I have been off my over-the-counter stuff for two weeks in prep for surgery and boy DO I FEEL IT!!! I’m surprised in that I know these help me - my blood work makes that clear - but I really FEEL punk/tired and my neuropathy is more noticeable, more pronounced. I ache and feel the “asleep tingle” or “numb burn” - whatever you want to call that neuropathy pain. As soon as this surgery is over I’m hitting the bottles! Maybe part of it is winter weather, that always wears me down. But too much of a coincidence.
Here are some leads you might consider following up on. There are very few vitamins or supplements needed outside of the food you eat. Don’t fall for the advertising hype. Spend your time, effort and money on things that really work, things with real science behind them. Diabetes is expensive enough without throwing your money away.
Yea Joe…that is all true…IF one can eat those foods without consideration to what they might do to bs levels (no pun intended).
I take a multivitamin from Walgreen’s. It’s small, inexpensive, & has everything I want. I also take Vitamin D-3, 2500 I.U. per day, & B-12, can’t remember the dosage. I have traditionally been deficient in both D-3 & B-12; I even took B-12 supplement shots for awhile. But, for some time, I’ve been fine on OTC oral supplement. None of these is expensive nor difficult to swallow.
Alpha Lipoic Acid is the greatest thing since sliced bread!!! But, I have thyroid issues so now I wonder.
I am not a huge supplement taker. I take a One A Day, Calcium +D, Baby Aspirin, Levothyroxin ( the smallest dose) sometimes Fish Oil, and few others on and off but just a 100mg of ALA a day brings my blood sugars down and level - it’s amazing! Is that considered alot? I don’t want to take much because of the risk of it going too low (I have hypo unawareness) I went off for about 3 weeks and they climbed right back up and were all over the charts. Back on a couple weeks ago and smooooootttthhhh sailing!
I guess I should let my Dr. know so he can watch my Thyroid levels?
Some medication absorption issues… but, I wonder if it depends how much of it you take a day. how much are you taking right now, per pill? If your TSH levels are fine, I’d probably not worry about it much.
I think steady and lower BG level is worth maybe having to raise my thyroid meds!
Yeah, I’m considering it… for sure. 
But if you don’t have a higher TSH right now, I’d like to know how many mg you take daily, so I can try that dose. lol
A year ago my TSH was 3.88 I take 1 -50 mcg of levothyroxin a day. I currently take
1 - 100mg of ALA a day. I’ll have to see if the TSH level goes up at my next appointment!
@Gerri- hi I realize that I’m replying to a posting fromJan '10. This is the first time I’ve read that vit B could raise BG or inactivate insulin. Wow! Aren’t Vit B’s important for the body to convert food energy? Most vitamin B supplement pills contain less than 100 mg of each of the vit B’s. For example, Solgar B Complex 50-contains 50mg of most of the Vit B(except for folic acid) Since vitamin B are water soluble, one cannot “overdose” if taking oral supplements. The excess vit B would flush out in the urine, no? If someone were to take B complex 50, 1 capsule, 8-12 hours apart, that would not seem too much.
"GerriJan '10
Lizmari,
You know so much about thyroid issues. Please let me know if there are any supplements on my list to avoid. I take Levothyroxine also.
Swanson Vitamins has good prices.
I did take ALA with no effect on BG. I’m T1. Didn’t know ALA effects thyroid. Thanks.
Vit E, calcium, magnesium, Vit D3 (oil caps), bioflavonoids, fish oil (Krill oil because regular fish oil makes me queasy), zinc & copper. Ratio of zinc:copper is supposed to be 7:1.
Also, 50 mg of Vit B complex. Be careful with B doses.
B6 over 200 mg raises BG & impairs nerve function (so does excess Vit C supplementation)
B3 (niacin) over 200 mg can raise BG
B1 over 200 mg can inactivate insulin"
That should be fine. Seems the issue is over a certain mg at once. Yep, water soluble vitamins are urinated out. Best to use methyl form of B’s & in capsule or sublingual form.
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