Are you pre-diabetic? Study finds multivitamins, omega-3s are a “safe, economical, and effective means” of lowering diabetes risk
10/07/2018 / By Rhonda Johansson
Contrary to popular belief, being pre-diabetic does not doom you to becoming diabetic. New studies are now proving the powerful effects of diet and lifestyle in the prevention and treatment of all diabetic conditions. Just recently, scientists and nutritionists have found evidence that suggest supplementing with multivitamins and omega-3 fatty acids is strong enough to revert blood sugar levels back to normal. The study, published in the Journal of Clinical and Translational Endocrinology, concluded that their simple intervention of dietary supplementation has large implications in the prevention of diabetes.
“Our results suggest that a relatively straightforward preventative health program that provides nutritional supplementation may have the potential to reduce the risk of diabetes and improve glycemic status in individuals at risk,” said of the authors.
As part of the study, the researchers observed 1,000 participants who were at high risk of developing diabetes. One group received vitamin D drops (1,000 IU/drop) plus a limited multivitamin. Another group received the vitamin D drops with a more extensive multivitamin that contained more minerals and omega-3 fatty acids. The last group acted as a control and was not given any sort of diet supplement. The team saw that those who took the vitamin D drops had better blood sugar levels over 12 months. However, it was only the group that received the vitamin D drops along with the omega-3 tablets that had a significant reduction in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels, which is the marker of long-term presence of excess glucose in the blood. This group likewise showed a dramatic reduction in high-sensitivity C reactive protein (hs-CRP) which is a marker for inflammation.
The researchers say that while the results of their study needed a year for any observable effects to be noted, nutrient supplementation regimes should be strongly considered by anyone who is pre-diabetic.
As they concluded, “Vitamin D combined with other nutrients was associated with a reduced risk of progression to diabetes and with an increased rate of reversion to normoglycemia in high risk participants.”
The sunshine vitamin makes your blood happy
Conventional treatment for diabetes and pre-diabetes involves expensive medicines. These are to be taken all throughout your life and you are merely told to “live” with the condition. That said, some people with type-2 diabetes have successfully defied the odds by completely curing their condition by supplementing their diet with vitamin D.
Several studies have suggested that people with low levels of vitamin D are at a higher risk of developing diabetes later on in life. Similarly, those who take high doses of vitamin D when pre-diabetic are able to have normal blood sugar levels after several months. Doctors are still unsure how vitamin D works in preventing or treating diabetes but have hypothesized that vitamin D plays a role in the pancreatic beta-cell function. This is responsible for how your insulin is managed and how likely your body is to become inflamed, two key elements in the development of diabetes.
On the same level, omega-3 acids increase insulin sensitivity. Scores of studies have been made recently that conclude the efficacy of omega-3 as a safe and useful diabetes treatment. The best way to get your necessary intake of omega-3 is to eat more fatty fish such as sardines and herring. You may also buy omega-3 supplements from a trusted source.
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Tagged Under: alternative medicine, diabetes, diabetes prevention, diabetes treatments, fatty acids, multivitamins, nutrients, nutrition, omega 3, Prediabetes, prevention, supplements, vitamin D
