The Importance of B-Vitamins in Glucose Metabolism

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The Importance of B-Vitamins in Glucose Metabolism

 

Vitamin B1 [thiamin] converts carbohydrates into energy

required for the brain, nerve cells and heart function.

 

Vitamin B2 [riboflavin] converts food into energy for the

growth of red blood cells.

 

Vitamin B3 [niacin] converts food into energy for healthy skin,

nerves and digestive system.

 

Vitamin B5 [pantothenic acid] converts food to energy required

for essential chemicals in the body.

 

Vitamin B6 [pyridoxine] is required for chemical reaction of

proteins and amino acids in the body and production of red blood

cells.

 

Vitamin B12 [cobalamin] is essential for the development of red

blood cells and the functioning of the nervous system.

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SOURCES:

 

 

Vitamin B1 ~ found in whole grains, legumes

and nuts. Deficiency can cause nerve dysfunction, beriberi.

 

Vitamin B2 ~ found in whole grains,organic eggs and leafy veggies.

Deficiency inflames mouth, dries facial skin.

 

Vitamin B3 ~ found in peanuts,

whole grains and legumes. Note that the body can

convert tryptohan [an essential amino acid into niacin] and acute

deficiency can cause pellagra.

 

Vitamin B5 ~ is found in nearly all foods.

 

Vitamin B6 ~ found in organic potatoes, sweet

potatoes, avocados and bananas.

 

Vitamin B12 ~ found in free-range poultry, organic

eggs, cold-water fish and organic yogurt. This vitamin exists mainly in

animal foods and an acute deficiency results in pernicious anemia.

-

 

Note:

 

 

All B vitamins are water soluble and any excess in the body is

excreted through the urine and not stored in the body.

 

Water soluble vitamins especially in vegetables and fruit are lost if

cooked too long or over a high heat, steaming is best.

You can get all the benefits of the B vitamins in a good multiple B

complex vitamin and by eating a variety of the right foods.

 

 

 

Checklist for Diabetic Weightloss:

 

 

Brewer's yeast (providing approximately 60 mcg

of chromium per tablespoon)

Chromium

Evening primrose oil

Magnesium

Fenugreek (seeds)

Psyllium

Biotin

L-carnitine

Vitamin B1

Vitamin B6

Vitamin C

Vitamin E

Aloe vera

Gymnema

Onion

Fresh Garlic

Fish oil (EPA/ DHA)

Inositol

Manganese

Medium chain triglycerides

Quercetin

Taurine

Vanadium (for type 2 diabetes)

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B3 (niacinamide)

Vitamin D

Vitamin E (with tocotrienols)

Olive leaf Extract

Reishi Mushroom

 

Dietary changes that may be helpful:

 

Eating carbohydrate-containing foods, whether high in sugar or high

in starch (such as bread, processed breakfast cereals, white pasta and

rice), temporarily raises blood sugar and insulin levels.

 

The blood sugar-raising effect of a food, called its " glycemic index, " depends

on how rapidly its carbohydrate is absorbed.

 

Beans, peas, fruit, and oats, have low glycemic indices, despite their high

carbohydrate content, due mostly to the health-promoting effects of 'soluble'

fiber.

 

Most doctors recommend that we cut our intake of refined sugar from snacks and

processed foods, and replace these foods with high-fiber, whole foods.

This tends to lower the glycemic index of the overall diet and has the

additional benefit of increasing vitamin, mineral, and fiber intake.

A high-fiber diet has been shown to work better in controlling

diabetes than the diet recommended by the ADA.

 

In the study, the increase in dietary fiber was accomplished

exclusively through the consumption of foods naturally high in

fiber—such as leafy green vegetables, and fruit— to a level beyond that

recommended by the ADA.

No fiber supplements were given. All participants received both the ADA diet

(providing 24 grams of fiber per day) and the high-fiber diet (providing 50

grams of fiber per day), for a period of six weeks.

