Atkins Diabetes Revolution (38 page)

Magnesium

Many people with diabetes have low levels of this important trace mineral, even when they get adequate amounts from their food. Similarly, people who have low magnesium levels, even though they’re eating a normally adequate amount, have a high likelihood of getting diabetes—in fact, low magnesium levels are considered a strong independent predictor of diabetes.
28
Magnesium is also a very important mineral for heart health (see Chapter 21 for more information).

Because magnesium plays an important part in the complex chemical processes that regulate your insulin and blood sugar sensitivity, having low levels of it could make high blood sugar and insulin resistance worse. But does bringing your magnesium level up to normal help? In the case of high blood sugar, maybe—the studies are inconclusive. Some say yes; others say no. In the case of insulin resistance, however, the evidence for magnesium is a little stronger.
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There’s also some evidence that improving your magnesium levels could help prevent some complications of diabetes, particularly kidney disease, retinopathy, and neuropathy.
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When you eat plenty of nuts, as you do when you follow the ABSCP, you get a lot of dietary magnesium, but the amount may not be suf- ficient to raise your magnesium level if you have Type 2 diabetes. Although it can be hard to find,Dr.Atkins preferred to use the supplement magnesium orotate because it contains a small dose of elemental magnesium that is absorbed very well. It is also less likely to cause gastrointestinal side effects. However, many vitamin stores and natural foods stores don’t carry this form of magnesium.Magnesium citrate,magnesium gluconate,and magnesium taurate are more easily found.

Some magnesium supplements can cause diarrhea and, in some cases, low blood pressure. Start with a small amount and gradually increase to no more than 350 mg a day of elemental magnesium in divided doses. If you have kidney disease, magnesium supplementation may not be appropriate. Do not take magnesium supplements before discussing it first with your doctor.

Calcium

You probably already know that calcium is crucial for maintaining strong bones, but you may not know that this mineral also stimulates your pancreas to produce insulin. Again, it’s a complex process—too involved to discuss here—but having optimal levels of calcium in your diet helps the process run smoothly. When supplementing with calcium,you should be sure to maintain the proper balance of magnesium and phosphorus.

If you take the drug metformin (Glucophage) to help treat insulin resistance,you may need to take calcium supplements.Metformin can decrease the absorption of folic acid and vitamin B
₁₂
. Supplementing with 1,200 mg a day of calcium can counteract this problem.
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The DRI for calcium is 1,000 mg for adults between the ages of 19 and 50, and 1,200 mg for older individuals.
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But for all the reasons mentioned earlier, you probably need to take in at least 1,200 mg. As a bonus,the level of calcium in your diet from dairy sources may also help with weight loss.
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Although the cheese,nuts,and green leafy vegetables you’ll be eating as part of the ABSCP will give you plenty of dietary calcium, food alone may not be enough to provide this therapeutic level. Dr. Atkins recommended calcium supplements to virtually all his patients.Keep your total calcium intake from food and supplements to no more than 2,000 mg daily.You can’t absorb any more than that,and,al- though it’s very rare, taking more than 2,000 mg a day for a long time could actually cause an overload of calcium in your bloodstream.

Zinc

For reasons researchers don’t understand yet, people with Type 2 diabetes tend to have very low levels of the trace mineral zinc.Because zinc is needed to make a variety of antioxidant enzymes in your body, and because people with the metabolic syndrome, prediabetes, and diabetes usually have high levels of oxidative stress, you need to have plenty of available zinc.
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Zinc is also needed to help your pancreas manufacture insulin and to help insulin transport glucose into your cells.
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Aside from oysters, which are very high in zinc, zinc isn’t very abundant in food; it’s also hard to absorb zinc from food. If you’re low on zinc, it’s difficult to raise your level through diet alone—supplements are almost always needed. Generally recommended is a dose ranging from 30 mg to 50 mg daily.It is common for zinc to be found in blood sugar formulations. For an individual with severe diabetes, Dr. Atkins would add additional supplementation of up to 100 mg per day.

Iron

A hereditary disorder of iron metabolism called hemochromatosis can cause Type 2 diabetes in anywhere from 50 percent to 80 percent of people with the problem. What happens is that high levels of iron accumulate in the pancreas (and other parts of the body) and damage the beta cells that produce insulin. Some recent research suggests that high iron levels play a role in diabetes, even among people who don’t have hemochromatosis. But it’s too soon to say exactly what that means.
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,
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In the meantime,just to be on the safe side,we suggest that you choose a daily multivitamin/mineral supplement that doesn’t contain iron. (Of course, if you have iron-deficiency anemia or are pregnant, follow your doctor’s instructions about iron supplements.)

Coenzyme Q
₁₀

Also known as CoQ
₁₀
or ubiquinone, this substance is produced by your body and plays a vital part in producing energy for the tiny mitochondria found in all your cells. If these little power plants don’t work properly, one of the consequences can be insulin resistance. We know from a recent study in Australia that CoQ
₁₀
supplements can help improve blood pressure and blood sugar control in people with Type 2 diabetes.
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Dr. Atkins usually prescribed a minimum dose of 100 mg daily, taken three times a day. (For important information on the role of CoQ
₁₀
in heart health, see Chapter 21.)

