. I feel good too. If I have a few minutes, I will try to calculate better numbers.

[Schlep]

A quick update on this trial I am doing with Vitabase. I am taking the product regularly and seeing a solid improvement. It is hard to say how many points a day or anything like that, but just seems considerably lower on a average basis. I feel good too. If I have a few minutes, I will try to calculate better numbers.

For how many days did you have to take it before you noticed a difference?

[Schlep]

Yes, this offer is genuine. I submitted the simple form and within a week I had a bottle of Vitabase in my mail box. But I must say that when I opened the bottle I noticed a strong smell of what I could only describe as fingernail polish. Makes me kind of leery of taking these capsules.

How did you make out with the Vitabase, did you get past the smell and try them?

[wiseguy]

How did you make out with the Vitabase, did you get past the smell and try them?
No, I won't be taking them. There's nothing in the list of ingredients that would smell like this. I'm not talking about a faint whiff of something odd. This is a strong and distinct chemical smell. But don't take my word for it. Sign up and get a free bottle for yourself.

[LynnRut]

It took at least two weeks.

[Schlep]

Thanks as I tried them for a couple of days and they did nothing, perhaps I did not give them enough time.

[JasonJayhawk]

This stuff is snake oil.

Companies, owners face federal fraud charges for selling dietary supplements | KY3 | Local (http://www.ky3.com/news/local/16085487.html)

They were arrested with $17 million in the bank. Finally...

[ktk0117]

It's C R A P-ola, I tried it for 3 months and it had absolutely no affect at all.

They made it sound good, but I spent a lot of $$ for nothing.

Save your money for exercise equipment!

[Moreno]

I never heard of these before. So they do not do anything? I will try and ask my doctor next appointment.

[Schlep]

Did nothing for me and really upset my stomach.

[JasonJayhawk]

I never heard of these before. So they do not do anything? I will try and ask my doctor next appointment.

Don't waste your time or money. First, you won't be able to get it, because the people were thrown in jail and will soon be in prison for their fake medical claims.

The identical product also was claimed to treat a host of other medical conditions (unrelated to diabetes). They did no medical testing. It was all marketing and no product.

They made $17 million by fooling people into believing their marketing. People who wanted to believe paid $300 for a bottle of sawdust pills and the 60% of people who are prone to the placebo effect thought that "maybe" something was different. (In reality, swallowing an M&M would have probably been better.)

[wiseguy]

Where in this ky3 article, or the indictment, is Vitabase or Dr. Kevin Passero mentioned?