 

After six weeks of following each diet, tests were performed to determine blood

glucose, insulin, cholesterol, triglyceride, and other values.

When glucose levels were monitored over a 24-hour period, participants eating

the high-fiber diet had an average glucose level that was 10% lower than

participants eating

the ADA diet.

Insulin levels were 12% lower in the group eating the high-fiber diet compared

to the group eating the ADA diet, indicating a beneficial increase in the body's

sensitivity to

insulin.

 

Moreover, people eating the high-fiber diet experienced 'significant' reductions

in total cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL ( " bad " ) cholesterol compared to

those eating the ADA diet. They also had slight decreases in *glycosylated

hemoglobin*, a measure of

chronically high blood glucose levels.

 

High-fiber supplements, such as psyllium, guar gum (found in

beans), pectin (from fruit),oat bran, and glucomannan have improved weightloss

in some studies.

Positive results have also been reported with the consumption of 1–3

ounces of powdered fenugreek seeds per day.

 

A review of the research revealed that the extent to which moderate

amounts of fiber help people with weightloss in the long term is still

unknown, and the lack of many long-term studies has led some researchers to

question the importance of fiber.

Nonetheless, most doctors advise eating a diet high in fiber.

Focus should be placed on organic fruit, vegetables, seeds, oats, and organic

whole-grain products.

 

 

Incorporating a cold water fish meal into a weight-loss regimen was more

effective than either measure alone at improving glucose and insulin

metabolism and high cholesterol.

Vegetarians have been reported to have a low risk of type 2 diabetes.

 

 

When people with diabetic nerve damage switch to a vegan diet (no meat or

dairy), improvements have been reported after several days.

In one trial, *pain* completely disappeared in 17 of 21 people.

Fats from meat and dairy contribute to heart disease, the leading killer of

people with diabetes.

 

The reduction of protein intake lowers kidney damage caused by diabetes and may

also improve glucose tolerance. However, in a group of 13 obese males with high

blood-insulin levels

(as is often seen in diabetes), a diet rich in plant proteins

resulted in greater weight loss and control of insulin levels, compared

with that of a low-carbohydrate diet.

 

Saturated fat is found primarily in meat, dairy fat, and the dark meat and skins

of poultry.

 

Glucose intolerance has been improved by diets high in

*monounsaturated* oils (extra-virgin olive oil), and may also be beneficial for

those with diabetes.

In adolescents with *type 1* diabetes, *increasing* *monounsaturated* fats

relative to other fats in the diet is associated with better control

over blood sugar and cholesterol levels.

 

The easiest way to incorporate monounsaturates into the diet is to include more

extra-virgin olive oil, macademia nuts and avocadoes in your diet..

 

 

Milk contains a protein that is related to another protein in the pancreas, the

*organ* where " insulin " is made. Researchers believe that children who are

allergic to milk may

develop *antibodies* that attack the pancreas,

causing type 1 diabetes.

Some children who drink cows' milk produce antibodies to the milk, and

it has been hypothesized that these antibodies can cross-react with and

*damage* the insulin-producing cells (beta cells) of the *pancreas*.

 

A study of Finnish children (including full-term children with

diabetes) showed that early introduction of cows' milk formula feeding

before three months of age (vs. after three months of age) was associated with

increased risk of type 1 diabetes.

This research supports abstaining from dairy products in infancy and early

childhood,

particularly for children with a family history of type 1 diabetes.

 

Recent research suggests a possible link between milk

consumption in infancy and an increased risk of type 2 (non-insulin-

dependent) diabetes.

 

 

 

Lifestyle Changes that may be Helpful:

 

Many people with diabetes are overweight. Excess abdominal weight does

not stop insulin formation, but it does make the body less " sensitive " to

insulin.

Excess weight can even make healthy people " pre-diabetic " .

 

 

Weight loss reverses this problem. In most studies, type 2 diabetes has improved

with weight loss. However, exercise can induce low blood sugar or even

occasionally

increase blood sugar.

