zinc

[timbla]

morning all,

does anyone take zinc supplements? or does anyone have a view on this?

i have read that in certain cases, they can be friends to our poor pancreases.

just wondering if anyone has an angle on the matter.

i have also read that diabetics should consult with their doctors before getting onto any vitamin or mineral supplements because of their possible reactions with the meds. this seems understandable, but still....really?

 

[Northerner]

I take a multivitamin (Sanatogen A-Z complete) which it tells me contains 100% of the recommended daily amount of zinc (15mg). Beyond that I don't take anything special. I probably don't get enough fruit in my diet, except the occasional banana, so the multivit ensures I'm getting all the essentials even if my diet strays a bit from perfect 🙂 I'm not really a fan of taking specific supplements, as it usually suggests a dose far beyond the RDA, which can cause problems depending on what the supplement is. Some herbal remedies/supplements in particular can interact badly with some meds, so the pharmacist is probably the best person to ask if you are considering something.

 

[Mark T]

I think the jury might still be out.

Zinc is an anti-oxidant and one theory goes that it is oxidants/free radicals that damage the cells in the pancreas in a Type 2 (in a Type 1 it's auto immune of course). Therefore taking anti-oxidants could be protective.

However, I found the following articles on PubMed which sort of say that there are no proven benefits.
Zinc supplementation for the prevention of type 2 diabetes mellitus
Zinc, insulin and diabetes

Apparently it's good to take Zinc with Vit C for cold/illness prevention in any case.

 

[Caroline]

I'm of the school that believes if you have a balanced diet you don't need multi vitamins or supplements.

If you feel you need them and are worried about their reactions to your other medications, it is worth talking to your doctor or local pharmacist and see what they suggest.

 

[Catwoman76]

morning all,

does anyone take zinc supplements? or does anyone have a view on this?

i have read that in certain cases, they can be friends to our poor pancreases.

just wondering if anyone has an angle on the matter.

i have also read that diabetics should consult with their doctors before getting onto any vitamin or mineral supplements because of their possible reactions with the meds. this seems understandable, but still....really?

Hi timbla Yes I take Zinc, I have been taking it for about 6 weeks now. I also take Magnesium and Multivitimins with Iron. I decided to take these because on a Restless Leg Syndrome forum ( which I suffer from, badly) Magnesium and Zinc were recomended, but, as yet, they have had no effect
I am type 1 and eat a well balanced diet, I did inform my doctor afterwards because I keep on trying different things to try and help the RLS, not the Diabetes I'm afraid. Best wishes Sheena

 

[timbla]

thanks all for the input. its so hard knowing what is good advice and what is bad. it doesnt help when u read all the time that everyone's diabetes is different and people react in different ways to diets and regimes and pills and potions. i want to believe that for me a mainly vegetarian diet with some supplements will suffice. i have been trying to do things this way since diagnosis (1 month), but i seem to be hungry all the time and my BGs yoyo like, well a yoyo.

i am a ways yet from nailing it it seems.

eating late at night is clearly not very conducive to this roller-coaster ride. porridge in the morning spikes me bad. the tiniest amount of grapes too. this is indeed a mission.



t

 

[Catwoman76]

thanks all for the input. its so hard knowing what is good advice and what is bad. it doesnt help when u read all the time that everyone's diabetes is different and people react in different ways to diets and regimes and pills and potions. i want to believe that for me a mainly vegetarian diet with some supplements will suffice. i have been trying to do things this way since diagnosis (1 month), but i seem to be hungry all the time and my BGs yoyo like, well a yoyo.

i am a ways yet from nailing it it seems.

eating late at night is clearly not very conducive to this roller-coaster ride. porridge in the morning spikes me bad. the tiniest amount of grapes too. this is indeed a mission.



t

It's not a mission impossible timbla, but it will take time to adjust. People who have had Diabetes for years can still get it wrong. You are probably doing a lot better than you think, it will take time, so don't worry too much.
Take care Sheena

 

[Mark T]

I take a multivitamin (Sanatogen A-Z complete) which it tells me contains 100% of the recommended daily amount of zinc (15mg)

Just out of interest, and I assume the amounts are so negligible that is doesn't really matter. But most vitamins seem to use sugar/glucose/dextrose as bulking agents.

I've tried to avoid those as it's yet another thing to add in and my breakfast limit seems to be about 5g Carb before my BG response shoots up (although, logically maybe I should take Vits at night instead).