Natural Treatment of Diabetes/Complications

November 9, 1999

I'd like to suggest a really good site for anyboby looking for info on

vitamins and/or herbs in regards to dm and its related complications like

neuropathy,kidneys,eyes etc. The site had no advertising and does not seem

to be linked to any sales of vitamins. You have to register, but its free.

They have a section called " conditions in depth " . Select diabetes and the

result is a really good lesson on using supplements as related to dm. All

the studies referred to are cited at the end. But to warn you, it took me a

couple of hours to go through it, but I am currently looking at starting to

use vit/herbs to help with my dm management. Hope you find it interesting.

I've copied the sites final article below my sig. I have no connection with

this site other than having registered.

www.tnp.com

Darren T2

dghart@...

A fine is a tax for doing bad,

A tax is a fine for doing good.

The trouble with political jokes is they get elected

Diabetes: Putting It All Together

Natural Treatments for Blood Sugar Control

Natural Treatments That May Help Prevent Diabetic Complications

Nutrient Deficiencies and Diabetes

Preventing Diabetes

The natural remedies in the previous sections may help control diabetes and

prevent complications. They range from changes in dietary management to

herbs and supplements shown to affect blood sugar and complications. You may

feel overwhelmed at this point with so many approaches from which to choose.

This summary will help you keep them all straight. You can use this section

as a quick reference or share it with your doctor.

Natural Treatments for Blood Sugar Control

No supplements can replace insulin for people with type 1 diabetes. Even

in type 2 diabetes, these supplements may only reduce rather than eliminate

medication needs. Keep in mind that if these treatments are successful, you

will need to adjust your medication to avoid hypoglycemia. For this reason,

working closely with your physician is essential.

Considerable scientific evidence tells us that the mineral chromium can help

keep blood sugar under control in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. A typical

dose of chromium is 200 to 600 mcg daily.

Other nutrients being researched include the minerals vanadium and magnesium

and the B vitamin biotin.

A number of herbs may be helpful for aiding blood sugar control as well.

Some scientific evidence supports the use of many of them, although none can

be regarded as fully established. Those most commonly mentioned include

Gymnema, Momordica, and fenugreek. Gymnema sylvestre is typically taken in

doses of 400 to 600 mg daily of an extract standardized to contain 24%

gymnemic acid. Momordica charantia, also called bitter melon, is best taken

in the form of 2 ounces of fresh juice or 300 to 600 mg of the standardized

extract daily. Fenugreek is recommended at a dosage of 25 to 50 g daily of

the defatted seed powder, mixed with food or water. Other herbs with

possible beneficial effects on blood sugar control include garlic, onion,

Pterocarpus, bilberry, Coccinia indica, and salt bush.

Natural Treatments That May Help Prevent Diabetic Complications

Large-scale double-blind studies have shown that maintaining good control of

blood sugar is key to preventing complications. In addition, a number of

supplements and herbs may be helpful.

According to several double-blind studies, lipoic acid (200 mg 3 times daily

with meals) can help reduce symptoms of diabetic neuropathy and is widely

used for this purpose in Germany.

Double-blind studies have also found that GLA can reduce the symptoms of

diabetic neuropathy if given several months to work. The usual dose is 3 to

4 g daily of evening primrose oil. Borage and black currant oil are also

sometimes used because they are good sources of GLA.

Some evidence suggests that the following supplements may help prevent

retinopathy: bilberry, vitamin C, and vitamin E. Vitamin B6 and magnesium

may also be helpful.

Several supplements might help prevent cataracts, another eye disorder

common among people with diabetes. These include quercetin, vitamin C, and

lipoic acid.

Supplements which may help prevent heart and kidney disease in people with

diabetes include vitamin E, selenium, fish oils, ginkgo, vitamin C,

magnesium, GLA, L-carnitine, oligomeric proanthocyanidins (grape seed

extract), and garlic.

