Dear Bob,
Yes. Dr. Shane-McWhorter just sent me this reply to your question:
The biggest issue with the supplements is whether or not the patient is using a reputable source. The best place to check is the website www.usp.org. Baseline clinical values should be monitored and only one at a time should be tried to determine impact on blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol. I think it's important to discuss with the person's provider to make sure that dose adjustments of conventional diabetes medications are made when using supplements, in case blood glucose goes down; also it's important to inform the doctor if the patient decides to discontinue the product. Also, the provider should monitor hepatic and renal function.
Do I think that any of the supplements will work - yes; I think that all of the supplements I mentioned may work to a certain extent but consider that these are SUPPLEMENTS, used IN ADDITION TO not as a substitute for conventional medications. In the studies that I reviewed in the book, there was not a single product that normalized blood glucose, A1C, blood pressure, or cholesterol. I think they may help but it will still not discount the need for appropriate nutrition and physical activity. I think that some of the products I mentioned would be great in food form, such as cinnamon or nopal.
David,
Per her comment " Baseline clinical values should be monitored and only one at a time should be tried to determine impact on blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol. "
I have a huge problem with this statement. The chemical reactions that occur everyday in our body are often dependant on more than one vitamin being in the proper form and proper balance to make enzymes. Also the form of the vitamin makes a difference on how it is absorbed by the body. Vegetarians are usely low in iron, because the iron form in plants is not in a form that is readily available to the human body. Ruminants, such as cattle, convert this form of Iron into a more absorbable form that is readibly useable for humans.
Many of the current studies of supplements seem to be nothing more than using a vitamin or herb as a single use single pill, magic formula to cure things like a drug. This not how biochemistry works, and most doctors did learn this, but since people don't want to adjust from the magic pill mentality, the Doctors just gave in and work on trying to provide the magic pill.
Ah yes, but drug companies can't make their money from herbs and food! That is why not enough research is done into natural and holistic remedies and an awful lot of costly research goes into the drug 'cash cow'.
As you said Ann, they should be looking at the drugs, not criticising the tried and tested remedies that help not hinder. Most, if not all drugs will create side effects that will often, whilst helping one problem, give you at least one or more different ones - like robbing Peter to pay Paul!
I am diabetic so have little option but if a natural remedy proved to work as efficiently as the drugs, I know which one I would choose. I would personally always prefer to go the natural route rather than allow the toxic chemical concoctions to invade my body - how many times have drugs been found to be lethal over time? How quick the Medical Profession is to jump on the very very occasional Natural Remedy 'problem', yet manage to completely ignore all the damage done by the drugs they dish out like sweets!
The cure is out there but no one is looking in the right place for it!
Featuring Content From:
By using this service, you accept our Terms of Use. Please read them. The consumer health information on is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for any medical conditions. You should promptly seek professional medical care if you have any concern about your health, and you should always consult your physician before starting a fitness regimen. Copyright © 2012 Remedy Health Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
