The proper vitamin and antioxidant supplements can increase the effectiveness of standard medical treatments to halt and even reverse the progression of diabetes. Discover the latest discoveries in doctor Kedar N. Prasad’s new book Fight Diabetes with Vitamins and Antioxidants (Healing Arts Press, 2014). This excerpt from chapter 8, “Diabetes Prevention and Management,” details many natural ways to prevent diabetes.
As we have determined, the incidence of diabetes in the world—including in the U.S.—is on the uptick, in spite of the prevailing recommendations currently in place. This implies that these recommendations are not having the desired results. This article discusses a strategy to help in the prevention of diabetes, using multiple micronutrients to supplement the prevailing recommendations. We include various tables to better assist the consumer in ascertaining, which recommenced multi-micronutrient supplement is best for them. We then go on to discuss current findings and suggested multiple micronutrient supplementation in combination with standard care.
As we know, the purpose of primary prevention is to prevent non-diabetic individuals or pre-diabetic individuals from developing diabetes. Primary prevention strategies include recommendations to avoid exposure to those agents that can induce one or more risk factors for developing the disease.
Primary Prevention Strategies for Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes
Primary prevention strategies for both type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes should be adopted from childhood. Pregnant women who have a family history of type 1 diabetes should also adopt primary prevention strategies. The formulation that these pregnant women should take before, during and after pregnancy is provided in the following table, “Formulation for Pregnant Women.” It should be noted that an additional supplement of 30 milligrams of iron (ferrous citrate), taken during pregnancy only, can be provided in order to prevent anemia, which occurs frequently in pregnant women. Iron supplementation can be given a few hours after taking a preparation of multiple-micronutrients.
Formulation for Pregnant Women with a Family History of Type 1 or Patients with Type 1 Diabetes or Type 2 Diabetes (18 to 35+ years)*
*Total capsules per day can be taken orally, half in the morning and half in the evening
• Vitamin A (palmitate): 3,000 IU
• Natural mixed: carotenoids 15 mg
• Vitamin C (as calcium ascorbate): 500 mg
• Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol): 800 IU
• Vitamin E (two forms): 200 IU
d-alpha-tocopherol acetate: 100 IU
d-alpha-tocopheryl acid succinate: 100 IU
• Vitamin B1 (thiamine mononitrate): 4 mg
• Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) 5 mg
• Vitamin B3 (as niacinamide ascorbate): 30 mg
• Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine HCl): 5 mg
• Folate (folic acid): 800 mcg
• Vitamin B12 (as cyanocobalamin): 10 mcg
• Biotin: 200 mcg
• Pantothenic acid (as d-calcium pantothenate): 10 mg
• Calcium citrate: 250 mg
• Magnesium citrate: 125 mgZinc glycinate: 15 mg
• Selenium (L-selenomethionine): 100 mcg
• Chromium (as chromium picolinate): 50 mcg
Changes in Diet and Lifestyle
Let’s look at some other specific primary prevention strategies for both type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes next. Increased levels of oxidative stress and chronic inflammation are found in obese individuals and individuals with insulin resistance. Thus, dietary and lifestyle changes are very important in order to prevent obesity and the development of insulin resistance, both of which are considered major risk factors for diabetes.
FOR DIET, I recommend the daily consumption of a low-fat, high-fiber diet with plenty of fruits (especially grapes and berries) and leafy vegetables. It’s also recommended that one should avoid an excessive intake of carbohydrates or proteins. Whenever oil is used for cooking, virgin olive oil is preferred because it’s rich in alpha-linolenic acid, which has been shown to produce beneficial effects in patients with diabetes. For non-vegetarians, fish (especially salmon) twice a week, and chicken (or another meat not to exceed 4 ounces/meal) is recommended.
For vegetarians, an increased intake of lima beans and soy products is recommended. Certain spices and herbs such as turmeric, cinnamon, garlic and ginger can be added to the preparation of vegetables or meat. These spices and herbs have exhibited antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. However, it should be remembered that herbal antioxidants as well as standard dietary and endogenous antioxidants produce biological effects (such as changes in gene expression that can produce beneficial effects in patients with diabetes), which may not be related to decreasing oxidative stress or chronic inflammation.
LIFESTYLE RECOMMENDATIONS include the maintenance of a normal body weight, increasing one’s level of physical activity, the cessation of tobacco smoking, stress reduction practices (taking up yoga and/or meditation for instance, and perhaps taking more frequent vacations) and performing moderate exercise. Moderate exercise includes walking 20 to
25 minutes a day at least five days a week or using a treadmill (25 minutes at a moderate speed), and weight-lifting for 30 minutes three or four times a week. Given that younger persons can typically do more strenuous exercise than older ones, the level of exercise depends upon the age of the individual.
