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Alternative medicine
By Mayo Clinic staffNumerous substances have been shown in some studies to improve insulin sensitivity, yet other studies have failed to find any benefit for blood sugar control or in lowering A1C levels. Because of the conflicting findings, no alternative therapies are currently recommended for diabetes control. Some of the substances that have shown promise in helping to control blood sugar include:
- Alpha-lipoic acid
- Caffeine
- Cinnamon
- Chromium
- Flaxseed
- Ginseng
- Glucomannan
- Guar gum
- Magnesium
If you decide that you'd like to try an alternative therapy, don't stop taking the medications that your doctor has prescribed, and discuss the use of any of these therapies with your doctor to be sure that they won't cause adverse reactions with your current therapy.
Additionally, there are no treatments — alternative or conventional — that can cure diabetes, so it's critical that people who are on insulin therapy for diabetes don't stop using insulin unless directed to do so by their physician.
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- Standards of medical care in diabetes — 2011. Diabetes Care. 2011;34(suppl):1.
- Diabetes overview. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/overview/DiabetesOverview.pdf. Accessed Nov. 19, 2010.
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- Am I at risk for type 2 diabetes? National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/riskfortype2/. Accessed Nov. 30, 2010.
- Diabetes and pregnancy. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp051.cfm?printerFriendly=yes. Accessed Dec. 2, 2010.
- Diagnosis and management of type 2 diabetes mellitus in adults. Bloomington, Minn.: Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement. http://www.icsi.org/diabetes_mellitus__type_2/management_of_type_2_diabetes_mellitus__9.html. Accessed Nov. 19, 2010.
- Burrows NR, et al. Incidence of treatment for end-stage renal disease among individuals with diabetes in the U.S. continues to decline. Diabetes Care. 2010;33:73.
- Zhang X, et al. Prevalence of diabetic retinopathy in the United States, 2005-2008. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2010;304:649.
- Matsuzaki T, et al. Insulin resistance is associated with the pathology of Alzheimer disease. Neurology. 2010;75:764.
- Giovanucci E, et al. Diabetes and cancer: A consensus report. CA: A Journal for Cancer Clinicians. 2010;60:1.
- Gestational diabetes. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. http://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/gestational_diabetes.cfm. Accessed Dec. 2, 2010.
- Stoner GD. Hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state. American Family Physician. 2005;71:1723.
- Church TS, et al. Effects of aerobic and resistance training on hemoglobin A1c levels in patients with type 2 diabetes. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2010;304:2253.
- McCulloch DK. Overview of medical care in adults with diabetes mellitus. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 19, 2010.
- Natural Medicines in the Clinical Management of Diabetes. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. http://www.naturaldatabase.com. Accessed Dec. 2, 2010.
- Standards of medical care in diabetes — 2011. Diabetes Care. 2011;34(suppl):1.
- Health care guideline: Routine prenatal Care. Bloomington, Minn.: Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement. 2010. http://www.icsi.org/prenatal_care_4/prenatal_care__routine__full_version__2.htm. Accessed Feb. 1, 2011.
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Practice Bulletin. Clinical management guidelines for obstetrician-gynecologists. Number 30, September 2001 (replaces Technical Bulletin Number 200, December 1994). Gestational diabetes. Obstetrics and gynecology. 2001;98:525.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, et al. Use of hepatitis B vaccine for adults with diabetes mellitus: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). MMWR Recommendations and Reports. 2011:60;1709.
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