In honour of “Vitamin Month”, I thought I would ask everyone what supplements they find to be effective.
When my numbers were high, I took chromium and it seemed to help to reduce the numbers. During flu season, I usually take Cold Fx and it seems to work better than the flu shot.
What supplements are you taking? Do they work well? Do they have any effect on your numbers? Joanne
Not a supplement but I am a huge fan of V8. I like it for lows as it feels cathartic to swill like 200% of a bunch of my RDA of various vitamins in a small glass w/ around 10-15G of carbs in it. I’m sort of trying to boost my intake of veggies before the race too, in the hopes it will hope avoid any last minute gaskett blowing.
In addition to the usual vitamin and mineral supplements, I take lutein and bilberry for eye health. I take a low dose of 42 mg of bilberry since I also take 81 mg of aspirin and they are both blood thinners.
Hmm… I wonder if this might work at night to help beat the Dawn Effect…add a shot of vodka…celery stick…spices? 
The only vitamin I am taking is a multi-vitamin. I have tried others like chromium, etc. I am just not sure what vitamins or minerals may be more beneficial and any I have tried have not made me feel any different.
I do believe that diabetics can have more difficulties getting some vitamins into and out of cells. I believe this is likely due to the fact that insulin regulates the uptake of glucose into cells and this may help or inhibit other pathways of getting vitamins into cells.
Hi Trudy: I knew about the lutein because macular degeneration is common in our family. I had to look up bilberry. Apparently it contains chromium. In addition to preventing/reversing eye problems it is supposed to lower blood sugar levels too. The bilberry jam used by the soldiers in the war sounds great!
Do you notice an improvement in your eye health or blood sugar levels? Cheers! Joanne
Captain 101: I too relied on a “Daily One” vitamin for years. I’m insulin resistant so I took the “Weight Sense” version with Green Tea extract. I too worry that the problems with insulin might also affect the vitamins.
I just noticed that Chris Reid, “The Strong Diabetic”, just added a post about fish oil supplements.
I need an eye check, but up to now I seem to have no eye problems after 18 years. I credit the lutein and bilberry with at least helping in prevention. I believe one needs to talk to an eye specialist if you do have problems with respect to strategies for reversing them, but I expect larger doses might very well help. As for these supplements having an effect on blood sugars, no, not for me anyway. And bilberry jam, oh yeah, and with peanut butter!
cheers!
JAM!? What type of sweetener is in it and where do you buy it?
I take r-ala and biotin. This has helped my PN a lot. I can tie my own shoes again!
Hi Randy. I understand that bilberry is Europe’s wild blueberry. I find it in my local health food store. The jars I’ve had were sweetened by sugar, but perhaps there are blueberry jams/preserves to be found that have a different sweetener.
Hi Randy: Good to know that the r-ala and biotin helped your neuropathy. I did take ALA (Alpha-Lipoic Acid) for my neuropathy this year. I was also taking B12 shots so I’m not sure which one worked but my neuropathy seems to have healed. People in the Neuropathy Group also say that Benfotiamine helps with neuropathy pain.
Thanks Trudy. I’ll check it out. Maybe I’ll make my own jam with Sweet Perfection. I haven’t found an artificially sweetened jam that is not disappointing.
That’s great Peetie. I know I’m better, but that is fantastic you are rid of your PN. There was a post here in the last week about PN that linked to a Johns Hopkins review about PN that was very interesting. Sorry I don’t remember the link.
There is such a thing as “Vitamin Month”? Really?
I have never seen any effect from chromium or the ever popular cinnamon. Others rave about them but never did anything for me. Green Tea is the only thing I’ve ever had work to reduce BG. I usually just drink it.
I take a lot of vitamins.
Daily a general Multi Vitamin to cover my bases. Vitamin D, in the form of D3 for performance, not diabetes.
I take CoQ10 because I am on a statin and they deplete your bodies store of it.
Then 3-6g of fish oil a day for heart health.
The only one I know of off hand is Vitamin A.
Not sure why but diabetes have a hard time absorbing vitamin A from plant sources. No issues with animal sources.
I sometimes take cod liver oil to make sure I get enough vitamin A, but if I am eating a lot of eggs etc then I skip it. It is fat soluble so you can over do it.
Hmm… “Vitamin Month” appeared on the calendar provided by… my local Pharmacy. lol
The CoQ10 sounds good especially since my hubby (no D) is on a statin.
I too drink lots of green tea. At Tai Chi Class we drink ginseng tea which seems to boost energy levels.
I also drink lots of coffee (oops did I just write that?). Coffee is supposed to be good for my asthma. I also have very low blood pressure so I think the coffee helps with that too. Or at least that’s what I tell myself.
Coffee is good for asthma. They are not sure why.
They tested it hot vs. cold and decaf vs. decaffeinated and got the same results. So decaf should get the same results.
Pharmacy not getting rich on the amount and type of supplements I take in daily :
Vit D3 1000 IU , Calcium with Vit D3 …do have osteoporosis .
Glucosamine Chondroitin …re -started recently …a bit of tenderness in the left hip area …appears gone …who knows, it may have been due to replacing my runners
I used to take a Multi Vit ( for over age 50 ) …last summer a bloodtest showed, that I had too much potassium …stopped Ramipril …BP home average tests well under the 130/80 guide lines, as well as the Multi Vit .
I have never noticed any effects on my BG numbers by taking or not taking these supplements
MY CDE Dietitian, when visiting the Clinic , looks over my daily intake of nutrients and we discuss …no supplements required .
I take a bunch.
Acidophilus – for stomach
Alpha Lipoic Acid – for neuropathy
Fish Oil
Iron (low iron & ferritin levels)
OneADay Multi-vitamin
Red Yeast Rice – for cholesterol
Selenium – for thyroid
Vitamin C (to help the iron absorb)
Vitamin D-3 – I have low D levels