Supplements free essay sample

HW-205 unit 9 Professor Dengler With so many supplements on the market, it is impossible to know what is best for you. The best strategy is to do research and note any side effects or possible contradictions with any other medication you may be taking. I have chosen to create a supplement for Diabetes. Clearly this is not meant to cure the disease but merely to help to lessen any side effects you may be experiencing from the disease. High levels of glucose over long periods of time can cause a series of problems. Some health problems to watch for include heart disease, kidney disease, digestive problems and ven nerve damage ( NIDDK, 2013). As with any medication, supplements are best taken under the advice of a doctor. Many diabetics may experience difficulties controlling their blood glucose by diet alone. Supplements may be useful to help diabetics maintain a safe blood glucose level. There are many factors that influence blood glucose levels. We will write a custom essay sample on Supplements or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The amount of food you consume and what time you eat can be detrimental to blood sugars. This can also be a positive to taking supplements to help control your sugars. With the different forms of Diabetes, my supplement will be seful to help all forms, whether it is to help regulate blood glucose levels or help to lessen the affects of prescribed diabetes medicines. Insulin whether made by your body or manmade helps to regulate blood glucose levels by moving glucose from your blood into your cells which in turn uses it for energy ( NDDK, 2013). So it makes sense that without insulin to regulate blood glucose, there is no energy. Without insulin we cannot turn sugars into a useable resource therefore sugars would then be stored as fat. This happens when the liver can no longer store sugar because it is ull, when this happens the liver then turns the excess sugars into fatty acids ( Schlenker and Roth, 2007). This is why I chose my first ingredient COQ-IO, our body makes it and it helps to produce energy for cell growth and maintenance. It seems logical that more COQ-IO could help produce the energy we need to maintain a healthy weight and lower the need for insulin. Mosbys Handbook states the Coenzyme QIO is also useful to treat heart disease which is possible if blood glucose levels are not regulated properly. With concurrent use, Co QlOs effectiveness is ecreased and the stores produced by the body may be deple e t d. Since our main purpose is to help keep our body functioning as it should I would have each capsule contain 300 mg. That is the dosage recommended in Mosbys Handbook of Herbs and Natural Supplements. The purpose is not for treating anything but maintaining what we already have. Chromium may also prove to be effective in maintaining glucose levels. Not only does it have properties that make it useful in diabetics but it is also good for weigh loss. Understandably since weight plays a big role in diabetes t is important to maintain a healthy weight. According to Mosbys handbook, chromium has been shown to increase insulin binding to tissue and decrease fasting glucose. Chromium is also aids in moving glucose into the cell to be used as energy and to turn fats, carbohydrates, and proteins into energy. It also increases insulin activity. Since many of the drugs prescribed to treat diabetes may cause weight gain, taking small doses of chromium may counteract that. People taking prescriptions for diabetes have to be particularly careful about their blood glucose levels due to the act that Chromium increases insulin activity which may result in low blood sugar. According to an article in Healthy Living (Dec. 2, 2011),Chromium supports healthy thyroid function. Low thyroid function leads to slower metabolism and therefore increased weight gain. Proper thyroid function is important to turn glucose into energy and help your body to burn off the excess sugar, instead of storing it as fat. Vitamin 8-12 is normally involved in the metabolism of all the cells in the human body. It also affects energy production. Vitamin 8-12 may be effective to help reduce he fatigue that may be present while taking diabetic medications. Without an adequate amount of 8-12 we could also have more damage to the nervous system. Some diabetes medications interfere with the absorbtion of vitamin 8-12, causing a deficiency. Metformin is a common diabetic medication that affects the absorbtion of Vitamin 8-12, says Gretchen Becker of Heath Guide. This is why we need to supplement this Vitamin, to balance out the effets of the prescribed medications and the vitamins necessary for a healthy body. While it seems that all the B vitamins are mportant when it comes to supplementing for Diabetes. I would also include Niacin for its coenzyme role in converting amino acids and glycerol into glucose which oxidizes to be released for energy. It is also useful to help lower LDL-cholesterol and