Written by Mervat Rashad
Monday, 06 March 2023 05:00 PM
Lifestyle plays a major role in managing sugar level in blood and overall health. What you eat, how you move your body, your sleep patterns and your stress levels are all factors that can affect your blood sugar. Even if you are taking medications to control diabetes, they should be used in conjunction with a nutritious eating plan and physical activity. But what? about supplements? Is it safe and effective? Here’s everything you need to know, according to what was published by the site. eatingwell“.
Supplements you should not take if you have diabetes
1. Chromium
Chromium is a mineral found in a number of foods, such as meat, vegetables, grains, fruits, and nuts. A deficiency of chromium may cause your blood sugar to rise. A deficiency is very rare if you have diabetes and take insulin or other oral medications intended to lower your sugar. In the blood, chromium may increase the risk of developing hypoglycemia
The American Diabetes Association warns anyone with kidney disease not to take chromium because supplements can worsen kidney disease. Chromium supplements may also interfere with levothyroxine (a drug commonly used to treat hypothyroidism)..
2. Green tea extract
Researchers have found that drinking green tea has positive effects, such as lower fasting glucose and hemoglobin A1C (3-month average blood sugar) However, there is little research on the effectiveness of a green tea supplement outside of animal studies, and most studies have been very short in duration. Therefore, additional supplementation other than drinking tea may not be necessary. the green.
4. Vitamin E
Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that can help fight oxidative stress, a precursor and contributor to type 2 diabetes. But, vitamin E can interact with blood thinners and increase the risk of bleeding by blocking the clotting effects of vitamin K. Therefore, unsupervised supplementation is not recommended if you have diabetes and are taking blood thinners.
What nutritional supplements help with diabetes?
If you have diabetes complications, certain supplements — including vitamin D, B vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, and probiotics — may help relieve symptoms or delay the development of diabetes-related complications..
Vitamin D :
Low levels of vitamin D are associated with the development of diabetes, metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance. Low levels of vitamin D are also associated with an increased risk of developing foot ulcers and other infections, feeling depressed and poor bone health, to name a few.
Some studies suggest that, in people who are deficient, taking vitamin D and calcium supplements may help improve blood sugar control. It is important for all people with diabetes to evaluate their vitamin D status with their healthcare provider to determine if Supplements were needed.
B Vitamins and Omega-3 Fatty Acids:
People with diabetes, especially those taking metformin, can be at greater risk of developing a vitamin B12 deficiency. Metformin can reduce vitamin B12 absorption as well as blood concentrations. deficiency is associated B12 Its deficiency is neuropathy, so the case evaluation B12 Important if levels are low, supplementation may be recommended. If you have complications from diabetes, such as neuropathy (nerve damage), you may want to discuss with your doctor about using B vitamins or fish oil to treat pain and prevent progression of the disease.
probiotics
There is increasing evidence supporting the use of probiotics for gut health, diabetes, and blood sugar control. Some studies have shown that the use of probiotics such as yogurt, fermented baked milk, and capsules had a beneficial effect on blood sugar control.