Blood Sugar Control Supplements

About Blood Sugar Control Supplements

Blood sugar is regulated by the beta-cells of the pancreas, which produce the hormone insulin. Insulin communicates with tissues, such as the liver and muscle tissue, telling them to release a glucose transporter. In the case of muscle tissue, GLUT-4 is the primary glucose transporter. Once GLUT-4 reaches the cell membrane, it creates an open-gate allowing glucose into the cell. When pathology or dis-ease occurs, insulin does not trigger as much GLUT-4 to be released, and/or not enough insulin is synthesized by the pancreas. As a result, sugar (glucose) builds up in the blood, causing a medical condition known as hyperglycemia. If severe and persistent enough, this condition may meet the medical definition for Type 2 Diabetes. Given that cells become resistant to the effects of insulin, the term insulin resistance is used to describe this condition. 

Insulin resistance is becoming increasingly common, which has largely been attributed to high calorie and carbohydrate diets. The condition has been linked to overweight and obesity, hypertension, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome, as reported in Advances in Preventive Medicine in 2016. There is along a correlation between body fat levels and the degree of insulin resistance, meaning that once body fat levels are reduced to within a healthy range, insulin resistance tends to resolve. It is therefore important to maintain a healthy body composition in order to assist with blood sugar regulation. This includes supporting lean muscle mass and keeping fat mass to a minimum through targeted nutrition, calorie restriction, exercise programs and appropriate supplementation.

Many herbal medicines and nutrients assist with the cellular response to insulin, opening the cell membrane gates so glucose can enter the cell and lower blood sugar levels. Some of the most commonly used supplements for this purpose are: Gymnema sylvestre, Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Bitter Melon, lipoic acid, chromium, zinc and magnesium. Chromium and Gymnema may reduce sweet cravings, helping to reduce the impact on the blood sugar. After all, it is important to reduce the intake of high glycemic index foods while improving your blood glucose balance. It would be beneficial if you have prediabetes or type II diabetes to familiarise yourself with the glycemic index (and glycemic load) of various foods, so that you may select foods that will lead to less of a blood sugar impact.

Glycemic load is a measurement used to estimate the impact that a meal will have on blood sugar. This makes a lot of practical sense. Consider this, consuming a single teaspoon of a high glycemic index food, such as mashed potato, will have a minimal blood sugar impact. Though xonsuming six teaspoons of a medium glycemic index food (if you can call it that), such as table sugar, will have a greater blood sugar impact. Though glycemic load is a more accurate assessment tool, it does add a complexity to the diet that most people don’t need. It may prove more beneficial to simply be aware of the high glycemic index foods that you know you tend to overeat, and try to moderate them or find lower glycemic index foods as a substitute. A comprehensive list of the glycemic index of foods can be found in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, published in 2002 by Kaye Foster-Powell et al.   

Blood Sugar Control is positively impacted by regular physical activity. The muscle tissue's ability to "take-up" glucose from the blood during and after exercise can be improved, despite ongoing insulin resistance or Type II Diabetes. The glucose gate to the cell can be opened independent of insulin during exercise. This means that the GLUT-4 (glucose transporters) that are responsive to exercise, even without a strong signal from insulin, which is a boon for the insulin resistant. In addition to improvements in food selection and regular activity, Blood Sugar Control supplements are a great addition to a glycemic health program.