Moreover, a preliminary study has shown that long-term physical

activity was not associated with control of blood glucose in people with type 1

diabetes.

Therefore, people with diabetes should never begin an

intensive exercise program without consulting a healthcare

professional.

 

Nutritional supplements that may be helpful: Medical reports dating

back to 1853, as well as modern research, indicate that *chromium*-

rich brewer's yeast (9 grams per day) can be useful.

In recent years, chromium has been shown to improve glucose and related

variables in people with glucose intolerance and

type 1, type 2, gestational, and steroid-induced diabetes.

 

Improved glucose tolerance with lower or similar levels of insulin

have been reported in more than ten trials of chromium

supplementation in people with varying degrees of " glucose

intolerance " .

Chromium supplements improve glucose tolerance in

people with both type 2 and type 1 diabetes, apparently by

increasing *sensitivity* to insulin.

 

Chromium improves the processing of glucose Chromium even helps healthy people,

although one such report found chromium useful only when

accompanied by 100 mg of niacinamide.

Chromium may also lower total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides

(risk factors in heart disease).

 

The typical amount of chromium used in research trials is

200 mcg per day, although as much as 1,000 mcg per day has been

used. Many doctors recommend up to 1,000 mcg per day for people

with diabetes.

 

Alpha lipoic acid is a powerful natural antioxidant. Preliminary

and double-blind trials have found that supplementing 600–1,200 mg of lipoic

acid per day improves insulin sensitivity and lessens the symptoms of diabetic

neuropathy.

 

 

Evening Primrose:

 

 

Supplementing with 4 grams of evening primrose oil per day for six

months has been found in double-blind research to improve nerve

function and to relieve pain symptoms of diabetic neuropathy.

 

People with low blood levels of vitamin E are more likely to develop

type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Vitamin E supplementation has improved glucose

tolerance in people with type 2 diabetes in most double-blind trials.

 

Vitamin E has also improved glucose tolerance in elderly people without

diabetes. Three months or more of supplementation may be

required for benefits to become apparent. The amount used is at

least 900 IU of vitamin E per day.

 

 

*Glycosylation* is an important measurement of diabetes;

it refers to how much sugar *attaches* abnormally to *proteins*.

Vitamin E supplementation *reduces* this problem in many,although not all,

studies.

People with type 1 diabetes appear to have low vitamin C levels.

As with vitamin E, vitamin C may reduce *glycosylation* as well.

 

Vitamin C also lowers *sorbitol* in people with diabetes.

Sorbitol is a sugar that can " accumulate " and damage the eyes, nerves,

and kidneys of people with diabetes.

 

Vitamin C may improve glucose tolerance in

type 2 diabetes, although not every study confirms this benefit.

 

Vitamin C supplementation (500 mg twice daily for one year) has significantly

reduced urinary *protein loss* in people with

diabetes.

Urinary protein loss (also called proteinuria) is associated with poor prognosis

in diabetes.

 

Many doctors suggest that people with diabetes supplement with 1–3

grams per day of vitamin C. Higher amounts could be problematic, however.

In one person, 4.5 grams per day was reported to *increase* blood sugar

levels.

 

Many people with diabetes have low blood levels of vitamin B6.

Levels are even lower in people with diabetes who also have

nerve damage (neuropathy).

 

Vitamin B6 supplementation has mproved glucose tolerance in women with diabetes

caused by pregnancy.

Vitamin B6 supplementation is also effective for glucose *intolerance* induced

by birth control pills.

 

For other people with diabetes, 1,800 mg per day of a special form of

vitamin B6—*pyridoxine alpha-ketoglutarate*—has improved glucose tolerance

dramatically in some research.

Standard vitamin B6 has helped in some, but not all, trials.

 

Biotin is a B vitamin needed to process glucose.

When people with type 1 diabetes were given 16 mg of biotin per day for

one week, their fasting glucose levels dropped by 50%.