Nutrient Deficiencies and Diabetes

Even if people with diabetes make sure to have a well-balanced diet, they

tend to be deficient in several vitamins and minerals. Among the potential

deficiencies are magnesium; several B vitamins; and vitamins A, C, and E.

Other nutrients which may be deficient include coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and

essential fatty acids (EFAs).

Preventing Diabetes

Several studies suggest that avoiding cow's milk in early infancy may help

prevent type 1 diabetes. For people whose blood tests suggest a high risk of

type 1 diabetes, niacinamide supplements may also help prevent the disease.

Type 2 diabetes may be preventable by careful attention to diet and

exercise. Often loss of weight results in normalization of blood sugar.

Diabetes is a challenge. Not only does it require constant attention to the

details of diet, exercise, and blood sugar, it can also lead to

complications that render life much more difficult. Many people who have

diabetes are searching for new tools to improve their health. My hope is

that if you have diabetes we have given you new ideas that will help you

better control your blood sugar and your life.

November 9, 1999

Thanks, Darren. It sounds like an interesting site. However, I know I've

read in several places that chromium can be more dangerous than helpful. My

memory is awful, but what I read caused me to stop taking it.

Barb

--------------

RAINBOW FARM UNLTD.

Breeding Premium Warmbloods,

Thoroughbreds, and fancy Welsh ponies.

http://www.rainbowfarm.com

Natural Treatment of Diabetes/Complications

>

>I'd like to suggest a really good site for anyboby looking for info on

>vitamins and/or herbs in regards to dm and its related complications like

>neuropathy,kidneys,eyes etc. The site had no advertising and does not seem

>to be linked to any sales of vitamins. You have to register, but its free.

>They have a section called " conditions in depth " . Select diabetes and the

>result is a really good lesson on using supplements as related to dm. All

>the studies referred to are cited at the end. But to warn you, it took me a

>couple of hours to go through it, but I am currently looking at starting to

>use vit/herbs to help with my dm management. Hope you find it interesting.

>I've copied the sites final article below my sig. I have no connection with

>this site other than having registered.

>www.tnp.com

>

>Darren T2

>dghart@...

>A fine is a tax for doing bad,

>A tax is a fine for doing good.

>The trouble with political jokes is they get elected

>

>Diabetes: Putting It All Together

>

>Natural Treatments for Blood Sugar Control

>Natural Treatments That May Help Prevent Diabetic Complications

>Nutrient Deficiencies and Diabetes

>Preventing Diabetes

>

> The natural remedies in the previous sections may help control diabetes

and

>prevent complications. They range from changes in dietary management to

>herbs and supplements shown to affect blood sugar and complications. You

may

>feel overwhelmed at this point with so many approaches from which to

choose.

>This summary will help you keep them all straight. You can use this section

>as a quick reference or share it with your doctor.

>

>Natural Treatments for Blood Sugar Control

>

> No supplements can replace insulin for people with type 1 diabetes. Even

>in type 2 diabetes, these supplements may only reduce rather than eliminate

>medication needs. Keep in mind that if these treatments are successful, you

>will need to adjust your medication to avoid hypoglycemia. For this reason,

>working closely with your physician is essential.

>

>Considerable scientific evidence tells us that the mineral chromium can

help

>keep blood sugar under control in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. A

typical

>dose of chromium is 200 to 600 mcg daily.

>

>Other nutrients being researched include the minerals vanadium and

magnesium

>and the B vitamin biotin.

>

>A number of herbs may be helpful for aiding blood sugar control as well.

>Some scientific evidence supports the use of many of them, although none

can

>be regarded as fully established. Those most commonly mentioned include

>Gymnema, Momordica, and fenugreek. Gymnema sylvestre is typically taken in

>doses of 400 to 600 mg daily of an extract standardized to contain 24%

>gymnemic acid. Momordica charantia, also called bitter melon, is best taken

>in the form of 2 ounces of fresh juice or 300 to 600 mg of the standardized

>extract daily. Fenugreek is recommended at a dosage of 25 to 50 g daily of

>the defatted seed powder, mixed with food or water. Other herbs with

>possible beneficial effects on blood sugar control include garlic, onion,

>Pterocarpus, bilberry, Coccinia indica, and salt bush.

