If you have a vitamin or mineral deficiency, that insufficiency could be causing you problems with glucose control. For example, one study found that taking the trace element chromium by mouth improved glucose control in subjects who were deficient in chromium. More studies need to be carried out. If you choose a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, and meat to eat every day, and keep your blood sugar level close to your target range, you probably don’t need to take vitamin supplements for diabetes.
Vitamin supplements for diabetics
American researchers reported that the intake of vitamin supplements is an important barrier that protects diabetics from infection. A study of 130 people by the North Carolina College of Medicine found that daily vitamin intake reduced minor infections of the urinary, respiratory, and gastrointestinal systems in people 45 years of age and older.
What was most surprising was that among people with early diabetes who took these vitamin supplements, only 17 percent of infections were confirmed.
In contrast, among diabetics who received a harmless substance or placebo, the incidence of infections was 93 percent.
The results of the study, published today by the journal Annals of Internal Medicine , show that vitamin supplements are a way to reduce work absenteeism caused by infectious diseases.
Diabetes patients who took the vitamin concentrates reported no missed work, while 89 percent of those given a placebo missed one or more days of work.
“Our trial, which was conducted among middle-aged people, has shown a benefit in the incidence of infection. This benefit reached almost all participants with diabetes,” the researchers said in the study.
They added that vitamin supplements may be more helpful for diabetics because they suffer from a lack of nutrients in their system.