 

 

Blood levels of vitamin B1 (thiamine) have been found to be low in

people with type 1 diabetes. In the 1930s, a trial using 10 mg of vitamin B1 per

day for four weeks reported reduced blood sugar levels in six of eleven people

with

diabetes.

 

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)

 

is needed for normal blood sugar metabolism.

Animals with diabetes have been reported to be CoQ10 deficient.

 

People with type 2 diabetes have been found to have significantly

lower blood levels of CoQ10 compared with healthy people.

In one trial, blood sugar levels fell substantially in 31% of people

with diabetes after they supplemented with 120 mg per day of CoQ7, a

substance similar to CoQ10.

 

The importance of CoQ10 supplementation for people with diabetes remains an

unresolved issue, though some doctors recommend

approximately 50 mg per day as a way to protect against possible

effects associated with diabetes-induced depletion.

 

L-carnitine is an amino acid needed to properly utilize fat for

energy.

When people with diabetes were given L-carnitine (1 mg per

2.2 pounds of body weight), high blood levels of fats—both

cholesterol and triglycerides—dropped 25–39% in just ten days in one

trial.In higher amounts (1 gram per day by injection), L-carnitine has been

reported to reduce pain from diabetic nerve

damage as well.

 

 

 

Vitamin B12 is needed for normal functioning of nerve cells.

Vitamin B12 taken orally, intravenously, or by injection has reduced

*nerve damage* caused by diabetes in most people studied.

 

In a preliminary trial, people with nerve damage due to kidney disease

or to diabetes plus kidney disease received intravenous injections of

500 mcg of methylcobalamin (the main form of vitamin B12 found in the

blood) three times a day for six months in addition to kidney dialysis.

 

Oral vitamin B12 up to 500 mcg three times per day is recommended by

some practitioners.

 

 

The intake of large amounts of niacin (a form of vitamin B3), such

as 2–3 grams per day, may impair glucose tolerance and should be

used by people with diabetes only with medical supervision.

Smaller amounts (500–750 mg per day for one month followed by 250 mg per day)

may help some people with type 2 diabetes, though this

research remains preliminary.

 

 

Preliminary trials have shown that niacinamide (another form of

vitamin B3) supplementation might be useful in the very early stages

of type 1 diabetes, though not all trials support this claim

..

A controlled trial found no beneficial effect of niacinamide supplementation

(700 mg three times per day in addition to intensive insulin therapy) on

pancreatic function and glucose tolerance in people newly diagnosed with type 1

diabetes

 

Vitamin D is needed to maintain adequate blood levels of insulin.

 

 

Vitamin D receptors have been found in the *pancreas* where insulin is

made and preliminary evidence suggests that supplementation can

increase insulin levels in some people with type 2 diabetes; prolonged

supplementation might also help reduce blood sugar

levels.

 

 

Inositol is needed for normal nerve function. Diabetes can cause a

type of nerve damage known as diabetic neuropathy. This condition

has been reported in some, but not all, trials to improve with

inositol supplementation (500 mg taken twice per day).

 

Taurine is an amino acid found in protein-rich food.

People with type 1 diabetes have been reported to have low blood taurine levels,

a condition that increases the risk of heart disease by altering blood

viscosity.

 

Supplementing with taurine (1.5 grams per day) has restored blood taurine to

normal levels and corrected the problem of

blood viscosity within three months.

 

However, in a double-blind trial, taurine supplementation (2 grams per day for

12 months) failed to improve kidney complications associated with diabetes

 

Glucose tolerance improves in healthy people taking omega-3 fatty

acid supplements.

Some studies have found that fish oil supplementation improves glucose

tolerance, high

triglycerides, and cholesterol levels in people with diabetes.

 

Quercetin:

 

 

Doctors have suggested that *quercetin* might help people with

diabetes because of its ability to reduce levels of sorbitol—a sugar

that accumulates in nerve cells, kidney cells, and cells within the

eyes of people with diabetes—and has been linked to damage to those

organs.

