Sugar helps the blood-glucose go up

By Joysa Winter August 20, 2010

The National Institutes of Health estimates more than 6 million Americans have type II diabetes — and many don't even know it. The International Diabetes Federation says the incidence of diabetes has already increased by one-third during the 1990s, due to the prevalence of obesity and an aging population.

With numbers like these, it's little wonder so many food developers are trying to crack the diabetes epidemic.

America's favorite complementary medicine guru, Dr Andrew Weil, advocates four primary nutrients for diabetics. "I am unaware of evidence that any commercially available combination of supplements provides effective control of blood sugar," Weil explains on his website.

"However, I do recommend several individual supplements." These include:

• GTF chromium: a trace element that helps transport glucose into cells. (1,000mcg daily)
• Alpha-lipoic acid: An antioxidant that can enhance glucose uptake, inhibit glycosylation (the abnormal attachment of sugar to protein), and help maintain eye and nerve health. (100mg daily)
• Magnesium: To help promote healthy insulin production. (400mg daily)
• Co-Q10: Diabetics are at an increased risk of heart disease, and co-Q10 helps maintain a healthy cardiac function. (60-100mg/day)
• Weil also recommends a few botanicals in standardized extract form: Asian bitter melon (Momordica charantia); ayurvedic gurmar (Gymnema sylvestre); blueberry (Vaccinium myrtillus); and prickly-pear cactus (Opuntia genus).

New theories on antioxidants

While the importance of sugars and fibers in the diabetic diet are well understood, new research is shedding light on the importance of other nutrients.

A Greek study published in February provides support for the importance of antioxidants. Researchers assessed the diets of 551 men and 467 women; the higher total dietary antioxidant intake was correlated with lower levels of glycemic indices in healthy individuals, as well as in pre-diabetic and diabetic ones.

One theory to explain this correlation is that pancreatic cells are particularly vulnerable to free radicals. "Thus, by damaging mitochondria, oxidative stress could induce apoptosis of pancreatic beta cells, blunt insulin secretion and dysregulate glucose levels," the researchers said.

Swedish company BioReal (a subsidiary of Fuji Chemical Industry of Japan) is a long-time producer of natural astaxanthin, a highly effective antioxidant. The company cultivates the alga Haematococcus pluvialis indoors to produce a highly pure form of natural astaxanthin, which has been sold since 1995 as a bulk ingredient under the AstaREAL name, and in retail products as Astaxin and Astavita.

"Studies show that astaxanthin is a very powerful antioxidant," says Yasuko Kuroda, vice president of Fuji Health Science.

In particular, one study in a type 2 diabetic mouse model found that astaxanthin reduced the disease progression by retarding glucose toxicity and kidney damage.

http://www.functionalingredientsmag.com/article/Diabetes/ingredients-for-diabetes-management.aspx