Diabetes is nearly an epidemic in the United States, with the number of affected adults projected to double in the next 25 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Avoiding this highly preventable disease is a worthwhile endeavor that requires some simple diet and lifestyle modifications. In addition to a healthy diet and regular exercise, certain nutritional supplements may be helpful for lowering blood sugar. Consult your doctor or nutritionist before using supplements to treat a health condition.
Chromium, an essential mineral, combined with cysteine, an amino acid, may increase insulin sensitivity, according to a study published in the August 2012 issue of the journal "Molecular Nutrition and Food Research." The two molecules form a compound, called chromium dinicocysteinate, or CDNC. Participants in the study took CDNC or chromium picolinate, a supplement widely used to help lower blood sugar, for three months. Results showed that CDNC decreased oxidative stress and inflammation and lowered blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetics. Additionally, there was significantly less insulin resistance in the CDNC group compared to the chromium picolinate group. Researchers concluded that CDNC offers potential as a natural therapy in the management of type 2 diabetes.
Alpha-lipoic acid, a molecule that your body manufactures and is also available as a supplement, helps your cells burn glucose to produce energy. Aside from lowering blood sugar levels, alpha-lipoic acid also acts as an antioxidant and is useful for alleviating the symptoms of peripheral neuropathy, a common complication of diabetes involving the nerves of the peripheral portion of the nervous system, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. A double-blind study published in the 2012 issue of the "Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition" found that six months of daily supplementation with alpha-lipoic acid decreased fasting blood sugar levels and levels of hemoglobin A1c, or HbA1c, a measure of blood sugar levels over a three-month period. The study used doses of 300 milligrams, 600 milligrams, 900 milligrams and 1,200 milligrams per day. Researchers noted a greater effect as the dose level increased.
Psyllium, a source of soluble and insoluble fiber, lowers blood sugar levels when taken with a meal, notes Dr. Donal O'Mathuna, co-author of the book "Alternative Medicine." Psyllium exerts its beneficial effects by binding to glucose in the small intestine and preventing or slowing it from being absorbed. A study on psyllium-enriched snack foods found that the added fiber reduced the spike in blood sugar, known as the glycemic response, that occurs after eating a high-sugar or refined carbohydrate food.
Biotin, a B-complex vitamin, may improve glucose utilization and decrease fasting blood sugar levels, notes the Linus Pauling Institute. A laboratory animal study published in the April 2012 issue of the "Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry" found that biotin deficiency resulted in elevated blood sugar levels, decreased insulin secretion and decreased insulin sensitivity. Biotin supplementation prevented insulin resistance in a study published in the April 2012 issue of the journal "Food and Function." Further studies are needed to confirm the results of these preliminary studies.
- Molecular Nutrition and Food Research: Effect of Chromium Dinicocysteinate Supplementation on Circulating Levels of Insulin, Tnf-α, Oxidative Stress, and Insulin Resistance in Type 2 Diabetic Subjects: Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-controlled Study
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Alpha-Lipoic Acid
- Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition: Glycemic and Oxidative Status of Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Following Oral Administration of Alpha-lipoic Acid: A Randomized Double-Blinded Placebo-Controlled Study
- Molecular Nutrition and Food Research: Impact of Dietary Fibre-enriched Ready-to-eat Extruded Snacks on the Postprandial Glycaemic Response of Non-Diabetic Patients
- Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry: Effects of Biotin Deficiency on Pancreatic Islet Morphology, Insulin Sensitivity and Glucose Homeostasis
- Linus Pauling Institute: Biotin
- Food and Function: Administration of Biotin Prevents the Development of Insulin Resistance in the Skeletal Muscles of Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty Rats
- University of Pittsburgh: Epidemiology and Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes
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