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The
Perfect Pill?
Formulated to Nutritionally Support Healthy
Blood Sugar Levels.
Blood Sugar
Vitamin C
Vitamin C has been shown to
nutritionally help maintain healthy blood sugar levels.
Magnesium
Magnesium is involved in helping
maintain healthy glucose metabolism (1). Many Americans tend
to fall below the RDA for magnesium intake by 70-80mg. Many
experts feel the RDA for magnesium needs to be significantly
increased from the current level of 350mg to as much as 700mg
per day.
1 Elamin A, et al. Magnesium and insulin-dependent
diabetes mellitus. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 1990;10(3):203-9.
Chromium
The influence of chromium on
helping maintain healthy blood sugar was first recognized
in animal studies in the 1950s. In the 1970s, chromium's importance
was discovered. Various studies support that chromium has
a positive effect on helping maintain healthy blood glucose
levels (3).
Several groups are at risk
for reduced chromium levels. First of all, most Americans
are at risk because of a diet rich in refined sugars. Individuals
who eat diets high in refined sugars tend to excrete 300 percent
more chromium in their urine than those whose diets are low
in refined sugars. People who exercise regularly excrete two
to six times the normal amount of chromium in their urine
on days of exercise (5). Many athletes compound this problem
with high-carbohydrate supplements. The elderly also tend
to be at risk due to reduced absorption and inadequate intake
of chromium. It is interesting to note that women tend to
have a drop in chromium levels during the third trimester
of pregnancy (6).
There is a great deal of controversy
over what is the best chromium to use. Chromium is biologically
active only in the trivalent state in which it forms complexes
with organic compounds. The most important of these complexes
is glucose tolerance factor (GTF), which is comprised of trivalent
chromium, niacin, glycine, glutamic acid, and cysteine. Organically
bound GTF chromium is thought to be safe and well tolerated.
Chromium picolinate is another
popular form of chromium that has helped maintain healthy
blood sugar regulation (7). The majority of evidence points
to the safety of the picolinate form.
With lifestyle and dietary
changes, there may not be a need for an aggressive chromium
dosage.
3 Studies presented at the Annual Scientific
Sessions of the American Diabetes Association. San Francisco,
CA. 1996.
4 Vincent JB. Mechanisms of chromium action: low-molecule-weight
chromium-binding substance. J Am Coll Nutr. 1999;18(1):6-12.
5 Anderson RA. Chromium as an essential nutrient for humans.
Reg Tox Pharmacol. 1997;26:S35-S46.
6 Saner G. Urinary chromium excretion during pregnancy and
its relationship with intravenous glucose loading. Am J Clin
Nutr. Sep1981;34(9):1676-9.
7 Evans GW. The effect of chromium picolinate on insulin controlled
parameters in humans. Int J Biosocial Med Research. 1989;11(2):163-80.
Gymnema
Gymnema is a rain forest vine
found in Central and Southern India, which has a long tradition
in nutritionally supporting healthy blood glucose levels.
The Indian name is Gurmar, which means, "sugar destroyer."
Its use has been documented in Ayurvedic medical texts for
over 2,000 years in the treatment of "sweet urine." Gymnema
is gaining popularity with clinicians utilizing natural therapy
protocols for helping maintaining healthy blood glucose levels.
Gymnema reportedly produced
blood glucose homeostasis and increased the activity of the
enzymes involved in the utilization of glucose pathways (40).
Gymnema has also been reported
to selectively suppress the neural responses to sweet taste
stimuli (44),(45),(46). Because gymnema leaf powder has an
anesthetizing effect on the taste buds which can last for
several hours, some researchers feel that gymnema may be a
potential agent in helping maintain healthy body weight and
sweet cravings (47). Gymnema may potentially be used in athletes
to develop a higher ratio of lean muscle mass to body fat.
Another study found that gymnema was effective in supporting
a healthy body weight (49).
