Vitamins
for Diabetics?
Supplement use has recently been proven to be beneficial for diabetics
. A
new study shows a positive correlation between dietary supplement use and health
in diabetics. The study, commissioned by the Dietary Supplement Education
Alliance and conducted by The Lewin Group, is based on both a focused review of
existing research and an analysis of data from the annual National Health and
Nutrition Examination survey.
Diabetes is closely linked to nutrition, and the
disease has become the fifth-leading cause of death in this country, affecting
16.7 million people, or just more than 8 percent of the population, according to
the study. Diabetics are also at significantly higher risk than the general
population for heart disease, kidney failure and extremity amputation.
The study's goals were threefold: to determine
whether dietary supplements are associated with better health among the general
population, to create a profile of people with diabetes who use supplements, and
to determine whether diabetics who use supplements manage their condition
differently than diabetics who do not use them.
Jon Benninger, president of the DSEA board,
said, "We weren't surprised to find that people who have diabetes and use
dietary supplements report they're in better health than those who don't
use dietary supplements. We controlled for variables, so we're confident in this
result."
The supplements that diabetics reported they
used most included chromium, zinc, calcium, folate and omega-3 fatty acids.
While many of these supplements support general health, others have been linked
specifically to diabetes care. For example, studies have shown that
chromium
picolinate helps insulin function more effectively in the body, which in
turn helps regulate blood glucose levels—a critical component of
diabetes management. A 2004 study, published in the journal Diabetes Care,
showed that diabetics have lower levels of chromium in the body than
nondiabetics.
Omega-3 fatty acids, alpha-lipoic acids and magnesium have also shown
promise in managing glucose levels and alleviating neuropathic symptoms
associated with diabetes.
According to the new study, only 34 percent of
diabetics currently take supplements. However, of those who use supplements
regularly, a higher percentage report to be in good, very good or excellent
health (54.1 percent) compared with nonsupplements users (43.2 percent). The
study concluded, "Use of dietary supplements is significantly associated with
reporting oneself to be in better health than a year ago."
Founded in 2001 by manufacturers and others in
the dietary supplements industry, DSEA provides information about supplements to
consumers, the media, health professionals and policymakers.
"This study provides additional evidence and
data to protect our industry and demonstrate to legislators and the media that
dietary supplements are not only a legitimate part of the health care system,
but have great potential to be part of the solution to the health care woes this
country is facing," Benninger said.
Mitchell Clute - Natural Foods Merchandiser
volume XXVII/number 9/p. 1