Which Supplements Will Benefit Type 2 Diabetics?

By [http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Beverleigh_H_Piepers/123142] Beverleigh H Piepers

It is believed nutritional supplements are essential for health, especially for people who have pre-diabetes, Type 2 diabetes or weight problems. People with these conditions usually have a history of eating nutrient poor food consequently they suffer from various nutritional deficiencies. These deficiencies often impair their body's ability to regulate blood sugar and insulin, and they then increase the risk of developing a wide range of health problems.

Type 2 diabetes interferes with the activity of many nutrients.

For instance: people with Type 2 diabetes do not efficiently convert beta-carotene to vitamin A. Beta-carotene is a beneficial antioxidant found in fruits and vegetables. Low vitamin A levels often leads to night blindness which is characterized by poor adjustment to darkness and bright lights.

Type 2 diabetics tend to have low levels of many nutrients, including vitamin C, vitamin D and omega-3 fats.

Excess body fat interferes with the normal distribution of nutrients... this creates a deficiency like state due to the fat cells acting as a deposit-site for many vitamins and minerals. And then when nutrients are stored in your body's fat, they are naturally not available to other parts of your body, eg. the heart or brain.

How Supplements Can Help You?

Here are some reasons why nutritional supplements can help you:

o   some vitamins and minerals can lower blood sugar levels and enhance your insulin function

o   many help to improve your liver function. This is important because the liver helps to regulate both blood sugar levels and fats

o   some help to maintain muscle mass... this in turn helps in utilizing blood sugar

o   certain supplements can reduce your appetite which leads to reduced hunger and weight loss

Top Supplement Choices for Type 2 Diabetes Include:

1. Alpha-lipoic acid... is usually not used to counteract deficiencies but to act like a drug. In high doses, it acts as an antioxidant. In Type 2 diabetics it appears to increase insulin sensitivity and reduce symptoms of nerve damage.

2. Chromium... helps insulin work better, meaning that it helps the hormone escort glucose from your bloodstream into your cells.

3. Biotin... has been shown to lower blood sugar in both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.

4. Omega-3 fish oils... lowers triglyceride levels and may help in weight loss.

5. Vitamin C ... due to insulin helping to transport vitamin C into the cells, it is not surprising to find that diabetics have low intracellular concentrations of this vitamin, even when blood sugar levels are normal. Vitamin C helps protect against cardiovascular disease and may help protect against other destructive processes brought on by the diabetic condition.

6. Vitamin D... vitamin D may prevent or delay the onset of Type 2 diabetes and reduce complications for those who have already been diagnosed.

You may have a need for one or another supplement depending on you health. On the other hand you may need to avoid certain supplements because they may interfere with medications you are taking. e sure to check with your doctor or pharmacist about which products you may take.

If you are adding supplements that might affect your blood sugar, be sure to check your blood sugar level on a regular basis.

And now I would like you to claim you Free E-Book when you visit [http://drugfreetype2diabetes.com/faq.html]Answers to Your Questions You will then have access to information diabetics have requested over recent months.

Beverleigh Piepers RN... the Diabetes Detective. http://drugfreetype2diabetes.com/blog

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Which-Supplements-Will-Benefit-Type-2-Diabetics?&id=4823001] Which Supplements Will Benefit Type 2 Diabetics?