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kathryn's thoughtsKathryn’s Thoughts!

An In depth look at Dietary Supplements for the best Glycemic and Cholesterol Management for people with Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes

supplements

I recently viewed the webinar “Role of Dietary Supplements in Glycemic and Cholesterol management” which can be found on the AADE website.

There are several reasons a person might want to to use supplements such as med costs being too high, to avoid adverse side effects, suggestion from friends, family, claims made about the supplement, etc. If you find that you’re someone who is interested in using something other than your prescribed medicine here’s some advice from the webinar presented by Lorena Drago, RD, CDE, MS, CDN, LVCYT:

  1. Be aware that dietary supplements do not require FDA approval.
  2. Supplements still contain chemical compound – many want to make the switch with belief its more natural.
  3. Compare the drug to supplement – name, brand name, side effects, cost, effectiveness, precautions.
  4. Make sure you are taking the right doses and are aware of what’s in it and how much.
    *Supplements are not generally needed for those who have a balanced diet, and some can have harmful side effects, so use them with caution.

2 Resources to learn more about dietary supplements:

  1. Natural Medicines Database – Tells everything about what’s in the supplement and has a patient handout.
  2. Consumer Lab (must pay to use) – Tests all the products – lets you know which are best to use/recommend.

The webinar went over a list of popular supplements taken for glycemic control and cholesterol management. Below you can find the claims, possible risks/benefits, dosage, and key ingredients:

What are the popular supplements that help with glycemic control and cholesterol management?

Below is a list of the claims, possible risks/benefits, dosage, and key ingredients:

Functional Foods

If you have any follow-up questions or want some more guidance on using supplements, please go ahead and give the office a call and set up time to speak with one of our dietitians.