>

>Natural Treatments That May Help Prevent Diabetic Complications

>

>Large-scale double-blind studies have shown that maintaining good control

of

>blood sugar is key to preventing complications. In addition, a number of

>supplements and herbs may be helpful.

>

>According to several double-blind studies, lipoic acid (200 mg 3 times

daily

>with meals) can help reduce symptoms of diabetic neuropathy and is widely

>used for this purpose in Germany.

>

>Double-blind studies have also found that GLA can reduce the symptoms of

>diabetic neuropathy if given several months to work. The usual dose is 3 to

>4 g daily of evening primrose oil. Borage and black currant oil are also

>sometimes used because they are good sources of GLA.

>

>Some evidence suggests that the following supplements may help prevent

>retinopathy: bilberry, vitamin C, and vitamin E. Vitamin B6 and magnesium

>may also be helpful.

>

>Several supplements might help prevent cataracts, another eye disorder

>common among people with diabetes. These include quercetin, vitamin C, and

>lipoic acid.

>

>Supplements which may help prevent heart and kidney disease in people with

>diabetes include vitamin E, selenium, fish oils, ginkgo, vitamin C,

>magnesium, GLA, L-carnitine, oligomeric proanthocyanidins (grape seed

>extract), and garlic.

>

>Nutrient Deficiencies and Diabetes

>

> Even if people with diabetes make sure to have a well-balanced diet, they

>tend to be deficient in several vitamins and minerals. Among the potential

>deficiencies are magnesium; several B vitamins; and vitamins A, C, and E.

>Other nutrients which may be deficient include coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and

>essential fatty acids (EFAs).

>

>Preventing Diabetes

>

> Several studies suggest that avoiding cow's milk in early infancy may help

>prevent type 1 diabetes. For people whose blood tests suggest a high risk

of

>type 1 diabetes, niacinamide supplements may also help prevent the disease.

>

>Type 2 diabetes may be preventable by careful attention to diet and

>exercise. Often loss of weight results in normalization of blood sugar.

>

>Diabetes is a challenge. Not only does it require constant attention to the

>details of diet, exercise, and blood sugar, it can also lead to

>complications that render life much more difficult. Many people who have

>diabetes are searching for new tools to improve their health. My hope is

>that if you have diabetes we have given you new ideas that will help you

>better control your blood sugar and your life.

>

November 9, 1999

>Thanks, Darren. It sounds like an interesting site. However, I know I've

>read in several places that chromium can be more dangerous than

>helpful. My

>memory is awful, but what I read caused me to stop taking it.

>

>Barb

>--------------

Thats interesting, does anyone else know anything about this. Based on what

I read there I was thinking it might be a good addition for me.

Darren T2

dghart@...

A fine is a tax for doing bad,

A tax is a fine for doing good.

The trouble with political jokes is they get elected

November 9, 1999

Barb Young wrote:

<< ... I've read in several places that chromium can be more dangerous than

helpful. My

memory is awful, but what I read caused me to stop taking it. >>

My memory of it is that chromium picolinate is the form of chromium that is

most readily taken up by our bodies ... and that is the problem. I believe

there is one recent lab study showing cancer. In other words, when chromium

picolinate was applied to cells in a lab dish, cancerous cells were

generated. Does that sound like your memory? Although we don't know, I

guess, if this experiment would produce similar results in a human body, it

was troubling.

My concern about ingesting these heavy metals like chromium is that they are

supposed to be trace elements only. Anything in excess of that minute

quantity and they become toxic to us.

