Hello, I am Ty Mason of thediabetescouncil.com, researcher, writer and I have type 2 diabetes.
I want to emphasize that my perspective is coming from one with Type 2 and not Type 1.
Our channel is primarily for those with Type 2 Diabetes and PreDiabetes.
Today I want to answer the question Best prediabetes vitamins & supplements
After you watch the video today, I invite you check out the description box for my new
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This is one of the most comprehensive diabetes meal planning book you can find.
It contains diabetes friendly meals/recipes, recipes for different goals such as 800-1800
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There are also tons of diabetes friendly recipes for everyone!
Let me state up front that no amount of vitamins or supplements can replace a good meal plan
for prediabetes.
There is no magic formula that will allow you to take a vitamin then eat what you want.
That being said, I have found some research in this area to be helpful and want to share
that with you today.
Certain vitamins and minerals, as well as other nonvitamin supplements, have been shown
to be instrumental in regulating blood sugar.
I strongly urge you to check with your health care provider before taking any new supplement—especially
if you take any medication or other supplements—to avoid interactions or side effects.
I found much of this research from the work of Andrew Rubman, ND, naturopathic physician.
An NP looks at traditional medicines to help with certain disorders.
Dr Rubman has done extensive research on prediabetes.
B vitamins work together as a group and are important for proper glucose metabolism and
keeping blood sugar stable.
People with prediabetes are often low in…
Vitamin B-6, which is needed to properly metabolize protein and carbs and helps regulate blood
sugar.
I recommend supplementing daily with at least 15 mg of B-6, taken in divided doses twice
a day.
That’s important because vitamin B-6 has a short duration in the circulation, so it’s
best to replenish it twice a day.
Vitamin B-12, also instrumental in blood sugar control.
Levels of B-12 tend to get lower and lower as we age (even without prediabetes).
The recommended dietary allowance is 2.4 mcg per day.
It’s best to find out your level before supplementing—your doctor can test you and
recommend the proper dosage, which, if your level is low enough, might include B-12 injections.
Warning: Regularly taking a proton-pump–inhibiting drug such as omeprazole (Prilosec) or lansoprazole
(Prevacid), which many people do for heartburn, can reduce levels of B-12.
These heartburn pills are also bad for your heart—and that’s particularly important
for people with prediabetes (or diabetes), because cardiovascular disease is a big danger
for people with high blood sugar.
Vitamin D tends to be low in people with prediabetes—less than 20 ng/mL.
I usually recommend supplementation to achieve a level of 40 ng/mL to 60 ng/mL.
Low vitamin D can trigger inflammation and hamper glucose (sugar) tolerance.
Your doctor can test your level of vitamin D and recommend the proper supplement dosage.
Patients with low vitamin D, I often prescribe 4,000 IU to 6,000 IU daily.
Vitamin D is both a fat-soluble vitamin and a hormone.
You probably know it as the sunshine vitamin because your body can synthesize vitamin D
when ultraviolet sunlight hits your skin.
Inside the body, vitamin D promotes calcium absorption, so it’s mainly known as an important
protector of bone health.
It’s also central to cell growth, immune function and inflammation control.
Over the past 20 years, however, a growing body of research has revealed many other roles
for vitamin D, including heart health, as well as controlling high blood pressure, obesity
and diabetes.
Researchers have discovered that vitamin D receptors are located all over your body,
including in the pancreas, which produces insulin and is a key player in the onset of
diabetes.
Chromium is a mineral that helps move blood sugar into cells.
We need only small amounts, but many people with prediabetes are deficient.
For someone with prediabetes, I would recommend a minimum of 200 mcg up to a maximum of 1,000
mcg daily.
Look for a multivitamin that contains chromium within this range.
Alpha-lipoic acid.
Finally, although it is neither a vitamin nor a mineral, the antioxidant alpha-lipoic
acid (R-ALA) has also been shown to improve blood sugar levels.
I routinely prescribe a daily dosage of 600 mg for most of my prediabetic patients.
You’ll find it in some multivitamin/multimineral supplements—particularly those formulated
for people with diabetes.
But if it’s not included, you can find it as a separate supplement.
Don’t forget to get my new ebook and please, subscribe to our channel for many more videos
like this one in the future.
Thanks for watching.
I am Ty Mason.