What does Sugar do to blood-glucose?

Sugar helps the blood-glucose go up

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).

Branded ingredients

There are two main approaches to creating food for diabetics. One is to use sweetener alternatives, and the other is to incorporate dietary fiber, which can increase bulk, reduce blood-sugar levels and postpone the release of glucose from starch.

One supplier that positioned itself squarely in the "blood-glucose management" market is DSM Food Specialties, which launched the InsuVital ingredient in August 2007. A hydrolyzed casein, it was said to decrease post-meal blood glucose levels by 15 percent. DSM later renamed the ingredient InsuVida, but discontinued it in 2009 because "it wasn't commercially viable based on cost/dose."

Other branded ingredients, however, are still going strong. Salba (Salvia hispanica), a novel grain by Ancient Naturals, is the richest whole food source of omega-3 ALA and fiber. It has almost no carbs and offers 6g of dietary fiber per serving.

OatVantage oat beta-glucan, by GTC Nutrition, has a glycemic response one fifth that of glucose. It increases viscosity of stomach contents, which slows stomach emptying, prolongs the absorption of energy from a meal and decreases fat absorption. These effects exert control over insulin release.

Nutraceutical Group sells a high-viscosity and high-concentration oat beta-glucan soluble fiber called Viscofiber.

Up to 12 times more concentrated than oat bran, Viscofiber improves glycemic response and glucose management. Finally, National Starch sells Hi-Maize resistant starch as a flour substitute. It decreases glycaemic and insulin impact, and increases insulin sensitivity. It also can be used in low-moisture food systems to improve texture and processing properties.

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.

Editor's Picks:

Alpha-lipoic acid: NIH's National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine says ALA can benefit insulin sensitivity, glucose metabolism and diabetic neuropathy.

Chromium: It can enhance the action of insulin, and its low dosage is friendly to formulators.

Stevia: Natural sweetener (even CSPI agrees) rules the roost among sugar alternatives.

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

http://www.depsyl.com/

http://back2basicnutrition.com/

http://bionutritionalresearch.olhblogspace.com/