As a pharmacist for more than twenty years, I have worked with hundreds of people who want to use dietary supplements to better treat their diabetes. Some people view supplements as healthier alternatives to “harsh” prescription medications. Others take dietary supplements in addition to prescribed medications to treat their blood glucose or complications of diabetes. What all these patients need is guidance on the benefits and cautions of using these substances.
Two of my patients with diabetes who have used dietary supplements (their names and some details have been changed) illustrate this need.
One patient was a middle-aged woman named Jackie, who had just been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. She had already been taking medications for her high blood pressure and depression. Jackie’s doctor recommended that she check her blood glucose regularly, take a new prescription diabetes medication, and lose 20 pounds by eating well and exercising more regularly.
Jackie decided that there must be a “better way,” so she made a trip to her local vitamin store to ask about products that she could use instead of prescription medications. At the vitamin store, an eager, pleasant employee told Jackie that she should start taking a variety of products such as ginseng, bitter melon, fenugreek, chromium, and vanadium. When Jackie asked whether she should be aware of any side effects or drug interactions, the well-meaning store clerk told her that dietary supplements are “natural” and do not have any side effects or drug interactions. Jackie was so encouraged that she stopped taking her prescription medications and bought only “natural” products for her high blood pressure, depression, and newly diagnosed diabetes.
After a few weeks, Jackie returned to her doctor because she was not feeling well, and she thought that she might have bladder infection. Her doctor asked whether she was taking her newly prescribed diabetes medication, as well as her medications for high blood pressure and depression. Jackie explained that she was taking only “natural” products. Her doctor then informed her that her blood glucose and blood pressure were sky high and that she did indeed have a bladder infection.
Another patient I remember was David—a lean, well-educated retired professor of anthropology. David’s physician had referred David to me to discuss his dietary supplement use. He had recently been diagnosed with diabetes, and he had made many lifestyle changes in order to treat his diabetes. He gave up eating meats of any sort and became a strict vegetarian. He started walking—then running—about 2 miles daily. He also purchased many dietary supplements. When he showed me his supplements (about 17 different bottles) I asked him why he was taking each of the products. Some were to increase energy, some were for high blood pressure, some were for high cholesterol, and some were for diabetes. He had started these products because he felt that a natural approach would be best to treat his medical conditions. After scrutinizing the bottles and ingredients, I noted that many of the products had some of the same ingredients, and several of the products had very high doses of vitamins. Furthermore, although David had indeed lost about 10% of his body weight, and his blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood glucose levels had decreased somewhat, they were still higher than target goals. My advice was to consolidate some of the different products and then to reinstate his prescription medications.
Where should Jackie and David have turned for information on taking dietary supplements? There isn’t an easy answer. Some patients have a strong desire to self-treat a disease such as diabetes with dietary supplements. This desire may come from the emotional component of wellness and healing and the widely held belief that dietary supplements are “natural” and can thus cause no harm.
This book is intended to help others like Jackie and David find more information about commonly used dietary supplements for diabetes and its related conditions. This book does not recommend specific supplements or brands. Instead, it gives general information on the safety and efficacy of some commonly used supplements. It also provides specific information about how supplements work, possible side effects and drug interactions, and suggestions as to what patients should look for if they decide to use a particular product. Patients should always talk with their health care providers about any dietary supplements they are planning to take.
I would like to thank my family, friends, and administrative personnel, who have provided much encouragement, support, and counsel during my work on this book. Specifically, I would like to thank my husband, Jerry, as well as my children, Chris, Sandy, Randy, and David, and my grandson, Cody. I would like to give a special thank-you to my friend Dick for his invaluable technical support.
This book would not be possible without the vision that Victor Van Beuren had about writing a consumer guide. I would also like to acknowledge Kate Ruder for her sage advice and expertise in writing consumer guides in the area of diabetes.
You want to live healthy and well with your diabetes. You try to visit your health care provider regularly, take your prescribed medications, eat a balanced diet, and exercise regularly. Yet, there is one aspect of your health that may not be addressed in your regular medical visits, but you may still have questions about—taking dietary supplements.
Today, more and more people use dietary supplements. It’s a multibillion-dollar-a-year industry. And studies show that people with diabetes are more likely to use supplements than people without diabetes. The National Health Interview Survey found that 22 percent of people with diabetes used some type of herbal therapy, while another study found that 31 percent used dietary supplements. Certain ethnic groups, such as Hispanics, Native Americans, Asians, and African Americans are also more likely to use dietary supplements.
If you’re one of the many people taking dietary supplements, you’re probably concerned about doing the right thing for your body. People with diabetes who use complementary and alternative medicines, such as supplements, tend to have healthy habits. One study found that they’re more likely to visit their primary care providers and get their flu shots. However, finding reliable information about the benefits and safety of these products is difficult. There are hundreds of dietary supplements—each purporting their own health benefits. You’ve probably browsed the vitamin aisle at the pharmacy or a health food store. Maybe you felt overwhelmed so you didn’t purchase anything, or you just grabbed a supplement marketed for people with diabetes. In either case, you probably had unanswered questions about the safety and efficacy of these products.
HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
So, what’s a discerning consumer to do? First, read this book. It’s intended to give you enough information about dietary supplements to have an educated discussion with your health care provider. You should always consult your health care provider when making any change to your medication