triglyceride levels which may be high if the Diabetic is overweight or has poor eating habits. Cinnamon has been shown to reduce blood sugar levels, triglycerides, LDL (bad) cholesterol, and total cholesterol levels in people with type 2 diabetes. Cinnamon has also been shown to stimulate the insulin receptors by increasing the inding of protein to enzymes which stimulates the production of insulin, leading to increased glucose uptake. Cinnamon may also aid in the slower breakdown of food in the stomach allowing us to feel full longer and for slower absorbtion of carbohydrates. This would also be effective in weight loss. My supplement would include 1 gram of cinnamon bark. Mosbys warns that persons with gastric or intestinal ulcers should not use cinnamon for extended lenths of time. It may have side effects such as, increased heart rate, shortness of breath and hypersensitivity. Because my supplement contains many other ingredients that may alter glucose levels it is important to closely monitor your carbohydrate intake. Another herb included in my supplement would be feverfew. Its purpose is to combat the effects of some prescribed medications wit n headaches as a side ettect. It is said that platelets releasing seratonin may cause migraine headaches and that there is a chemical component in Feverfew that prohibits the release of seratonin, thus lessening the chance for headaches ( Mosbys,2010). While it may be effective in treating headaches here are noted side effects. Dizziness, nausea and abdominal pain may be experienced. Feverfew may also decrease the absorbtion of iron. So supplementing iron may be necessary. I would also add 10 mg of iron to my supplement . 5% of our iron serves as a cofactor in enzyme oxidation that produces energy ( Schlenker and Roth, 2007). So as we can see iron deficiency can affect our glucose levels as well. A dosage of 300-400 mg tid-qid is recommended by Mosbys Handbook. It is also said that vitamin D ,although it is mainly known for calcium absorbtion in bones is also equired for normal secretion of insulin from the beta cells of the pancreas ( Schlenker and Roth, 2010). This may be especially true in the winter months, when exposure to the sun is at a low. Since Vitamin D is often fortified in milk and cereals and the A1 is 5 mcg it may seem unneccesary to supplement it. However, taking age, diet and exposure to sunlight into consideration it may be necessary, especially if you are diabetic. With the upper limit set at 50 mcg, I believe we could safely add 10 mcg of Vitamin D to the supplement to increase the benefit of keeping the insulin secretion withing normal range. Vitamin C could also be useful with diabetics. Since it is an antioxidant, it is very important to those with weakened immune systems. Diseases, such as diabetes takes a toll on the body, leaving it in weakened state, therefore more susceptible to illness. By adding 50 mg, I believe this leaves room for those who take in Vitamin C through food sources and keeps us well below the toxic levels. If we are Vitamin D deficient then we may not be absorbing enough calcium. Calcium is also crucial to activate cell enzymes that release energy for muscle contractions ( Schlenker and Roth, 2010). They also play a role in an enzyme that helps to digest fats. So it seems that not enough calcium can cause fat to be stored in our body, causing unhealthy weight gain and possibly leading to diabetes. Because diabetes can affect the nervous system, a lack of calcium can also contribute to nerve failures. My supplement would also include 500 mg of Calcium. Too much calcium can affect your ability to absorb other minerals. So as I was researching I discovered that just adding 5 ingredients to a supplement was difficult. It is amazing how one vitamin, mineral and even herb has an effect on each other. It was actually quite difficult to also see the contradiction as well as the side effects. So my supplement will include Co-QIO at 300 mg, Chromium at 200mcg, Vitamin 8-12 at 2. 4 mcg, Cinnamon at2g, Feverfew at 300 mg, Iron at 10 mg, 10 mcg od Vitamin D, 50 mg Vitamin C, and 500 mg Calcium. All of my quantities were either below the RD or on the lower end of it to take into consideration any contradictions , as well as quantities they may consume through food sources. As with any supplement, it is recommended that you seek the advice of your physician to learn of any possible nteractions with medications you may already be taking for Diabetes. As stated, many of the ingredients listed perform the same role as insulin and therefore extreme caution should be taken. Whenever taking a supplement, each ingredient should be noted as well as any possible side effects. Many times for diseases it is Just as important to treat the symptoms, as well as the disease. This supplement is not a cure and should be taken under adult supervision I . tis meant to be taken once a day and is in capsule form. Any adverse reactions should be brought to the attention of your doctor.