When it comes to supplements there are lots of things that can help balance blood sugar levels.
The thing is though, you want to try to get most of your nutrients from food sources, then use supplements to help as well.
To get the most you can out of food, choose nutrient dense whole foods – lots of fresh vegetables, chicken, fish, lean meats, olive oil, avocado, nuts and seeds – foods that support good health.
And of course, ensure you make great food choices for your diabetic diet – changing your diet alone can help you balance blood sugar and even reverse your diabetes – we've seen it happen many times with our members!
Leisa lowered blood sugar from 300s to normal in just 30 days.
“Not only are my readings now within normal range, I’m also down over 20 pounds and feeling so much better. Thank you.”
After you get your diet on track, if you do need some assistance, there are several supplements that can help you achieve better results.
These are the top 5 supplements that Dr. Axe recommends:
1. Chromium Picolinate
Chromium is an essential mineral that we need in small amounts. It is well known for helping people control sugar cravings and this is likely because it helps enhance the action of insulin and boosts metabolism of nutrients.
Overall, for diabetes it helps improve insulin sensitivity and glucose control. Broccoli is one of the highest vegetable sources of chromium. Cinnamon, mentioned below, is also a good natural food source of chromium.
When it comes to supplements, chromium picolinate, is the most bioavailable form – meaning your body can absorb it more readily.
Dosage: (600 mcg daily)
2. Cinnamon
The polyphenols found in cinnamon have been proposed to help the insulin receptors in beta cells respond more efficiently, enhance insulin signaling, and improve glucose transport and glycogen storage.
Overall studies have shown several benefits of consuming cinnamon including:
- Decreased oxidative stress
- Improved blood lipids (cholesterol)
- Improved blood glucose
- Improved insulin sensitivity
- Directly targets insulin resistance
You can take a cinnamon supplement. And a cheaper and more convenient way to get more cinnamon on a daily basis is to simply use ground cinnamon powder and add it to food, smoothies or tea to help improve blood sugar control.
Try making this cinnamon tea using whole cinnamon sticks – makes a deliciously sweet tea!
Dosage: 2 teaspoons daily, or capsule dosage as recommended by the manufacturer.
3. Fish Oil
Found in high dosage in fish oils, omega-3s “raise levels of adiponectin in the bloodstream. Adiponectin is an important hormone that has beneficial effects on metabolic processes like glucose regulation and the modulation of inflammation,” according to the Endocrine Society.
Omega-3s are also necessary for proper insulin function. And the thing is, most people have an imbalance of omega 6 and omega 3 fats in the body. Omega 6 are pro-inflammatory, while omega 3s are anti-inflammatory.
Type 2 diabetes is an inflammatory condition. The increased inflammation in the body acts on the liver and muscles and increases insulin resistance and cholesterol production. It can also contribute to complications and more dysfunction in the body.
Therefore, a great way to combat this is to take fish oil supplements – the best kind to take is fermented cod liver oil.
Dosage: 1,000 mg daily.
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4. Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA)
According to Dr. Weil, “ALA is an antioxidant and can enhance the uptake of glucose into cells and help inhibit glycosylation (the abnormal attachment of sugar to proteins, which hinders their normal functioning). It also helps promote and maintain eye health, and perhaps prevent and treat diabetic peripheral neuropathy.”
Neuropathy is a common diabetic complication. Studies have shown that ALA does in fact help reduce neuropathy, which is a very good thing. We've covered ALA in more detail over here.
Dosage: 300-1200 mg daily
5. Fiber Powder
Quite simply as Dr Axe says: “Fiber from vegetables and seeds can control blood glucose.”
Without a doubt, many studies show this to be true. Dietary fiber is incredibly beneficial for many different reasons (beyond just improving digestion) and most people simply don't eat enough fiber.
The current recommendations for dietary fiber is around 25-30 g day, but majority of people don’t get anywhere near that amount, most people eating under 15 g per day!
In terms of helping with type 2 diabetes or prediabetes, fiber slows the absorption of sugar into the blood stream, which means you have better control over your blood sugar levels.