Susie

November 10, 1999

In a message dated 99-11-09 21:57:54 EST, you write:

<< However, I know I've

read in several places that chromium can be more dangerous than helpful. My

memory is awful, but what I read caused me to stop taking it. >>

Please tell me what's supposed to be dangerous about chromium. The Diabetes

Interview article stated (and this is a direct quote)

November 10, 1999

In a message dated 99-11-09 21:57:54 EST, you write:

<< However, I know I've

read in several places that chromium can be more dangerous than helpful. My

memory is awful, but what I read caused me to stop taking it. >>

Please tell me (if you can remember) what's dangerous about it. The article

in Diabetes Interview stated (and this is a direct quote):

" R. , RPh, CDE, professor of the pharmacy department at

Washington State University, takes chromium supplements at a dose of 400

micrograms per day. 'I have mixed feelings about chromium but I take it every

day because it's not going to do any harm.' "

Of course, this is a lukewarm recommendation at best, but it comes at the end

of a generally favorable article titled " People with Diabetes have Higher

Requirements for Chromium " . Vicki A.

November 10, 1999

Hi, Susie, thanks for your informative post on the dangers of chromium. So

who do we believe? Both sides seem to be quite reputable. I suppose it makes

more sense to head toward the conservative side, i.e. no to chromium

supplements...but the pro studies would seem to directly contradict that. Of

course no mention of it being a possible cancer-causing agent is mentioned in

the studies mentioned in the article in Diabetes Interview...one wonders why

not. Vicki A.

November 10, 1999

http://wellweb.com/ALTERN/chromium_picolinate_cancer_risk.htm -- Popular

Diet Supplement May Be A Cancer Risk

3/23/99 -- New evidence has been reported that a popular nutritional and

dietary supplement, called chromium picolinate, may be a cancer risk.

Chemists from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, presented findings

here today at the national meeting of the American Chemical Society, the

world's largest scientific society, which they say show chromium(III)

tris(picolinate) causes DNA breakage. Such events are known, in some cases,

to cause genetic mutations and cancer in humans, the researchers noted.

This research has been peer-reviewed and will soon appear in the American

Chemical Society journal Chemical Research in Toxicology.

Chromium picolinate is claimed to reduce body fat and build muscle. It also

has been suggested that the supplement reduces the risk of cardiovascular

disease and the symptoms of diabetes. It often is an ingredient in products

ranging from sports drinks and gum to pills.

The health claims for chromium are based on its status as an essential human

nutrient required for normal carbohydrate and fat metabolism. The Alabama

scientists believe it does this job by making the insulin receptor work

better. Still, chromium's role in these processes is not well understood.

The element is needed only in trace amounts, but the U.S. Department of

Agriculture (USDA) says that more than 90% of American diets contain less

than the minimum recommended daily allowance of chromium and dietary sources

are extremely poorly absorbed by the body.

Chromium picolinate, on the other hand, is more readily taken in during

digestive processes. Furthermore, University of Alabama chemists B.

, Ph.D., and A. Woski, Ph.D., say their laboratory has found

the compound is remarkably stable and unaffected by water, buffers, or blood

serum proteins. " If it's stable enough that it gets into the cells intact, "

says , " then it could be a big concern. "

The Alabama studies advance the work of the late Dartmouth University

chemist Wetterhahn, Ph.D., who died from a widely publicized

mercury-poisoning accident. In a 1995 paper she demonstrated that chromium

picolinate can get into cells, at least in a lab dish. Her work further

showed that, once inside those laboratory cells, it appeared to induce

cleavage of chromosomal DNA. Until now, though, there was no solid

explanation for just how chromium picolinate caused the damage.

" Simple chromium compounds don't do this, " says . " They have to have

ligands -- something that binds to chromium -- that make the properties just

right and picolinate is one of those ligands. "

found that chromium picolinate reacts with common biochemicals, like

vitamin C. He says the products " can then catalyze a reaction with oxygen to

generate the potent DNA-damaging hydroxyl radical. " Indeed, when

added " physiologically relevant concentrations " of chromium picolinate to

laboratory solutions of DNA, much of the DNA was broken, he said.

