MD's Choice: Diabetes

Diabetes

Millions of Americans are affected by diabetes. This disease accounts for millions of dollars in health care cost every year. Diabetes can be most easily understood as a disease that effects the sugar levels in the body. Simply put, diabetes is the body's inability to make the correct use of the sugars in the bloodstream. This can be because the body does not produce insulin or the insulin that is produced does not effect the cells of the body in the right way, and the blood sugar cannot enter the cells. The lack of sugar within the cell prevents them from working properly. Diabetic symptoms can range from weakness and fatigue, to nerve problems or even circulation problems that can result in blindness or amputation of limbs and eventually death.

Many people in America may not be "full blown" diabetics, but may have feelings of weakness and fatigue or a lack of energy, which can be due to improper sugar levels in the body. One example of this is the person who eats a good breakfast, yet by 10:00 a.m. they are extremely hungry and feel weak or "shaky". This is because the body has not correctly used the sugar ingested during breakfast. Insulin was released in large quantities in response to the meal, and the sugar levels normally in the blood stream became depleted. That individual will often feel better upon eating a snack. That snack often consists of a candy bar or other junk food. Though this will help at first, unless the individual eats another meal within 1-2 hours, the shaky, weak feeling returns. This can often be described as the roller-coaster effect. Though this is not full diabetes, it can be evidence that the body is not as efficient at controlling blood sugar levels as it should be. Unless one has time to eat 5-6 times a day, this process will continue and may actually worsen as age and improper dietary habits persist.

Abnormal blood sugar control can eventually lead to "full blown" diabetes. Again, this can be caused from insulin not being produced by an organ called the pancreas or by the fact that the insulin being produced is unable to get into cells because of problems with the cell itself. The result is an elevated amount of sugar in the blood, but a low level of sugar in the cells. Often times, this can be controlled by supplementing insulin on a regular basis. Diet adjustment is also a critical step. The goal is to give the body the right amount of insulin so that the person can live a normal life. If too much insulin is given, the sugar levels in the blood drop too quickly and the roller-coaster ride occurs. If too little insulin is given, then sugar levels in the cells (not the blood) are low and, over time, the problems continue.

The problem with insulin therapy is that, over time, the body can become resistant to the insulin, and problems continue to occur. That is why you hear of people who have been on insulin therapy all their lives having toes, fingers or even limbs amputated. Granted this is better than having it happen early in life, but the key is diabetes prevention, which hinges on proper nutritional supplementation.

Two of the main nutritional players in preventing diabetes and helping stop the cravings are chromium and vanadium. Both are minerals thought to play key roles in getting sugar into cells in the proper amounts. Other nutrients that are thought help in blood sugar control are zinc, B-vitamins, copper, manganese, essential fatty acids and many of the bioflavinoids. These nutrients provide support to the pancreas directly or to the cells receiving the sugar.

The goal is to supplement with the total spectrum of nutrients in the proper form allowing your body full access to everything it needs to maintain good health. Our Complete Formula™ products are an excellent source of these nutrients. For those with more severe problems, the individual minerals chromium and vanadium can gradually be added to the daily supplementation program. MD's Choice will work with you and your health care professional to design the program that is right for you.