For the primary prevention of type 2 diabetes, an appropriate preparation of MULTIPLE-MICRONUTRIENTS is important. Micronutrients include dietary antioxidants (vitamin A, beta-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E and selenium) and endogenous antioxidants (alpha-lipoic acid, the glutathione-elevating agent n-acetylcysteine, coenzyme Q10 and L-carnitine), B vitamins, vitamin D, chromium and the appropriate minerals. The doses of each of these ingredients in a micronutrient formulation differ depending upon the age of the individual. Micronutrient formulations for various age groups having type 1 diabetes (ages 5 to 10; 11 to 17; 18 to 35; and 36 and older) are presented in the following tables (“Children with Type 1 Diabetes,” “Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes” and “Adults with Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes.”).
These proposed micronutrient formulations have unique properties that aren’t found in other multivitamin preparations currently on the market. Full and comprehensive clinical studies on the efficacy of these multiple micronutrients are suggested.
Formulation for Children (Ages 5 to 10) with Type 1 Diabetes*
*Total capsules per day can be taken orally, half in the morning and half in the evening
• Vitamin A (palmitate): 1,500 IU
• Natural mixed carotenoids: 5 mg
• Vitamin C (as calcium ascorbate): 100 mg
• Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol): 400 IU
• Vitamin E (two forms): 50 IU
d-alpha-tocopheryl acetate: 25 IU
d-alpha-tocopheryl acid succinate: 25 IU
• Vitamin B1 (thiamine mononitrate): 2 mg
• Vitamin B2 (riboflavin): 2 mg
• Niacin (as niacinamide ascorbate): 10 mg
• Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine HCl): 2 mg
• Folate (folic acid): 400 mcg
• Vitamin B12 (as cyanocobalamin): 5 mcg
• Biotin: 100 mcg
• Pantothenic acid (as d-calcium pantothenate): 5 mg
• Calcium citrate: 100 mg
• Magnesium citrate: 50 mg
• Zinc glycinate: 7.5 mg
• Selenium (L-selenomethionine): 50 mcg
• Chromium (as chromium picolinate): 25 mcg
Formulation for Adolescents (Ages 11 to 17) with Type 1 Diabetes*
*Total capsules per day can be taken orally, half in the morning and half in the evening
• Vitamin A (palmitate): 2,000 IU
• Natural mixed carotenoids: 5 mg
• Vitamin C (as calcium ascorbate): 250 mg
• Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol): 400 IU
• Vitamin E (two forms): 100 IU
d-alpha-tocopherol acetate: 50 IU
d-alpha-tocopheryl acid succinate: 50 IU
• Vitamin B1 (thiamine mononitrate): 2 mg
• Vitamin B2 (riboflavin): 2.5 mg
• Vitamin B3 (as niacinamide ascorbate): 15 mg
• Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine HCl): 2.5 mg
• Folate (folic acid): 400 mcg
• Vitamin B12 (as cyanocobalamin): 10 mcg
• Biotin: 100 mcg
• Pantothenic acid (as d-calcium pantothenate): 5 mg
• Calcium citrate: 125 mg
• Magnesium citrate: 62.5 mg
• Zinc glycinate: 7.5 mg
• Selenium (L-selenomethionine): 50 mcg
• Chromium (as chromium picolinate): 25 mcg
Formulation for Adults (Age 36+) with Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes*
*Total capsules per day can be taken orally, half in the morning and half in the evening
• Vitamin A (palmitate): 3,000 IU
• Vitamin E (two forms): 400 IU
d-alpha-tocopheryl succinate: 300 IU
d-alpha-tocopheryl acetate: 100 IU
• Vitamin C (calcium ascorbate): 1,000 mg
• Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol): 800 IU
• Vitamin B1 (thiamine mononitrate): 4 mg
• Vitamin B2 (riboflavin): 5 mg
• Vitamin B3 (niacinamide ascorbate): 30 mg
• Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride): 5 mg
• Folic acid: 800 mcg
• Vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamln): 10 mcg
• Biotin: 200 mcg
• Pantothenic acid (D-calcium pantothenate): 10 mg
• Calcium citrate: 250 mg
• Magnesium citrate: 125 mg
• Zinc glycinate: 15 mg
• Selenium (seleno-L-methionine): 100 mcg
• Chromium (as chromium picolinate): 50 mcg
• N-acetylcysteine (NAC): proprietary amount†
• Coenzyme Q10: proprietary amount
• Alpha-lipoic acid: proprietary amount
• L-carnitine: proprietary amount
• Omega-3 fatty acids: proprietary amount
• Natural mixed carotenoids: proprietary amount
†Total amounts of antioxidants and herbal products come to 865 mg
Reprinted with permission from Fight Diabetes with Vitamins and Antioxidants (Healing Arts Press, 2014) by Kedar N. Prasad.