It is not known what actually happens in humans, or even animals when

chromium picolinate is consumed. A recent USDA study fed rats a diet rich in

the compound for 24 weeks and did not see any ill effects. But asks,

" what happens in six months, or a year, or longer? "

" I would definitely be concerned about taking this nutritional supplement

based on what we've found, " concludes . " Careful investigation into

the effects of long-term diet supplementation with chromium picolinate are

needed to evaluate its mutagenic and carcinogenic potentials. In addition,

development of other readily absorbable sources of chromium that lack the

DNA-damaging ability of chromium picolinate seems warranted. "

***********************************

http://www.vitawise.com/nytcp.htm -- New York Times Article Linking

Chromium Picolinate With Cancer

From: preston@... (Preston J. Tuchman) Newsgroups: sci.med.nutrition

Subject: C A N C E R -- Chromium Picolinate May Cause Cancer Date: Thu, 26

Oct 1995 14:57:45 GMT

Here is an article that first appeared in the New York Times and later

appeared in the Indianapolis Star & News on October 25, 1995. THE

INDIANAPOLIS STAR WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25,1995 Study shows chromium pills may

cause chromosome damage. Genetic changes found in hamster cells indicate

supplements may lead to cancer. By Jane E. Brody NEW YORK TIMES Chromium

picolinate, a dietary supplement popular among fitness buffs and people

trying to lose weight, has been shown in tests done on cells grown in the

laboratory to cause severe damage to chromosomes. Although no animal studies

of the supplement's cancer-causing potential have yet been done, the genetic

changes observed in the laboratory suggest that this widely sold supplement

could be carcinogenic. Chromium is being promoted as an aid to losing weight

without having to exert willpower and to loosing fat without loosing lean

body mass. It is said to curb the appetite and favor the buildup of muscle

tissue, though neither of these claims has been tested in a systematic

scientific way. As an essential nutrient needed by the body in trace

amounts, chromium is critical to the workings of insulin and is therefore

involved in the metabolism of the blood sugar glucose and in the metabolism

of fat. Chromium is found in a variety of foods, including liver, cheese,

whole-grain breads and cereals, apples and vegetables like broccoli and

mushrooms. The recommended daily intake for adults is only 50 to 200

micrograms, yet many people fail to consume even this small amount. Chromium

picolinate, the most popular of the chromium supplements, is widely sold in

health food stores. supermarkets and pharmacies. The results of a new study

examining the effects of the supplement are to be published in the December

issue of the Faseb Journal, the publication of the Federation of American

Society of Experimental Biology. In the study, researchers at Dartmouth

College and Washington University Medical Canter tested the effects

of chromium picolinate on cells taken from the ovary of a Chinese hamster.

When exposed to reasonable doses of chromium picolinate, the cells suffered

chromosomal damage that ranged from three-times to 18-times the amount that

occurred in cells exposed to other chromium compounds. Such damage is

considered an indicator of a substance's cancer-causing potential. One of

the researchers, Dr. R. Patierno noted that when performing its role

as an essential mineral, chromium normally acted outside of cells and was

generally not absorbed into cells. But when chromium is combined with an

organic substance like picolinate, he said, it is able to get inside cells,

where it could get to the cells' genetic machinery.

**********************

November 10, 1999

Susie, I'm not going to take it until I talk it over further with my doctor

at my next visit

in mid December. Meanwhile, I'm saving all recent posts related to chromium

and will print 'em out and give them to him when I see him. Vicki A.

In a message dated 99-11-10 19:00:07 EST, you write:

<<

Vicki, I think a wise course of action re the chromium supplementation at

this time is to either not take any and watch online source for

late-breaking news ... or to take chromium supplements in a form other than

chromium picolinate. The problem with picolinate seems to be that it is the

most readily absorbed form ... perhaps too much of a good thing? And another

approach would be to continue the chromium picolinate ... but to take no

more than 100-150 mcg daily. I am really torn over this issue ... on the one

hand, it sounds like the ideal addition to our supplements; on the other, it

is not worth getting cancer over. Let us hope they uncover the truth. >>

November 10, 1999