A B12 supplement can be helpful if you have type 2 diabetes and are deficient in the vitamin.Here’s what you need to know about other common supplements: A chat with your health care provider can help you determine if this is safe for you to take.Ĭonfused about what to take? Unless your health care provider recommends a specific vitamin or supplement, it’s probably not all that helpful-or economical-to add another pill to your regimen. And while niacin can raise HDL cholesterol, there’s no evidence that this leads to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. Niacin raises fasting glucose levels (your blood sugar levels when you are not eating) for people with diabetes, meaning the risks may outweigh the benefits. Some people take niacin to raise HDL (“good”) cholesterol, but it can also affect your diabetes management. Besides warfarin, those include apixaban, dabigatran, heparin, and rivaroxaban. Avoid these supplements if you’re taking a blood-thinning medication. John’s wort amplifies the effect of blood thinners. Among people with heart disease being treated with the blood thinner warfarin, those most likely to experience bleeding events have higher levels of vitamin E in their bodies. John’s wort can have dangerous interactions with blood-thinning drugs used to treat heart disease-increasing your bleeding risk. Chromium supplements might further damage the kidneys and worsen the disease.īoth vitamin E and the herb St. Steer clear if you’ve been diagnosed with kidney disease. It may be worth a try if you’re deficient in chromium, but that’s very rare.

John’s wort, or niacin.Ī chromium deficiency may lead to high blood sugar levels. Talk to your health care provider before you start taking chromium, vitamin E, St.

Research on many supplements is inconclusive. While some ingredients could intensify the effects of your diabetes meds, causing hypoglycemia (low blood sugar, also called blood glucose), others may have the opposite effect, leading to hyperglycemia (high blood sugar). Supplements may cause unwelcome-or dangerous-side effects, especially if they interact with your medications. If you’re experiencing symptoms you think a supplement could fix, consult your doctor before trying to remedy the problem yourself. The only way to know whether you’re deficient is through blood work, but you might see some signs. Americans are most commonly deficient in vitamins D and B12, calcium, and iron. If you have a true vitamin deficiency, however, a supplement may be helpful. It’s not clear whether vitamins and minerals have the same effect in the body when taken in supplement form. Eating a well-balanced meal is much healthier than a multivitamin. Think of it like this-whole foods contain a mix of minerals, enzymes, fiber, and other substances that may help your body absorb and use these nutrients. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.Many think that a supplement contains the same vitamins and minerals as whole foods, so why not just pop a pill? It’s because vitamins and minerals are best absorbed through food. I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please vote accordingly and report any uglies Ugly - (removal or ban territory) it involves attacks / antagonism / hostility towards individuals or groups, downvote complaining, trolling, crusading, shaming, refutation of all science, or claims that all research / science is a conspiracy At best, these rise to an extremely weak basis for science based discussion. Debate is a civil and respectful exchange focusing on actual science and avoids commentary about othersīad - it utilizes generalizations, assumptions, infotainment sources, no sources, or complaints without specifics about agenda, bias, or funding. Good - it is grounded in science and includes citation of peer reviewed sources. You should provide peer reviewed sources to support your claims when debating and confine that debate to the science, not opinions of other people. Always be wary of unsupported and poorly supported claims and especially those which are wrapped in any manner of hostility. About participation in the comments of r/nutritionĭiscussion in this subreddit should be rooted in science rather than 'cuz I sed' or entertainment pieces.

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