title: Nutritional supplements and their effect on glucose control.
abstract: Type 2 diabetes is a growing health concern. The use of nutritional supplements by patients with type 2 diabetes is estimated at somewhere between 8% to 49%. The objective of this review was to search the scientific literature for advances in the treatment and prevention of type 2 diabetes with nutritional supplements. Twelve databases were searched with a focus on extracting studies published in the past 3 years. The following nutritional supplements were identified as potentially beneficial for type 2 diabetes treatment or prevention: vitamins C and E, α-lipoic acid, melatonin, red mold, emodin from Aloe vera and Rheum officinale, astragalus, and cassia cinnamon. Beta-carotene was shown to be ineffective in the prevention of type 2 diabetes. Ranging from preclinical to clinical, there is evidence that nutritional supplements may be beneficial in the treatment or prevention of type 2 diabetes. Health providers should investigate drug-nutritional supplement interactions prior to treatment.
authors.affiliation: The Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, 400 Main Street East #210, Milton, ON, L9T 1P7, Canada. tanyalee.nd@gmail.com
authors.forename: Tanya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jean-Jacques
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Dugoua
mesh_terms: D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D005947:Glucose