Supplements 101
Debra Gibson, ND Simple Support for Balanced Blood Sugar
poor concentration relate to patterns of eat- ing; or you need to pull out of a stall in the weight loss program you started earlier in the year; or you just want to improve your eating habits for greater health and vitality, better blood sugar balance is essential. We now know that there are serious consequences for long-term uncontrolled blood sugar and its evil sister, hyperinsulinemia (high blood levels of the hormone insulin), including: increased risk for stroke and cardiovascular disease; high serum cholesterol/triglycerides; Type 2 diabetes mellitus; inflammation; dementia, and many more members of the dysfunctional family of chronic degenera- tive diseases. So achieving and maintaining blood sugar stability may be one of the most important and simplest strategies for health promotion in the short term and for disease prevention in the long run. While blood sugar balance involves
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complex interactions between the food we eat, many hormones, and multiple organs and body systems, when it comes down to it there are two essential elements around which the whole process revolves: the pan- creas, which secretes the blood-sugar-regu- lating hormone insulin, and the membrane of each cell, where glucose leaves the blood to be put to use inside the cells.
Blood Glucose and Insulin Glucose is an end-product of the diges-
tion of carbohydrate-containing foods from our diets: healthy, complex carbs are found in fruits, grains, and vegetables, particularly the starchy ones such as potatoes, nuts, seeds, and beans. Whether you have the garden-variety form of blood-sugar imbal- ance called hypoglycemia (low levels of blood glucose) or the opposite problem of high blood glucose (hyperglycemia, which when advanced and chronic becomes dia- betes mellitus), the net effect is the same: not enough glucose inside the cell, where it can be put to use making energy and helping cells work properly. Glucose enters the cell by crossing the cell membrane, and it does this through ’doorways‘ in the membrane
36 Natural Nutmeg May 2012
hether you’re aware that your energy slumps, cravings for sweets or breads, bouts of irritability, or
called glucose channels. These doorways have ’locks‘ on them called insulin recep- tors, which will only open if the ’key‘ to the insulin receptor – the hormone insulin – turns smoothly in the lock. When that happens, abracadabra! The glucose channels open, glucose streams into the cell, and the cell makes energy with it. The whole cell is happier, healthier, and more productive when this lock and key system works well. When it doesn’t, your cells can’t function well and neither can you.
Re-sensitize your insulin receptors
At the cellular level, balanced blood sugar depends on healthy, sensitive insulin receptors, so if your blood sugar is out of whack, it’s smart to ask, “What will make my insulin receptors work better?” Just as an insensitive person may have poor listen- ing skills, insensitive insulin receptors don’t ’hear‘ insulin knocking at the door, so they don’t respond as they are supposed to, let- ting glucose into the cell. While there are many nutrients that can help your insulin receptors to hear better, here are a few of the most important: the trace mineral chro- mium (the trivalent nutritional form, not the toxic, shiny metallic form); the antioxidant alpha-lipoic acid; the omega-three class of essential fatty acids; and a high-potency B- complex vitamin.
Chromium picolinate or polynicotinate
(yeast-free): these two versions of chromium have shown better absorption than others. Named “Glucose Tolerance Factor” when first discovered, trivalent chromium has been shown to improve glucose balance in numerous studies. It is estimated that 90% of us have too little trivalent chromium in our diets. Although I may use higher dos- ages clinically, daily intake of between 200 and 600 mcg is reasonable and has been demonstrated to be safe and beneficial in human studies. Alpha-Lipoic Acid: this super antioxi- dant has been shown in studies to positively affect glucose balance and insulin sensitiv- ity by means of several mechanisms. While opinions differ as to which version is most effective (the R-form or a mixture of the two biochemical forms, the R and S forms), I
have come down on the side of the R-form, and routinely prescribe a stabilized R-Alpha- Lipoic Acid, in doses ranging from 100-200 mg twice to three times daily. Omega-3 Fatty Acids (EPA and DHA):
these healthy fats (EFAs, or essential fatty acids) are found in certain fatty fish, cala- mari, and krill, and have been found to improve glucose and insulin balance in Type 2 diabetics. They keep cell membranes supple, enabling the receptors and chan- nels seated in the membrane to work better, and their anti-inflammatory effects improve insulin receptor sensitivity for better glucose balance. I may prescribe between 2000 and 6000 mg daily of total omega-3s when addressing glucose/insulin intolerance. Fish oil quality varies widely, and I am careful to choose those from manufacturers which adhere to pharmaceutical-level produc- tion practices. In addition, they should be sustainably sourced, third-party assayed for contaminants (mercury, arsenic, cadmium, dioxins, PCBs), and stabilized with natural antioxidants (such as tocopherol [vitamin E], ascorbylpalmitate [a form of vitamin C], or rosemary) to reduce the rate of deterioration in the bottle.
B-Complex vitamins: because of their role in turning glucose into energy, increas- ing chromium bioavailability, and promot- ing healthy essential fatty acid metabolism, no program for better blood sugar balance is complete without attention to B-vitamin status. I often prescribe 50-100 mg daily of many of the B-vitamin family members; I also provide counsel regarding potential for and symptoms of toxicity for Pyridoxine (vitamin B-6).
Preserve your pancreas!
The pancreas is another major player in blood sugar regulation. One of its primary functions is to secrete insulin from special cells called beta-cells. In someone with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, the beta cells don’t make enough insulin, so the person must take it daily to keep blood sugar in balance. When insulin receptors have become hard of hearing as described above, the pancreas tries to fix the situation by flooding the bloodstream with insulin, hop-
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