AMINO ACIDS

As we discussed in Chapter 13, amino acids are the building blocks for the thousands of proteins your body needs to function properly.A few of those amino acids are particularly important for the proteins that control insulin production and sensitivity. An interesting study in 2003 showed that amino acids can stimulate the pancreas to produce more insulin, even in people who have diminished insulin production as a result of having had Type 2 diabetes for a long time.
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The research on how amino acids can help blood sugar is evolving.
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Dr. Atkins recommended the amino acid carnitine for many of his patients. You need carnitine to transport fats into the mitochondria so they can be burned for energy. The more carnitine you have, the more efficient that transport will be—and if you take carnitine supplements, you may burn fat a little faster.
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For people with diabetes, carnitine can be useful for more than weight loss. The results of a study in Italy in 1999 showed that it can help improve insulin sensitivity as well.
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Typical daily dosages range from 1,500 mg to 3,000 mg.

Important note:
Valuable as amino acids can be, you should not try them on your own. Health care professionals differ in their opinions on the use of individual amino acids for therapeutic effect. Work with a nutritionally oriented physician to discuss what’s best for you and to monitor your progress.

HERBS FOR BLOOD SUGAR

A number of herbs have been recommended for helping control blood sugar, such as fenugreek, cinnamon, garlic, turmeric, gymnema sylvestre (a plant from India), and banaba (a plant from the Philip- pines).Dr.Atkins did not recommend using herbs as your primary therapy for diabetes; however, they can be useful to enhance the effect of other blood-sugar-supporting nutrients and are often included in blood-sugar-regulating supplement formulations.

For ease in designing your supplement regimen, Atkins Nutritionals makes supplements that support the needs of those with blood sugar imbalances and also addresses cardiovascular health. Turn to page 247 for the formulation of Atkins Basic 3 and to page 267 for the Essential Oils Formula, to give you an idea of the ingredients and dosages of these two basic supplements. For information on specialized formulations,go to www.atkins.com/shop/supplements.Many of the dietary supplements discussed here in the context of blood sugar can also help your blood pressure and blood lipids. The next chapter explains how.

WHAT IS YOUR SUPPLEMENTS IQ?

How well do you know your supplements for blood sugar? Take this quiz to find out.

1. Vitamin C is:

1. an important antioxidant
   True
   False
   
2. often low in people with diabetes
   True
   False
   
3. found only in citrus fruits
   True
   False
   

2. Vitamin E is found in:

1. fish
   
2. red meat and poultry
   
3. fruit
   
4. nuts and seeds
   

3. Lipoic acid is helpful for treating:

1. headaches
   
2. diabetic neuropathy
   
3. kidney disease
   
4. high blood pressure
   

4. People with prediabetes and diabetes often have:

1. low magnesium levels
   
2. normal magnesium levels
   
3. high magnesium levels
   
4. excessive magnesium levels
   

5. Which foods are good dietary sources of calcium?

1. dark green leafy vegetables
   
2. tofu (bean curd)
   
3. dairy products
   
4. nuts
   
5. all of the above
   

Answers

c,False.2.d.3.b.4.a.5.e. b,True;1.a,True;

Chapter 21

GETTING EXTRA HELP: SUPPLEMENTS FOR HEART HEALTH

For people on the path to diabetes, there are two equally frightening endpoints to try to avoid at all costs: full-blown diabetes, with complications such as blindness or amputation, and deadly heart disease. We’ve just reviewed in detail the extra help you can get from nutritional supplements that may give you the edge you need in controlling your blood sugar. Now let’s look at supplements that can improve your heart health.

Most of these supplements are the same ones Dr. Atkins recommended for helping to balance your blood sugar. Remember, these are recommended in addition to a good-quality, iron-free multivitamin/mineral supplement. The combination can help you lower your blood pressure and improve your blood lipids—the two vital steps in improving your heart health.

We suggest that when planning a supplement program for improving your risk factors for heart disease, you work with a nutritionally oriented physician who understands and supports the application of the Atkins Blood Sugar Control Program (ABSCP).He or she will help you to decide which supplements—and dosages—are best for you. If you take medications, this is particularly important because certain supplements can react with or magnify the effects of certain drugs.

Important note:
By making diet and lifestyle changes and adding supplements, you may be able to cut back on or even discontinue medications for high blood pressure and abnormal blood lipids.Some supplements could have an effect on medications you may be taking for other conditions. Before taking these or any supplements, discuss them with your doctor and plan ahead about how you will reduce or change your medications as your blood pressure and other values improve. As one example of many, Dorothy W. (see page 89), who had hypertension as a result of her underlying metabolic imbalance, was able to taper down to only a small dose of blood pressure medication once she made the lifestyle changes that are part of the ABSCP.

ANTIOXIDANTS FOR HEART HEALTH

For people who are at risk of heart disease—which includes anyone with the metabolic syndrome, prediabetes, or diabetes—Dr. Atkins recommended supplementing with several important antioxidant vitamins and minerals as well as some other nutrients. (Review Chapter 20 for an introduction to antioxidants.) Here are the supplements and dosages he recommended for boosting heart health.

Vitamin C

High levels of vitamin C help keep your blood vessels relaxed so that blood flows smoothly through them. And if you have the high blood pressure that usually accompanies blood sugar abnormalities, extra vitamin C can help bring it down.
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The usual dosage is 1,000 mg to 2,000 mg a day in divided doses.

Vitamin E

The most valuable use of vitamin E for people with blood sugar abnormalities and diabetes may be in helping to protect your LDL cholesterol from oxidization by free radicals. According to one study, the large, buoyant LDL particles received more protection from oxidative stress than did the small dense, more dangerous LDL particles.
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Remember, when an individual follows the Atkins approach, both HDL and LDL particle size shifts to predominantly larger, more buoyant particles.
3
,
4
What all of this means is that it may decrease your tendency toward clogged arteries. Vitamin E makes your blood less “sticky,”which helps prevent clots that cause heart attacks.
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Dr.Atkins generally suggested 400 IU to 800 IU daily.