Dietary supplements provide daily nutrition with nutrients that may not be found in food or may not be consumed in sufficient amounts.
Some nutrients in dietary supplements can help treat many diseases such as diabetes, depression, heart disease and others.
In this article, we explain the concept of dietary supplements and the most useful types in treating diabetes.
What are dietary supplements?
Dietary supplements are products that contain herbs, vitamins, minerals and other natural ingredients.
You can take dietary supplements by mouth as they come in a form of tablets. They also come in a form of capsules, powders, liquids and gummies.
Dietary supplements can provide your body with important nutrients especially if you don’t get enough amounts of these nutrients from food.
However, you shouldn’t replace your daily eating routine with a dietary supplement all the time.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a chronic disease that indicates a malfunction in the body ability to process blood sugar. Blood sugar levels rise when someone has diabetes because the body is unable to produce enough insulin or does not produce it at all.
Insulin is the hormone responsible for transporting sugar from the blood into the cells for storage or use as an energy source. When this hormone malfunctions, diabetes can occur.
There are different types of diabetes:
Type 1 diabetes
It is a condition in which the body is unable to produce insulin from the pancreas at all due to the immune system attacking the pancreas cells without a clear reason.
Type 2 diabetes
It occurs when there is a resistance to the action of insulin, leading to high blood sugar levels and it is the most common type of diabetes.
Gestational Diabetes
The placenta can secrete insulin-blocking hormones during pregnancy, which can lead to high blood sugar causing gestational diabetes.
Diabetes pretends with many symptoms, the most important of which are increased thirst, frequent urination, blurred vision and extreme fatigue.
Top 3 dietary supplements for diabetes
Chromium
Chromium is one of the essential minerals for human health and has shown an important role in managing diabetes. Studies have shown that chromium can boost insulin activity, thus reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart diseases.
Biotin
Biotin is one of the B vitamins and is also known as vitamin B7 or vitamin H. Biotin helps convert food into energy and enhance hair, nails and skin health, as well as supporting the health of pregnant and breastfeeding women.
Gymnema Sylvestre
Gymnema is a shrub that is widespread in the forests of India and Africa and has been used for its medicinal benefits for many years. Gymnema leaf extract helps lower blood sugar levels and stimulates insulin production in the pancreas, making it beneficial for diabetes patients.
Finally, we emphasize the importance of consulting a doctor before using dietary supplements to manage diabetes in order to determine the precise dosage and prevent side effects.