If you imagine that when you eat fiber it is indigestible (insoluble fiber) so it creates a lattice-like network in the gut that slows down the metabolism of nutrients, including carbohydrates. Fiber also helps create a viscous gel-like substance (soluble fiber), that further slows down digestion and the metabolism of nutrients. Fiber also keeps us regular, cleans out the digestive tract and feeds beneficial gut bacteria. We need lots of fiber!
The best place to find fiber is to eat lots of non-starchy vegetables. For instance, a cup of broccoli will give you 2.4 grams of fiber and a cup of cubed eggplant will give you 2.5 grams of fiber.
Since many people still struggle to get the amount they need, a good quality fiber powder supplement can help you achieve your daily intake.
Dosage: 10 g.
Beetroot Walnut Salad
Hi
I bought all the supplements you recommended. When is the best time to take them?
Rachel, there aren’t any specific times you need to take them. You may consider starting with just 1 or 2 of the mentioned supplements, to check for tolerance, and then gradually build up to all 5. Check with your doctor for more specific recommendations, and certainly if you are on insulin or any other diabetes medications you should let your doctor know you will be starting these so they can adjust medication accordingly.
How can I get your newsletters
Click here to subscribe LaTonya – we look forward to having you as one of our subscribers!
Thanks for info.
Absolutely, we hope you are able to use most (if not all) of the information on our site to improve your, or a loved one’s, health!
I use Blue agave for a sweetener in baking. I also take Bitter Melon 500mg twice a day. Breakfast and lunch. Metformin after dinner.
Three months ago, with my A1C at 7.8, I started drinking 1 tbsp Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar + 1 tsp Blue Agave Nectar in half a cup of water every morning. I add a heaping 1/2 tsp Ceylon Cinnamon to my Carbmaster Yogurt. I take Tumeric w/black peppercorns, Cumin, Cinnamon and Flaxseed Oil supplements twice a day with meals. I added more exercise to my day’s activities.
Result = I’ve lost 10 pounds and my A1C dropped to 6.8, so I’d say supplements work quite well.
I am a type 2 diabetic for past 2 year. I am taking Glimpride 2-0-2
and trajenta 1-0-0. and insugen-R & Insugen N 20 units ie 20-0-20 each
But my sugar is not reduced so far. I have to to go for catarct surgery for both eyes and also to go for GB stone removel surgery. Kindly advice
You need to speak to your doctor or healthcare team about your medications and possibly adjust things in your lifestyle such as diet and exercise.
Thanks so much. It really helps
My blood sugar levels at first 226 on 25 march.runs 171 and today its 198 this morning I’m on metformin 1000 mg twice day eatting low carb meals
Give it time Rosetta. On a day to day basis things can be up and down. It’s only been one week, so keep making changes and tighter control will come.
Can I add turmeric to my diet.im on metformin i want to stop taking the meds and try lowering it with Natural Supplements.your thoughts please
You can find turmerics drug interactions here. As you can see, metformin isn’t one of them. You should always discuss any supplementation with your doctor.
Im sorry does that mean I probably should not take it.
Hi, do you have any info about quinoa or quinoa flour? please let me know if so. thanks so much!
You can find info on quinoa here Grace.
I love this article. Include the details that i search. Thanks
Glad you enjoyed it!
Hi ive been keeping a food journal and tracking my blood sugar. All my numbers are good exve for my fasting blood sugar. It can be 15 hours since i ate anything and its high. I’ll then eat breakfast and my two hour reading after eating is lower than my fasting. What’s going on and what can i do?
It’s common Dayna, glucose production continues anyway – it’s called the dawn phenomenon. Here is some info here and here. We have a discussion on general blood sugar over here and we also have a discussion about fasting numbers, so stay tuned for that. We’ll be sending it out in our weekly newsletter.
HI. I’m told berberine is a good Supplement, what are your thoughts? How much should be taken daily?
Yes, this is also a good supplement with benefits. Dr. Axe recommends a dosage of 3 x 500 mg /day. We’ll be covering this supplement more on the blog soon. Always check with your doctor before starting supplements, too.
