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Nutritional Supplements and Their Effect on Glucose Control

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Abstract

Type 2 diabetes is a growing health concern. The use of nutritional supplements by patients with type 2 diabetes is estimated at somewhere between 8% to 49%. The objective of this review was to search the scientific literature for advances in the treatment and prevention of type 2 diabetes with nutritional supplements. Twelve databases were searched with a focus on extracting studies published in the past 3 years. The following nutritional supplements were identified as potentially beneficial for type 2 diabetes treatment or prevention: vitamins C and E, α-lipoic acid, melatonin, red mold, emodin from Aloe vera and Rheum officinale, astragalus, and cassia cinnamon. Beta-carotene was shown to be ineffective in the prevention of type 2 diabetes. Ranging from preclinical to clinical, there is evidence that nutritional supplements may be beneficial in the treatment or prevention of type 2 diabetes. Health providers should investigate drug-nutritional supplement interactions prior to treatment.

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Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: •• Of major importance

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Disclosure

Conflicts of interest: T. Lee: none; J-J Dugoua: has received grant support from New Chapter, has received honoraria from Celt Naturals, and has stock in Newtopia, Inc.

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  1. The Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, 400 Main Street East #210, Milton, ON, L9T 1P7, Canada

    Tanya Lee

  2. Graduate Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, 360 College Street #301, Toronto, ON, M5T1S6, Canada

    Jean-Jacques Dugoua

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Correspondence to Jean-Jacques Dugoua.

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Lee, T., Dugoua, JJ. Nutritional Supplements and Their Effect on Glucose Control. Curr Diab Rep 11, 142–148 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11892-010-0175-6

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