 

Clinical trials have yet to explore whether quercetin actually protects people

with diabetes from neuropathy, nephropathy,

or retinopathy.

 

Vanadyl sulfate:

 

a form of Vanadium, may improve glucose control in

people with type 2 diabetes, though it may not help people with type 1 diabetes.

 

Over a six-week period, a small group of people with type 2 diabetes were given

75–300 mg of vanadyl sulfate per day.

Only in the groups receiving 150 mg or 300 mg was glucose metabolism

improved, fasting blood sugar decreased, and another marker for chronic high

blood sugar reduced.

At the 300 mg level, total cholesterol decreased, although not without an

accompanying reduction in the protective HDL cholesterol.

 

FOS:

 

 

In a preliminary trial, supplementation with fructo-oligosaccharides

(FOS) (8 grams per day for two weeks) significantly lowered fasting

blood-sugar levels and serum total-cholesterol levels in people with

type 2 diabetes.

 

Because of these conflicting results, more research is needed to

determine the effect of FOS and inulin on diabetes and lipid levels.

 

 

Manganese:

 

 

People with diabetes may have low blood levels of manganese.

Animal research suggests that manganese deficiency can contribute to

glucose intolerance and may be reversed by supplementation.

 

 

Supplementing with psyllium has been shown to be a safe and well-

tolerated way to improve control of blood glucose and cholesterol.

 

In a double-blind trial, men with type 2 diabetes who took 5.1 grams

of psyllium per day for eight weeks lowered their blood glucose

levels by 11% to 19.2%, their total cholesterol by 8.9%, and their

LDL (bad) cholesterol by 13%, compared to a placebo.

 

 

Preliminary trials of holy basil (Ocimim sanctum) leaves and hairy

basil (Ocimum canum) seeds have shown that these herbs may help

people with type 2 diabetes control their blood sugar levels.

 

While the mechanism of action of holy basil leaf is not

understood, hairy basil seed may work by replacing simple sugars in

the diet (which rapidly and detrimentally elevate blood sugar

levels) with dietary fiber (which raises blood sugar levels more

slowly for better control).

 

It is unknown whether common culinary basil (Ocimum basilicum) would have

similar effects.

 

 

Gymnema:

 

 

Gymnema may stimulate the pancreas to produce insulin in people with

type 2 diabetes. Gymnema also improves the ability of insulin to

lower blood sugar in people with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. One

preliminary trial found that 400 mg of gymnema extract per day could

reduce or eliminate the

need for oral blood sugar-lowering drugs in some people with type 2

diabetes.

 

Two preliminary trials found that aloe vera juice (containing 80%

aloe gel) helps lower blood sugar levels in people with type 2

diabetes.

 

One trial found that 1 Tbsp (15 grams) twice daily reduced

the amount of the blood sugar-lowering drug glibenclamide required

to manage blood sugar levels.

Whole, fried slices, water extracts, and juice of bitter

melon may improve blood-sugar control in people with type 2

diabetes, according to preliminary trials.

 

Onion:

 

 

Preliminary trials and at least one double-blind trial have shown

that large amounts of onion can lower blood sugar levels in people

with diabetes.

The mechanism of onion's blood sugar-lowering action is not precisely

known, though there is evidence that constituents in onions block the breakdown

of insulin in the liver.

 

Other herbs that may help are fenugreek seeds, gymnemre sylvestre, and bitter

melon.

 

Olive Leaf:

 

Olive leaf extracts have been used experimentally to lower elevated

blood-sugar levels in diabetic animals.

These results have not been reproduced in human clinical trials.

 

 

REISHI:

 

 

Animal studies and some very preliminary trials in humans suggest

REISHI Mushoom may have some beneficial action on weightloss.

_________________

 

 

JoAnn Guest

mrsjoguest

DietaryTipsForHBP

http://www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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