Table of Contents
By GreenMedInfo Research Group
Besides diet and exercise, there are safe, natural ways to manage blood glucose levels. Here are seven substances that are validated by science to be among the best drug-free therapies for blood sugar problems.
From ensuring that you get adequate amounts of critical vitamins and minerals to strategic calorie restriction, these approaches can elevate your wellness while helping to keep your glucose in-check.
Vitamin D and Blood Sugar
Also known as calciferol, vitamin D is vital for many crucial functions—from building strong bones and muscles to helping the immune system fight off infections. In terms of glucose regulation, maintaining adequate vitamin D is essential if you are at risk of diabetes. In fact, vitamin D deficiency has been linked to insulin resistance—a key factor that marks the progression from prediabetes to an official Type 2 diagnosis.1
A 2019 study reported that vitamin D deficiency was found in seventy percent of Type 2 diabetic patients. Plus, individuals with severe vitamin D deficiency were thirty-nine times more likely to have a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes.2
Ongoing research further shows that correcting this deficiency through strategic supplementation results in improved glucose tolerance and beta-cell function—a marker of improved insulin secretion.3
In 2018, a meta-analyses investigating a link between vitamin D supplementation, glycemic control, and insulin resistance in prediabetics concluded that vitamin D status improved overall glycemic measures and may be useful as part of a preventive strategy for Type 2 diabetes. “Vitamin D deficiency and Type 2 diabetes are escalating health problems worldwide. The results presented here provide promising evidence that vitamin D supplementation improves glycemic control and attenuates insulin resistance in prediabetics or individuals at high risk of developing diabetes.”4
A 2019 meta-analysis reviewed thirty-seven studies and found that boosting vitamin D through strategic supplementation led to significant improvement in fasting blood glucose and improved insulin resistance in Type 2 diabetics.5 Vitamin D can be a safe part of a preventative strategy and may even help reduce inflammation associated with diabetes.
Magnesium
Another nutrient that plays a key role in glucose metabolism is magnesium (Mg). Considering Mg is required by the pancreas for insulin production, a deficiency is associated with increased risks for many diseases, including Type 2 diabetes.6 Conversely, having a higher dietary intake of magnesium has been linked to lower diabetes rates.7 8
A 2016 meta-analysis found that treatment with magnesium reduced fasting blood glucose concentrations and improved insulin sensitivity in patients with diabetes and prediabetes.9 Other studies show that Mg deficiency can worsen diabetes symptoms, including diabetic retinopathy—a degenerative eye disease that can lead to blindness.10 11
An estimated sixty-one percent of the US population is deficient in magnesium, creating increased risks for multiple diseases, including Type 2 diabetes. Good food sources of Mg include leafy green vegetables, avocados, fatty fish, whole grains, beans, and nuts.
Exercise & Yoga
While exercise is clinically shown to improve mood, sleep, energy, and self-esteem, among other well-established benefits, it is also beneficial for people with Type 2 diabetes, and unsurprisingly, it may be a key modality for maintaining healthy blood sugar levels.
People who engaged in active commuting—defined as cycling or walking to work for all or part of a commute—significantly lowered risk of all-cause mortality and had a thirty percent reduced risk of developing diabetes, a recent systematic review found.12
If you can’t cycle to work, taking a brisk, thirty-minute walk, five days per week, meets physical activity guidelines for adults and may reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by as much as fifty-eight percent.13
As a gentler form of exercise, yoga has thousands of years of history supporting its many virtues, and thanks to modern research, yoga’s documented benefits include supporting healthy blood sugar levels. A 2019 study on yoga as a prediabetic intervention found that blood glucose levels were significantly reduced following the diabetic yoga protocol.14 Other observed benefits of yoga practice included decreased stress levels and no escalation of fatty liver—a condition often seen in prediabetic individuals.
Berberine
Berberine is a naturally occurring compound found in a variety of medicinal plant species, including goldenseal, Oregon grape, phellodendron, European barberry, and tree turmeric. As a supplement, berberine has an impressive resume, particularly in helping regulate blood sugar, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels.15 These benefits will come as no surprise to Chinese herbalists, where berberine has been used to treat diabetes for over 1,400 years.
