Your opinion on Diabetic Vitamins..

[nicole]

I bought these diabetic vitamins awhile ago, and I had been taking them and they seemed to be helping me. Well I ran out and went and got more, I just started taking them again yesterday.

But anyways..
What are your opinions about them?

Do any of you take them?

[Subby]

I know what you mean in general, I've seen supplements marketed to diabetics, but the name "diabetic vitamins" desn't really explain what's in them. What are the actual contents of these vitamins, or the main elements they list?

[drummingfool]

Mine are cricial to me. I think everyone here knows all the stuff I take, theres alot of it. I was recently asked in a chat if I rattle when I walk, lol.

[SueM]

curious minds need to know. Are the vits type 1 or 2?

[UpNorth]

curious minds need to know. Are the vits type 1 or 2?

Now this one really cracked me up LOL



Back to subject though... I don't take any supplements at all unless my body tells me i need it. I try to get all my vitamins through my diet. My body is very good at telling me what i need at the moment and apparently it's working because my doctors has never told me i should eat more fruits or vegetables or start with supplements In my oppinion, vitamin supplements is just a way for the makers to make money from easily fooled customers I'd only take it regularly if my doctor told me to. On another note too... I do have rather rich periods, or well, it's not as bad now since i'm on minipills, but yeah, before i took minipills, my periods would be really BAD, and even then my iron levels would be very good if a bloodtest was taken

[Psycho Penguin]

I love my diabetic vitamins. I have no idea how they are different from regular vitamins, but what the hey!

[lorilei]

they're sugar-free!

[Psycho Penguin]

Vitamins have sugar in them? I had no idea. Wow.

[drummingfool]

Mine say "sugar free" on the front, and then in the ingredients it lists sugar. But it says its a "negligible amount".

sheesh.

[dodo]

I've never heard of diabetics vitamins before! Does anyone know if they are available in Canada?

[Psycho Penguin]

Mine say "sugar free" on the front, and then in the ingredients it lists sugar. But it says its a "negligible amount".

sheesh.

If a product has, I think, 5% or less, the manufacturer is allowed to say "_____ free". It's garbage, but yeah, always check the ingredients.

[sable_032592]

i don't take any "diabetes vitamins" but i do take cinnamon, vitamin e, vitamin c, zinc and magnesium supplements... i found a diabetes vitamin online available in canada, here's the info on it (it's long)

Lorna Van GlucoSense. GlucoSense is a Blood sugar balancing formula for diabetes support. With insulin potentiating alpha lipoic acid, bittermelon, & gymnema, Glucosense provides herbal support for those people who need a healthy alternative to regulating their blood sugar. Formulated by health educator and author Lorna Vanderhaeghe, Glucosense is ideal for blood sugar fluctuations and for relieving the cravings associated with them.

GlucoSense Highlights:
- Complete antioxidant formula with lycopene and lutein.
- High potency free radical protection.
- Helps to protect against free radicals from cigarette smoke, alcohol and pollution.
- Easy to swallow and easy to digest capsule form.
- Contains antioxidants for the eyes, cardiovascular system, brain, skin, prostate, lungs, and more

Each Capsule Contains:
Alpha lipoic acid - 100mg
Bitter melon (4:1 extract) - 100mg
Holy basil (2% ursolic acid) - 100mg
Gymnema sylvestris (75% gymnemic acids) - 75mg
Nopal cactus (NeoOptunia) - 50mg
Bilberry (25% anthocyanosides) - 20mg
Fenugreek - 20mg
Chromium (chelate) - 100mg

Also contains:
vegetarian gelatin, rice flour, vegetable grade magnesium stearate.

Does not contain:
wheat, dairy, eggs, corn, and yeast.

Suggested Usage:
Adults take 2 capsules daily with meals or as directed by a practitioner.

Warnings:
Use Glucosense with caution if you are currently taking insulin.

Additional Information:

Controlling Diabetes Naturally
For a diabetic, keeping blood sugar levels within a normal and healthy range can be a challenge, especially when its fluctutations cause cravings. Diabetes – more and more common in North America every year – occurs when there is too much sugar in the blood. The most prevalent form of the disease is TYPE II diabetes. In this type, the person’s pancreas is unable to produce enough insulin to metabolize the amount of sugar that they are ingesting.

A diet high in refined carbohydrates and nutrient deficiency are large contributing factors to “age onset diabetes”, as it is often called; excess body weight, lack of exercise, and heredity also often play significant roles when a person develops diabetes. The symptoms of diabetes often sneak up on people over time usually beginning mildly, then progressively becoming more severe.

They include: fatigue, “brain fog”, thirst, constant hunger, excessive urination, weight gain, and general malaise. Complicating things for the diabetic is a fluctuation between too much sugar in the blood and low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). Hypoglycemia often creates seemingly uncontrollable and powerful cravings for sweet foods which, when satisfied, causes low blood sugar to swing back to excess sugar.

This yo-yo effect can create many serious secondary complications for the diabetic person. Often these secondary health problems are of a more serious nature than the actual diabetes itself.

How to Avoid Yo-Yo Blood Sugar:
- Do not overeat; eat meals of equal size
- Limit the intake of sugars
- Eat more protein and healthy fats
- Eat more fiber, as it helps to stabilize blood sugar fluctuations
- Avoid coffee; caffeine speeds up the rate at which the body uses sugars.
- Take a nutritional supplement with all or some of:
chromium, alpha lipoic acid, bitter melon, holy basil, gymnema and bilberry.

Alpha Lipoic Acid:
Alpha lipoic acid’s principle role is to convert glucose to energy. The German government has approved alpha lipoic acid for the treatment of diabetic neuropathy. One study found that it regenerates nerve tissue. Lipoic also improves blood flow to peripheral nerves. Considering that conventional medicine has no treatment for diabetic neuropathy lipoic acid is the only answer. Lipoic acid lowers glucose levels, improves insulin sensitivity and the body’s ability to burn glucose. Anyone with diabetes or those wishing to prevent diabetes should be including Lipoic acid in their supplement regime.

Bitter Melon Extract:
Bitter melon (Momordica charantia) contains charantin which has been shown to be more effective than the diabetes drug tolbutamide. Bitter melon also contains polypeptide-P which has similar effects to insulin. Primarily Bitter melon has been used for lowering blood glucose levels in patients with diabetes mellitus as the active ingredients in the extract appear to have structural similarities to animal insulin. Four clinical trials found bitter melon juice, fruit, and dried powder to have a moderate blood sugar lowering effect. Although these trials were small and were not randomized or double-blind, Bitter melon does look promising as a treatment for diabetes. Researchers suggest it be taken along with other blood sugar lowering herbals and supplements.

Holy Basil:
In a single blind, randomized placebo-controlled trial performed in Kanpur India the leaf extract of Holy basil was found to have a blood sugar lowering effect in those persons with non insulin-dependent diabetes. Researchers explored the effects of holy basil leaves on fasting and postprandial blood glucose and serum cholesterol levels. The researchers suggest that Holy Basil could be used along with diet and drug therapy in the treatment of mild to moderate type 2 diabetes.

Gymnema Sylvestre:
Gymnema Sylvestre, a plant native to India, and used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine, contains special plant sugar compounds, referred to as gymnemic acid. Gymnema extract seems to improve the action of insulin and reduces fasting blood sugar levels. It also acts to improve overall blood sugar control.

In a study performed in Madras, India, researchers gave 22 Type 2 diabetics who were taking conventional oral anti-hyperglycemic medications 400mg per day of Gymnema sylvestra extract. Participants showed a significant reduction in blood glucose, glycosylated haemoglobin, and glycosylated palm proteins and the drug dosage was decreased over the 20 month study. Five of the 22 diabetics were able to completely discontinue their drugs and maintain healthy blood glucose with Gymnema alone while the others were able to reduce their drug dosage. The researchers suggest that gymnema’s action maybe by regenerating or repairing the beta cells of the pancreas in type 2 diabetics.

Nopal Cactus:
Nopal from the prickly pear cactus has long been used in traditional medicine to treat diabetes. Nopal is the most commonly used hypoglycemic food among persons of Mexican descent. Several animals studies and three preliminary human trials using Nopal have been performed to date. Although the results have been conflicting it was found that Nopal did have a discrete beneficial effect on both blood glucose and total cholesterol.

Bilberry:
Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) is a flavonoid-rich herb that improves night vision, prevents circulatory disorders by strengthening capillaries and improving circulation, and treats kidney and urinary tract disorders, diarrhea, gout, and inflammation. Anthocyanidins are the active ingredient in bilberry. In diabetics bilberry has been shown to improve diabetic retinopathy and microvascular concerns. Bilberry increases intracellular vitamin C and decreases leakiness and breakage of small blood vessels.

Fenugreek:
Fenugreek, used for centuries in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine, has recently shown exciting blood glucose normalizing effects. It has been studied in many randomized, controlled, double-blind trials where it has been found to improve fasting glucose, improve peripheral glucose utilization, normalize cholesterol and improve acute glycemic response.

Chromium:
Chromium is extremely important to glucose tolerance factor (GTF), the compound that is key in maintaining insulin stability; stimulates the synthesis of fatty acids and cholesterol; activates digestive enzymes; and protects the RNA and DNA of our cells. Because of its influence on insulin (and its suppression of sugar cravings), chromium is prescribed for diabetes, hypoglycemia, and weight loss. It also works to lower triglyceride and blood cholesterol levels commonly found in diabetics. A randomized, placebo controlled study involving 180 men and women with type 2 diabetes performed over a period of 4 months found that when patients took 100mcg of chromium versus a fake pill (placebo) an improvement in insulin sensitivity and decreases in fasting glucose levels and insulin levels were noted.

---> site: Vitamins Canada - Abaco Health Vitamins & Supplements Store (click on Diabetes on the right hand side of the screen)

[poodlebone]

My doctor told me to take a multivitamin and to take calcium if I wasn't getting enough from my food. I love dairy, so that's not much of an issue! I do take a multivitamin when I remember. I pay no attention to the brand and go for the cheapest ones I can find. Sometimes that means close-to-expired children's chewable Thomas The Tank Engine vitamins from the dollar store. I also have been taking an iron supplement + vitamin C for the last 2 years or so but it doesn't seem to help, and I still get deferred from donating blood.