40 Shanmugasundaram KR, et al. Enzyme Changes
and Glucose Utilization in Diabetic Rabbits: The Effect of
Gymnema sylvestre, R.Br. J Ethnopharmacol. Mar1983;7(2):205-34.
41 Baskaran K, et al. Antidiabetic Effect of a Leaf Extract
from Gymnema Sylvestre in Non-insulin-dependent Diabetes Mellitus
Patients. J Ethnopharmacol. Oct1990;30(3):295-300.
42 Shanmugasundaram ER, et al. Use of Gymnema sylvestre Leaf
Extract in the Control of Blood Glucose in Insulin-dependent
Diabetes Mellitus. J Ethnopharmacol. Oct1990;30(3):281-94.
43 Shimizu K, et al. Suppression of Glucose Absorption by
Extracts From the Leaves of Gymnema inodorum. J Vet Med Sci.
Sep1997;59(9):753-57.
44 Kamei K, et al. Amino Acid Sequence of Sweet-taste-suppressing
Peptide (Gurmarin) from the Leaves of Gymnema sylvestre. J
Biochem (Tokyo). Jan1992;111(1):109-12.
45 Imoto T, et al. A Novel Peptide Isolated from the Leaves
of Gymnema sylvestre - I. Characterization and Its Suppressive
Effect on the Neural Responses to Sweet Taste Stimuli in the
Rat. Comp Biochem Physiol A. 1991;100(2):309-14.
46 Kurihara Y. Characteristics of Anti-sweet Substances, Sweet
Proteins, and Sweetness-inducing Proteins. Crit Rev Food Sci
Nutr. 1992;32(3):231-52.
47 Brala PM, et al. Effects of Sweetness Perception and Caloric
Value of a Preload on Short Term Intake. Physiol Behav. Jan1983;30(1):1-9.
49 Preuss HG, Bagchi D, Bagchi M, Rao CV, Dey DK, Satyanarayana
S. Effects of a natural extract of (-)-hydroxycitric acid
(HCA-SX) and a combination of HCA-SX plus niacin-bound chromium
and Gymnema sylvestre extract on weight loss. Diabetes Obes
Metab. May2004;6(3):171-80.
Bitter Melon
Bitter melon or karela fruit
has long been used in South American and the Orient as not
only a food but also to nutritionally support the body in
many healthful ways. It is recommended that a standardized
extract of bitter melon always be used.
Evening Primrose (Omega
Fatty Acids)
Evening primrose oil (EPO)
is rich in gamma-linolenic acid which is an omega-6 fatty
acid (30), (31). Supplementation with essential fatty acids
such as EPO has been reported to help maintain healthy zinc
levels (32). Fatty acids are an important part of normal homeostasis.
The human body can produce all but two fatty acids - omega-3
and omega-6 fatty acids. Both must be obtained through the
diet or by the use of supplements. Obtaining a balance of
these two fatty acids is essential. Essential fatty acids
are needed for helping maintain healthy cell membranes. Modern
diets tend to be lacking in quality sources of fatty acids.
30 Chapkin RS, et al. Dietary Influences
of Evening Primrose and Fish Oil on the Skin of Essential
Fatty Acid-deficient Guinea Pigs. J Nutr. 1987;117(8):1360-70.
31 Dutta-Roy AK, et al. Effects of Linoleic and Gamma-linolenic
Acids (Efamol Evening Primrose Oil) on Fatty Acid-binding
Proteins of Rat Liver. Mol Cell Biochem. 1990;98(1-2):177-82.
32 Dib A, et al. Effects of Gamma-linolenic Acid Supplementation
on Pregnant Rats Fed a Zinc-deficient Diet. Ann Nutr Meta.
1987;31(5):312-19.
Fish Oil
Fish oil is shown to support
the body nutritionally for several reasons. Fish oil is derived
from the tissues of oily fish and naturally contains the Omega-3
fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic
acid (DHA). Fish oil is recommended for a helping maintain
a healthy diet.
Vanadium
This is another trace element
used to help nutritionally support the body's healthy blood
glucose levels. It's an important component of some enzymes.
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