Berberine’s protective effect for diabetes works by increasing insulin expression and antioxidant activity that helps healthy beta cells regenerate, among other beneficial effects. According to a pilot study investigating the safety and efficacy of berberine in patients with Type 2 diabetes, berberine was found to be a “potent oral hypoglycemic agent” with beneficial effects on lipid metabolism.16
Additionally, a study examining effects and mechanisms of berberine in diabetes treatment reported that supplementation may have extra beneficial effects on diabetic complications affecting the cardiovascular system due to its cholesterol-lowering, anti-arrhythmias, and nitric oxide inducing properties.17
Fasting/Caloric Restriction
Intermittent fasting has been trending thanks to a growing scientific understanding of the benefits of strategic caloric restriction. Defined loosely as going without food or drink for an extended period and consuming all calories within a limited timeframe, fasting frees the body’s energy for other important tasks, such as mental focus and carrying out detoxification processes.
A typical 16/8 fasting cycle refers to restricting calories for sixteen hours each day and consuming normal calories within an eight-hour window. According to Mark Mattson, PhD, a Johns Hopkins University neuroscientist who has studied intermittent fasting for twenty-five years, the human body has evolved to go without food for much longer periods of time than most modern people go between meals.
By giving the digestive processes a break, your body can shift resources to protecting itself against chronic diseases, such as Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and many cancers.
According to a 2022 meta-analysis examining the effects of the intermittent fasting diet (IFD) in patients with impaired glucose and lipid metabolisms, the IFD intervention resulted in gradual weight loss, lower blood pressure and body mass index, and significant improvement in insulin resistance.18
Probiotics
While the link between probiotics and diabetes is less understood, a growing body of clinical evidence shows that a healthy gut can help protect against diabetes and related complications.
A 2019 meta-analysis investigating the effect of probiotic and synbiotic supplementation on biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress in diabetic patients showed improvements in Type 2 diabetes. “The results of this systematic review and meta-analysis suggest that probiotic and synbiotic supplementation may help to improve biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress in diabetic patients.”19
Another recent study found that supplementation with a high-quality probiotic was associated with significant improvement in blood sugar and fasting insulin levels in Type 2 diabetic patients.20 Further evidence gleaned via a meta-analysis of twelve randomized, controlled trials showed that probiotics significantly reduced fasting blood sugar and serum insulin concentrations, as well as lowered total cholesterol.21
Good food-based sources of probiotics include ferments, such as sauerkraut, kimchi, miso, natto, and kefir. In terms of the latter, a 2015 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial found that consumption of kefir in diabetic patients decreased fasting blood glucose and HbA1C levels. Study authors concluded, “These findings suggest that probiotic fermented milk (kefir) can be useful in medical nutrition management of diabetic patients.”22
Similarly, according to a 2021 meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials investigating the effect of kefir consumption on glycemic control, fasting blood glucose and insulin were significantly decreased in the kefir treatment groups. “According to the results of this meta-analysis, it was shown that in general kefir beverage could be an effective complementary or adjuvant therapy for the treatment and prevention of diabetes and it is also suggested as a nutritional approach in glycemic control,” study authors reported.
Curcumin
Curcumin, one of the most well-researched plant polyphenols, has powerful antioxidant properties that contribute to its healing power. Mounting research shows curcumin can be a potent ally in disease prevention, including Type 2 diabetes, due to its ability to suppress rising blood sugar.
A Japanese study examining the effects of turmeric extracts on blood glucose levels found that curcuminoids—an active agent in turmeric imbuing its bright yellow color—kept blood sugar stable in Type 2 diabetic mice.23 A separate study published in the journal Diabetes Care recommended curcumin supplementation as part of a preventative strategy for prediabetics striving to reverse an impending diagnosis.24
Other research indicates that curcumin’s potential as a pretreatment for diabetes in at-risk individuals may be due to its ability to regulate and moderate cellular signaling to improve the body’s responses to glucose and insulin.25
A 2019 meta-analysis of clinical and preclinical trials reported that up to twelve grams per day of curcumin are safe, tolerable, and nontoxic, with trials prescribing 250 milligrams per day for up to nine months.26 Researchers acknowledged that other studies have shown the beneficial effects of curcumin in Asian populations where turmeric is heavily used as a dietary spice. So go ahead, spice it up, your blood sugar will thank you for it.
—
Well Being Journal adapted the above article from the previously published original at greenmedinfo.com titled “What Are the Best Natural Options for Blood Sugar Problems?” May 18, 2023.
Interested in preparing your own kefir? See the following pages to learn how!
References available at the following website address:
