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Diabetone
- Thread starter jules007
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Leadinglights
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
There have been several discussions about these sort of things and their claims but very little evidence that they actually work.
Probably fine as a vitamin supplement but I wouldn't expect it to do much for lowering blood glucose.
Somebody posted that blueberry extract was helping them. Mostly the reports of success are anecdotal and you don't know whether it is what people have been doing to improve their situation which is mostly responsible.
I have always been sceptical about products like this, but I have been taking Holland and Barretts Blueberry Extract for a completely different reason and my BG are really good and I've not changed anything, my husband who is also diabetic has started taking them and his BG it also better, as for the diabetone i think if its safe to take its with trying.
grovesy
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
They are a vitamin and mineral supplement aimed at Diabetics, they are not cheap they only thing they did for me was to reduce my bank balance.
Martin.A
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
What's the difference between taking blueberry extract and eating actual blueberries, I wonder? Only curious as I have blueberries every day as part of the berry mix that I have with my breakfast.
Blueberry extract is made from concentrated blueberry juice the lady at Holland and Barrett said you would need to eat a lot of Blueberry to achieve the recommended daily dose
harbottle
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
You're better off eating blueberries, not some processed version of it. The pulp of fruit generally contains fibres and other nutrients that are lost (And the fibre is what makes them good for diabetics.)
H&B is a business and it only wants to sell you things that have been processed to 'add value'.
H&B is a business and it only wants to sell you things that have been processed to 'add value'.
well since I am not that keen on Blueberries and the extract works for me i am happy with the unexpected results i got
Martin.A
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
My curiosity got the better of me and I decided to try and find out a bit more. From what I can gather a single capsule is equivalent to 50g of wild blueberries or 100g of cultivated. Since the blueberries I buy at the supermarket are undoubtedly the cultivated variety it seems that the 40g of blueberries in my berry mix is 40% of a capsule, so the lady in H&B is right - 100g is an awful lot but I could manage that spread across the day, if I chose to, but I'd probably be sick of the sight of blueberries after a week.
@harbottle is right about the absence of dietary fibre, though.
I take one three time a day before a meal and its working wonders for me and my hubby
Martin.A
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
This article is from an American site but it's well worth a read and contains multiple references to blueberry extract and diabetes:-
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www.verywellhealth.com
What Is Blueberry Extract?
Loaded with antioxidants like quercetin and anthocyanin, the extracted juice of blueberries may improve mood, boost memory, and lower blood sugar.
harbottle
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
This paper looks at the research that has been done and comes to the conclusion that there's... no conclusion due to the small studies (Mostly on rats) and some studies showing no effects vs some that did and also the fact that the effect may be due to other factors and not the blueberries:
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
More work is required and large scale studies required.
The hypothetical effect is that substances in berries may improve insulin sensitivity due to reducing inflammation in people who are obese and may be useful in treating pre-diabetes.
Blueberries’ Impact on Insulin Resistance and Glucose Intolerance - PMC
Blueberries are a rich source of polyphenols, which include anthocyanin bioactive compounds. Epidemiological evidence indicates that incorporating blueberries into the diet may lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2DM). These findings are ...
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
More work is required and large scale studies required.
The hypothetical effect is that substances in berries may improve insulin sensitivity due to reducing inflammation in people who are obese and may be useful in treating pre-diabetes.
Yes taking it before food has completely stopped spikes I've been in the green range all day this has never happened before also over night my range stays stable and I've never had a reading in the 4 s before taking it.
To be honest even prescribed medication has side effects etc just because the medical profession don't like to admit that taking supplements can also work my husband has terminal lung cancer and was told he had 2 years to live 3 years ago he takes several supplements and the doctors cannot understand why he is doing so well
Martin.A
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Sounds like you have your BG in a good place. One review of blueberry consumption did conclude that they may have a beneficial effect on glucose control in people with diabetes. Sorry to hear about your husband but pleased that he's proved the doctors wrong.
Deb_l
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
- Pronouns
- She/Her
I’m somewhat sceptical and I don’t think the pharmaceutical companies will be too worried just yet.
There is a limit to how much supplemental vitamins the human body can actually absorb before you just finish up with very expensive urine!
There is a limit to how much supplemental vitamins the human body can actually absorb before you just finish up with very expensive urine!
Thank you
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Yes sorry to hear about your husband, but so pleased he is defying gloomy expectations.
And glad you have found the capsules helpful. You’ll have to forgive members’ caution about supplements. It’s a topic that comes up from time to time, and many of these things are marketed with big promises, and not much in the way of strong research evidence to back those up - but we do have some members that take some supplements of different types, and find them helpful.
Diabetes UK do advise caution, and suggest people don’t take ‘natural’ or herbal supplements as a matter of course, but if it is working well for you, then perhaps just keep an eye on things, and check with your Dr or pharmacist if you are unsure?
www.diabetes.org.uk
And glad you have found the capsules helpful. You’ll have to forgive members’ caution about supplements. It’s a topic that comes up from time to time, and many of these things are marketed with big promises, and not much in the way of strong research evidence to back those up - but we do have some members that take some supplements of different types, and find them helpful.
Diabetes UK do advise caution, and suggest people don’t take ‘natural’ or herbal supplements as a matter of course, but if it is working well for you, then perhaps just keep an eye on things, and check with your Dr or pharmacist if you are unsure?
Herbal and food supplements
Many people rely on traditional herbal and complementary remedies, which are said to help with blood glucose control. These remedies can be homemade or bought from local shops, and while they may have benefits, they should not be a substitute for your medications.
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