Type 2 Diabetes – Can Dietary Supplements Help Control Your Blood Sugar?
Most people diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes will try anything to get their disease under control and keep it that way. The most common methods of treatment include:
- eating healthy foods,
- taking part in regular exercise,
- taking medications, and
- avoiding and handling stress.
Many Type 2 diabetics have to rely on medications to give them an edge. But there are others who have discovered dietary supplements Glucose metabolism can help them overcome their condition, allowing them to take a more natural approach to treatment.
While supplements have provided substantial benefits for many diabetics, they should not be taken without first talking to your doctor. You should also never stop taking your current medication in favor of supplements until you have been cleared by your doctor.
There are many dietary supplements on the market which can offer relief, here are just a few of the more commonly used ones:
Banaba leaf: Banaba leaf (Lagestroemia speciosa L.) contains a prime acid called corosolic acid. This has several abilities. One, is it helps to transport sugar into the cells, lowering blood sugar levels, insulin and even triglycerides. As an added bonus, it also promotes weight loss. But banaba leaf also does a great job of lowering the amount of fatty buildup within the liver, helping to prevent the condition known as”fatty liver,” a common complication of Type 2 diabetes.
Lastly, this supplement is able to increase the diabetes-fighting compound adiponectin.
Pterocarpus marsupium: Originated in India, this supplement has gained notoriety as being a huge adversary of Type 2 diabetes. It somewhat resembles insulin and is able to rejuvenate the beta cells of the pancreas, which are responsible for insulin production.
Gymnema sylvestre: Another top supplement for helping to defeat Type 2 diabetes. It is often referred to as being the most powerful herbal agent for improving blood sugar control. It is similar to pterocarpus marsupium in that it’s key function is to increase the numbers of beta cells within the pancreas instead of rejuvenating them.
Inula recemosa: Commonly used in conjunction with Gymnema sylvestre to help prevent problems with blood sugar caused by steroids. This means it works to lower the negative effects blood sugar metabolism encounters due to high levels of stress. It has also been shown to increase insulin sensitivity.
Resveratrol: This supplement boosts adiponectin levels, which is a tremendous help for a diabetic. It also reduces the amount of inflammation within fat cells. Plus, researchers believe it is also helpful to diabetics because it signals specific genes to burn more fat and maintain healthy processing of insulin.
If you have kidney disease, please check with you doctor before you use resveratrol.
While each of these, on their own, can offer assistance in lowering blood sugar, they are best when taken in conjunction with a healthy eating plan plus an exercise program five days a week.
