For information get my diabetes management guide here
Let me state up front that no amount of vitamins or supplements can replace a good meal plan for prediabetes. There is no magic formula that will allow you to take a vitamin then eat what you want.
That being said, I have found some research in this area to be helpful and want to share that with you today.
Certain vitamins and minerals, as well as other nonvitamin supplements, have been shown to be instrumental in regulating blood sugar. I strongly urge you to check with your health care provider before taking any new supplement—especially if you take any medication or other supplements—to avoid interactions or side effects. I found much of this research from the work of Andrew Rubman, ND, naturopathic physician. An NP looks at traditional medicines to help with certain disorders. Dr Rubman has done extensive research on prediabetes.
B vitamins work together as a group and are important for proper glucose metabolism and keeping blood sugar stable. People with prediabetes are often low in…
Vitamin B-6, which is needed to properly metabolize protein and carbs and helps regulate blood sugar. I recommend supplementing daily with at least 15 mg of B-6, taken in divided doses twice a day. That’s important because vitamin B-6 has a short duration in the circulation, so it’s best to replenish it twice a day.
Vitamin B-12, also instrumental in blood sugar control. Levels of B-12 tend to get lower and lower as we age (even without prediabetes). The recommended dietary allowance is 2.4 mcg per day. It’s best to find out your level before supplementing—your doctor can test you and recommend the proper dosage, which, if your level is low enough, might include B-12 injections.
Warning: Regularly taking a proton-pump–inhibiting drug such as omeprazole (Prilosec) or lansoprazole (Prevacid), which many people do for heartburn, can reduce levels of B-12. These heartburn pills are also bad for your heart—and that’s particularly important for people with prediabetes (or diabetes), because cardiovascular disease is a big danger for people with high blood sugar.
Vitamin D tends to be low in people with prediabetes—less than 20 ng/mL. I usually recommend supplementation to achieve a level of 40 ng/mL to 60 ng/mL. Low vitamin D can trigger inflammation and hamper glucose (sugar) tolerance. Your doctor can test your level of vitamin D and recommend the proper supplement dosage. Patients with low vitamin D, I often prescribe 4,000 IU to 6,000 IU daily.
Vitamin D is both a fat-soluble vitamin and a hormone. You probably know it as the sunshine vitamin because your body can synthesize vitamin D when ultraviolet sunlight hits your skin. Inside the body, vitamin D promotes calcium absorption, so it’s mainly known as an important protector of bone health. It’s also central to cell growth, immune function and inflammation control. Over the past 20 years, however, a growing body of research has revealed many other roles for vitamin D, including heart health, as well as controlling high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes.
Researchers have discovered that vitamin D receptors are located all over your body, including in the pancreas, which produces insulin and is a key player in the onset of diabetes.
Chromium is a mineral that helps move blood sugar into cells. We need only small amounts, but many people with prediabetes are deficient. For someone with prediabetes, I would recommend a minimum of 200 mcg up to a maximum of 1,000 mcg daily. Look for a multivitamin that contains chromium within this range.
Alpha-lipoic acid. Finally, although it is neither a vitamin nor a mineral, the antioxidant alpha-lipoic acid (R-ALA) has also been shown to improve blood sugar levels. I routinely prescribe a daily dosage of 600 mg for most of my prediabetic patients. You’ll find it in some multivitamin/multimineral supplements—particularly those formulated for people with diabetes. But if it’s not included, you can find it as a separate supplement.