One of my specialist started me on turmeric for my prednisone induced diabetes type II. It made an immediate difference in my blood sugar numbers. Started at 500 a day and built up to 1500 a day. Only side effect is occasional burping and tasting turmeric.
Turmeric is a wonderful anti-inflammatory agent. We’ve written about it before, over here.
Can cinnamon increase blood pressure?
Generally it’s quite the opposite Patty, it is known to lower blood pressure. However, even though that’s the case, any food or compound can have the opposite effect in some. Have you have an increased number? You should always check with your doctor about supplements.
Jedha, my question is concerning doses. How are the amounts of doses decided per supplement? When each Diabetic has different body sizes, active lifestyle/levels, medicine amount/doses, age &etc
Hi Doreen, this is a good question. The dosages above are those recommended by Dr. Axe as general recommendations. And the best rule of thumb in most cases is to follow the supplement brand label for general dosage requirements. Manufacturers often base their dosages on effective doses that may have been shown in clinical trials. More specific amounts can be calculated and recommended if an individual consults with a health professional. That’s when they’d take all the factors you mention into consideration.
Hi Jedha, thanks for all the information. Would taking fiber slow down the absorption of the medication we take such as glyburide and hydrocodone?
Hi Sandra, high amounts of dietary fiber may decrease the effectiveness of some medications. If you have questions about fiber in your diet while you are taking glyburide and hydrocodone, along with any other supplements, talk with your doctor first – it’s always recommended.
Hello, do you recommend taking multi vitamins such as One a day? Or should we buy the above suggested 5 and take them daily? Also, is there a specific brand to go with?
We can’t really recommend anything specific Jay because we don’t know you, your diet, your meds. The suggestions above are a guide on the different supplements that work but you should talk to your doctor or health team for the best advice.
If it were me I’d probably start with something like cinnamon and fish oil and try increasing fiber through more veggies first before adding a supplement. Unless you’re having bowel/ digestive issues, in which case you might add more fiber from the outset. But again, you should check with your health care team. Multi’s are okay, but if you eat a wide range of foods, you should get most of what you need.
How is aspartame bad for you??
Hi Joey, you can read about artificial sweeteners here and more about sugar substitutes here.
It spikes blood sugar levels.
Switch to Stevia.
And Stevia sweetened products.
Also monk fruit sweeter or erythritol (spelling ?)
Neither affect sugar spikes.
Correct spelling Sandy and exactly right – we recommend those sweeteners as the best options.
I also read somewhere that B12 was another vitamin to add. I asked my doctor at my last visit and he said why limit…just do a B Complex vitamin. Thoughts?
Hey Donna, B12 may be good for some people because B12 absorption can be altered. As your doctor suggested B complex is also a good choice to balance out any Bs that may be lacking. You can also ask for a B12 test to find out if you are deficient.
Is Metamucil good enough fibre? I take 4000mg Omega 3 for my Lupus and RA symptoms. I take centrum daily and folic acid.
The thing i am finding difficulty with is cooking. I have chronic fatigue and I noticed I am neglecting myself and my diet and resort to carbs which are mot good for my diabetes. Pls help with simple easy meals. Preferably one pot meals thanks. Look forward to your newsletters
Metamucil is okay but the flavors do contain aspartame, which is not really a great choice of sweetener. Omega’s are awesome for everything!
Slow cooker meals would be a great option for you Emily, the thing I love about those is you just throw everything in the pot and leave it to cook. You can also make big batches. Try this beef chili, this chicken soup, or try cooking a huge veggie bake and eat it with a rotisserie chicken.
Emily,
I’ve found many crock pot meals for diabetics on Pinterest. Try looking there when you have some time.
Thanks for the suggestion. I love Pinterest, and who knows maybe this could be a topic we cover in a future article!
Hello, I really enjoy your emails. Can I take all of these supplements each day?
Thanks
Glad you enjoy them Robin. All of these are generally safe but you should always check with your doctor or healthcare team, especially if you are taking other medications.