Sunday 22 March 2020

Type 2 diabetes: Add this supplement to your diet to lower blood sugar

From express.co.uk

TYPE 2 diabetes is a chronic condition that requires careful monitoring to ward off the threats posed by rising blood sugar levels. The most effective weapon against high blood sugar levels is following a healthy diet, and evidence suggests including an essential mineral in your diet can have a pronounced effect on blood sugar levels.

Type 2 diabetes is a condition whereby your pancreas doesn't produce enough insulin to regulate blood sugar levels. Blood sugar is the main sugar found in blood and is an important source of energy and nutrients for the body. The pancreas usually aids the absorption and storage of blood sugar so when the pancreas is out of action, blood sugar levels rise uncontrollably.

Over time, high blood sugar can inflict damage on your heart, eyes, kidneys, nerves, and blood vessels, so it is imperative to keep it in check.
To compensate for a faulty pancreas, you must modify aspects of your lifestyle to regulate blood sugar.

Diet forms an essential component of blood sugar management.
Research investigating the impact of certain dietary decisions on insulin resistance and blood sugar levels shows that certain items can improve these impaired mechanisms.

For example, chromium picolinate, a nutritional supplement containing the essential mineral chromium, has been shown to have a marked impact on diabetes management.
Several studies have indicated that taking chromium supplements can improve blood sugar for those with diabetes. One study found that 16 weeks of 200 μg/day of chromium was able to lower blood sugar and insulin while improving the body’s response to insulin.

Other research has shown that those with higher blood sugar and lower insulin sensitivity may respond better to chromium supplements.

Additionally, in a large study of over 62,000 adults, the likelihood of having diabetes was 27 percent lower in those who took dietary supplements containing chromium.
According to an Associate Professor of Medicine at University of Vermont, “prior human studies have suggested that chromium picolinate decreases insulin levels and improves blood sugar metabolism in both obese people and people with type 2 diabetes".

Echoing this positive assessment, Richard Anderson, of the US Department of Agriculture, said: “Essentially all the studies using chromium picolinate supplementation for impaired glucose intolerance and diabetes showed a positive effect.”

It is important to note that you should not rely on a single supplement to help regulate your blood sugar. Rather it is your overall dietary approach that will determine how effectively you govern your blood sugar levels.

The general consensus among health bodies is that a diet high in carbohydrates is to be avoided if you are trying to manage your blood sugar levels.

Carbohydrate is broken down into glucose relatively quickly and therefore has a more pronounced effect on blood sugar levels than either fat or protein.

A useful way to distinguish between high carb and low carb foods is to follow the Glycaemic Index (GI). The GI is a relative ranking of carbohydrate in foods according to how they affect blood glucose levels.

https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/health/1258533/type-2-diabetes-symptoms-diet-chromium-picolinate-lower-blood-sugar

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