Vitamins and Diabetes

Some studies show that controlling diabetes can be helped with vitamins and diabetes may even be preventable with the use of some vitamins.

What is Diabetes?

Simply put, diabetes results from abnormal levels of glucose or sugar content in one's body. Diabetes is one of the leading causes of death in the United States and Canada.

A silent, treacherous and painless disease, diabetes affects the eyes, nerves, heart, and kidneys.

Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is used as an umbrella term to include childhood onset diabetes, juvenile diabetes and insulin-dependent diabetes. Although it affects mainly children, type 1 diabetes can hit up to age forty. People with Type 1 Diabetes must take insulin to control sugar levels.

There is alot of helpful information available for controlling Type 1 Diabetes.

Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 Diabetes covers adult-onset diabetes, also known as non-insulin dependent diabetes. About 90 percent of adult-onset diabetes is caused by obesity, poor diet and lack of exercise.

Diabetes is almost non-existent in countries where the diet is generally low in fat and sugar, and high in whole foods like unrefined grains and fresh fruit and vegetables.

Adult onset diabetes may be one of the most preventable of all chronic diseases, and yet it is currently estimated that by 2010, forty percent of Americans over age 65 will have adult-onset diabetes.

The Role of Vitamins in Diabetes

It is generally widely accepted that lifestyle choices can help prevent the onset of Type 2 diabetes:

lowering sugar and fat intake
eating more fiber and complex carbohydrates (legumes, whole grains and fresh vegetables and fruit)
regular exercise.

These efforts not only help maintain healthy glucose levels, but help maintain a healthy weight as well.

While considering general changes to diet, you may also want to explore how specific vitamins have been shown to have a role in diabetes and blood sugar levels:

Vitamin D deficiency is linked to diabetes, and may be a factor in the onset of diabetes;
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) may help insulin in its role of directing sugar into cells (niacin works with chromium, which has been found to reduce blood sugar by 80 to 90 percent in people with elevated levels);
Vitamin E has been linked to diabetes in a few studies, with low blood levels of Vitamin E correlating with a four times higher risk of diabetes;
Vitamin C may reduce the incidence of diabetes complications by improving blood flow.

You should always consult your health care provider about any health condition. Load yourself up with solid information about vitamins and diabetes before your next doctor's appointment.