Supplements for diabetes such as chromium, cinnamon, and berberine may help control blood sugar.
Additionally, alpha-lipoic acid could help reduce the pain of diabetic neuropathy.
Research on the benefits of many of these supplements is conflicting, however.
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Supplements should never be used in place of prescribed medication and/or advice from your healthcare provider.
There is no evidence that alpha-lipoic acid helps with nephropathy or macular edema.
However, researchers noted that more robust trials are needed because the existing ones have a lot of variability.
Cinnamon is safe for most people at doses below 6 grams (g) daily.
Magnesium
Higher levels of the mineralmagnesiumin the body are associated with a lower risk of diabetes.
It also improved insulin sensitivity in people at risk of developing diabetes.
Limit magnesium doses to 350 milligrams (mg) daily.
You may be getting magnesium from your food, including fortified products like cereals.
The evidence for chromium’s effects on diabetes is mixed.
Chromium did not improve fasting blood sugar or cholesterol levels.
AIs drop to 30 mcg during pregnancy but increase to 45 mcg during breastfeeding.
Vitamin D
Vitamin Dis made in the body from sunlight’s ultraviolet rays.
Interestingly, lower doses of vitamin D had no effect on diabetes risk.
The normal Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of vitamin D for adults is 600 IU or 15 mcg.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
The evidence for usingomega-3 fatty acidsfor diabetes is mixed.
Omega-3 fatty acids don’t typically cause severe side effects.
Research has found that berberine may help control blood sugar in people with prediabetes.
BMI is a dated, flawed measure.
It does not take into account factors such asbody composition, ethnicity, sex, race, and age.
Side effects of berberine include constipation and diarrhea.
Gymnema
Gymnemais a plant found in India and Africa.
It is widely used in Ayurvedic medicine.
Gymnema contains a number of pharmacologically active compounds, some of which may have anti-diabetic properties.
Many of these studies are small and poorly designed.
Certain supplements can affect your blood sugar and/or interact with the medications you’re taking.
That means some supplement products may not contain what the label says.
These are not substitutes for FDA-approved diabetes medications, however.
A healthy diet is essential in preventing and managing diabetes and its complications.
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