As far as general health and wellness is concerned, as well as eating healthy produce, making healthy lifestyle choices, drinking more water, and getting plenty of exercise, studies have found that health supplements could provide a number of substantial benefits to people’s overall health and well-being, in a variety of ways. The supplement industry has come a heck of a long way over the last few decades, and it is now one of the most lucrative industries in the entire world. Each year, health supplement sales help generate billions upon billions in profit, and those numbers are actually increasing with the passing of each year. The great thing about health supplements is the fact that there are so many different types to choose from, with each one serving a unique purpose. There are supplements designed to help you build muscle, there are supplements to help you sleep, there are supplements to help you lose fat, there are supplements to help you bulk up, and much more besides. As type 2 diabetes is currently one of the biggest threats to people of this generation however, more and more interest has been shown in blood sugar regulating supplements, to help both manage, and prevent, diabetes and other similar ailments associated with unstable blood sugar levels. If you’re concerned about your blood sugar levels, here’s a look at 6 of the best blood sugar regulating supplements currently on the market.
Berberine
Though it may sound pretty unusual, berberine has actually been around for a long time, but it is only recently that it has really become a staple supplement as part of a healthy and balanced lifestyle. Berberine is a natural plant alkaloid that is notoriously difficult to discover and extract. It comes from natural herbs and it helps manage and regulate blood glucose levels in a number of different ways, which is why it is considered so promising, because essentially, it provides several benefits at once. To begin with, berberine helps to improve insulin sensitivity, which ensures that insulin is better able to do the job it is intended to do. It helps to force more glucose into the cells and out of the blood, plus it helps to regulate inflammatory responses, which, if allowed to get out of control, can result in elevated blood sugar levels. On top of that, it helps to keep blood sugar levels stable before and after meals. In actual fact, studies have found that berberine could help to reduce blood glucose levels following a meal, by as much as 44%, which is extremely impressive.
Zychrome
Zychrome is a supplement made up of L-Cysteine, niacin, and chromium. Whilst chromium supplements themselves, have often been popular in terms of regulating blood sugar levels, there is evidence to suggest that chromium may not be as potent and effective by itself, as it was once considered to be. When combined with L-Cysteine and niacin however, it really comes into its own. Zychrome has been found to help enhance glucose metabolism, it maintains and balances inflammation, plus it can even improve antioxidant status. Studies have found that fasting insulin levels can be reduced by as much as 33%, which makes it very effective at reducing insulin resistance within the body, which basically ensures that insulin secreted via the pancreas, is able to do the job it is supposed to.
ALA
ALA, or Alpha Lipoic Acid, is a very powerful natural antioxidant that has been proven to help reduce levels of fasting blood glucose, it maintains optimal insulin sensitivity, plus it helps to keep blood glucose levels following a meal, stable and in optimal ranges, rather than allowing them to spike out of control. What’s more, it also enhances the potency and effectiveness of insulin, and it keeps peripheral nerves within the feet and hands, healthy and in good condition, which is very important as these nerves are often affected as a result of unstable blood glucose levels. As if that wasn’t enough, there is also evidence to suggest that the antioxidant properties of this acid, can help to ward off some strains of cancer and it can help to strengthen a person’s immune system.
Magnesium
Magnesium is another very potent trace mineral supplement that can provide benefits for people in regards to their blood sugar levels. Magnesium helps maintain a healthy heart rhythm, it is vital for bone health, it is essential for muscular function, and it helps regulate optimal blood pressure levels. Research has indicated that people suffering with diabetes, often are deficient in magnesium, which experts believe is down to an increase in insulin resistance, and reduced levels of insulin naturally being produced via the pancreas. To help avoid magnesium deficiencies, a magnesium supplement can prove very useful indeed.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a vitamin in which many people are deficient in, and not just as a result of a lack of sunshine either. Vitamin D levels are heavily linked with blood glucose levels, as well as insulin sensitivity levels, as the lower the amounts in the body, the more resistant to insulin the body is likely to be. Not only that, but vitamin D has also been found to play a key role in pancreatic cellular health and function, which is very important because it is the pancreas that produces and secretes the insulin for regulating blood glucose levels in the first place, so the healthier the pancreatic cells are, the more efficient the pancreas will be as a result. You should ideally spend time in the sunshine if possible, as well as supplement with a vitamin D product which contains at least 400 IU of vitamin D.
Ginseng
Ginseng is a natural herbal ingredient which has been proven to naturally reduce blood sugar levels, especially in people suffering with type 2 diabetes. For optimal results, a ginseng supplement should be consumed with each meal, where in actual fact, virtually no chances to blood glucose levels will be recorded. As if that wasn’t all, studies have also found that ginseng can help to keep blood glucose levels stable, even in a fasted state, preventing them from dropping and rising. Experts believe that this is because Ginseng can help to enhance insulin production, plus it can help to increase insulin sensitivity, making existing insulin much more effective and powerful. Ideally, around 500 – 1000mg of ginseng consumed just before a meal, would be ideal.
