A person’s blood sugar level is a commonly mentioned health factor, but why is it important? To help answer that question, we discuss blood sugar in general and then describe five supplements that have been seen to help patients manage their blood-sugar levels.
Why Healthy Blood Sugar Is Important
The human body requires some amount of sugar, also called glucose, in order to function. After you consume sugar, the body produces a hormone called insulin, which absorbs glucose from the blood so it can be made into energy. Your blood glucose level refers to the amount of glucose in your blood at a given time.
When blood glucose levels are either too high or too low for an extended period of time, this can cause health complications. Hyperglycemia (excessive blood glucose) occurs when the body doesn't produce enough insulin, or is insulin-resistant. Hyperglycemia usually coincides with diabetes, and can result in damage to the vascular system and heart if left untreated. Hypoglycemia is less common, and can also cause health complications.
Signs and symptoms of hyperglycemia can arise early, including increased thirst or hunger, frequent urination, headache, fatigue, and blurred vision. Whether someone is diabetic or not, following your medical provider’s guidance for nutrition and eating, as well as exercise, is very important for preventing hyperglycemia, or at least reducing its effects on the body.
Supplement to Help Lower Blood Sugar
Some natural supplements have properties that can help the body manage blood-glucose levels, and keep them at a healthy level. These are not a replacement for healthy diet, but can be an excellent addendum to healthy lifestyle choices to support healthy blood sugar:
Cinnamon: Research shows that supplementing with cinnamon can enhance the body’s response to insulin, and help lower blood glucose levels as a result. More specifically, cinnamon helps the flow of glucose into the cells, thereby getting it out of the bloodstream.
Magnesium: This important mineral does many things in the body. One of its functions is to regulate the secretion and actions of insulin in bodily tissue. If you have high blood sugar, supplementing with magnesium could be helpful because deficiency in this mineral is very common in those who are hyperglycemic. This includes those who are diabetic as well as some of those who are not.
Zinc is present in the body in small amounts. Like magnesium, zinc is necessary for the production of insulin. Research has shown that there is a negative correlation between hemoglobin A1c levels (a reliable test for medium-term blood-glucose levels) and blood plasma zinc levels. For this reason, supplementing with zinc could help regulate blood glucose. Zinc gluconate is the recommended type for managing blood glucose.
American Ginseng is an herbal remedy that can help stimulate the production of insulin, making it potentially useful for diabetic individuals to manage their blood glucose. It can also improve the body’s response to insulin. Studies show that taking American Ginseng after a meal can decrease post-meal blood glucose by about 20%, both in diabetic individuals and those without diabetes.
Berberine is a natural compound found in some plants, and it is taken for a variety of health purposes. Multiple studies have shown that taking berberine, in tandem with a healthy diet and lifestyle choices, helps to reduce both fasting blood sugar levels and A1c levels. It helps primarily by improving insulin uptake.
Gymnema: The herb Gymnema Sylvestre has a history of use to treat diabetes in the Indian Ayurvedic medicine tradition, and is recommended in the modern day as well. This herb helps by reducing sugar absorption in the gut and promoting cellular uptake of glucose.
If you or a loved one of yours is hyperglycemic or diabetic, consider how these five supplements could help you. It is recommended that you always talk to your healthcare provider before taking a natural remedy for the first time.