Vitamin C linked to reduced glucose levels in type 2 diabetes

[DCUK NewsBot]

Vitamin C supplementation is associated with improved blood glucose levels in people with type 2 diabetes, research suggests. A small Australian study, published in the journal Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, reports that people with type 2 diabetes who took a vitamin C tablet two times a day reduced their blood glucose spikes after meals by 36%. The Deakin University research revealed people who took the vitamin C supplements spent almost three hours less a day with high blood glucose levels. A total of 31 participants took part in the study, comprising 26 men and five women, all of whom had type 2 diabetes. They were spilt into two groups. One group was not given vitamin C, while the second group was given two 500mg doses daily, equivalent to approximately 10 times the intake considered to be normal. Both groups ate standardised meals and were monitored with continuous glucose monitors over a four-month period. "We found that participants had a significant 36% drop in blood sugar spike after meals. This also meant that they spent almost three hours less per day living in a state of hyperglycemia. This is extremely positive news as hyperglycemia is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease in people living with type 2 diabetes," said associate professor Glenn Wadley, who led the study. The participants who took vitamin C also had lower blood pressure, the results revealed. Prof Wadley added: "Vitamin C's antioxidant properties can help counteract the high levels of free radicals found in people with diabetes, and it's encouraging to see this benefits a number of the disease's common comorbidities, such as high blood pressure. "For people living with type 2 diabetes, vitamin C could be a potentially cheap, convenient and effective additional therapy, used in addition to their usual anti-diabetic treatments. Study participants with hypertension also had their blood pressure levels drop while taking the vitamin C tablets." The findings indicate that vitamin C provides significant health benefit, but as the researchers say, the significance is that vitamin C is used as an "effective additional therapy", such as a healthy diet. For many people, eating a real-food diet such as that recommended on our award-winning Low Carb Program can help people lose weight, reduce their blood glucose levels and even put type 2 diabetes into remission.

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[HSSS]

Got to be worth a go. Anyone know any negatives to vit c supplements (will do some research later when I have some time)

 

[PenguinMum]

Thats very interesting. Having just had the worst, most prolonged cold for decades I wonder if I am missing vit C from all the clementines I used to consume. I know I can get it from brocolli but I always ate the amount of brocolli I do now so I still have a shortfall. Maybe its now worth supplementing a slow release vit C, cant do any harm, can it?

 

[Brunneria]

Got to be worth a go. Anyone know any negatives to vit c supplements (will do some research later when I have some time)

I was quite surprised, when I was looking into Vit C a while back to read up on the differences and different effects on the body that the synthetic ascorbic acids and the natural source vit cs have. Also the knock on effects on other vitamins, that very high doses of one vitamin can have on another.

For instance, B12 and folate should be in balance. If one is too high, the other tends to drop, and vice versa.
As far as I can remember, Vit C and Vit K have a similar relationship - and there is increasing evidence that Vit K plays a very important part in regulating calcium deposits in the body, and therefore controlling/preventing calcification of arteries.

In addition, Vitamin C impacts iron absorption and interacts with E and copper.

I am afraid that I don't remember all the details on vit C, but I know that my takeaway message from the reading I did was that huge synthetic doses of vit C were not a good idea, and I decided to go for the much gentler and more expensive option of natural source Vit C.

A quick google search threw this up. I cannot vouch for the source, but it does show that there are surprising and complex relationships between various nutrients.
https://www.deannaminich.com/vitami...-complex-relationship-of-essential-nutrients/

 

[PenguinMum]

@Brunneria when you say “a much gentler and more expensive option of natural source Vit C “ do you mean whole fruit?

 

[Brunneria]

@Brunneria when you say “a much gentler and more expensive option of natural source Vit C “ do you mean whole fruit?

Whole fruit are (sadly) too high in carbs for me, and I really didn't want to annoy my gut with daily fruit in the form of berries. So I ransacked Amazon and came up with a brand called Pukka that offer plant derived vit c in much smaller doses than the mega doses that synthetic C come in. I am sure there are other brands out there that do the same, but I have been pleased with these, and have repurchased several times.

They do, of course, have carbs in the capsules, because the contents are dried fruit, but since each capsule is just a gram or so in weight, I don't count it in my carbs for the day.

 

[Tophat1900]

It's old new really. Here is the same thing done back in 2007 - same dose, 1000mg. The study below lacks the details, but same outcome, which isn't surprising.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18160753

Now to this study. I have skimmed through it and will read it better when I get a chance, but here's my take on the 36% reduction claim.

27 people completed the study. BG Data was collected over the first 48 hrs by cgm, they took an average of each 24hr period and applied that number to subsequent analysis for the remaining 4 months. During the first 48hr period, diet was controlled. Standard diet 55% carb, 25% fat and 20% protein. All meals were provided during the 48hrs. Glucose numbers were recorded before meals and bed only. No post meal results were collected apparently..

After the 48hrs was up, diet was self reported and glucose monitoring was only done before meals and bed, so 4 times a day, no levels were recorded post meal. I believe that s what was done.

This in my opinion keeps numbers lower then what they might have been had they of collected post meal levels. I think that helps the study achieve a 36% reduction by not collecting that information.

What I thought was interesting. Was for those taking the vitc supplement - Hba1c was 7.7 at the start and 4 months later 7.6... what? A 36% reduction and no reduction in hba1c?

Fasting glucose was 9 before and 8.7 at the end, hardly worth mentioning.

Insulin was 9.4 before and 9.2 at the end. No change really.

I'm having a hard time seeing how a 36% reduction is really accurate when nothing has changed.

Here is the study done at Deakin Uni, for those that want to read it.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/dom.13571

 

[PenguinMum]

@Brunneria thanks for explaining and I have subscribed to the same ones on Amazon because I really feel they will benefit me.

 

[Dark Horse]

glucose monitoring was only done before meals and bed, so 4 times a day, no levels were recorded post meal.

From the link you gave, it says that CGM was used and that they measured postprandial glucose incremental areas under the curve. Postprandial means 'after eating' so the it seems that the glucose was measured after meals.

 

[Freema]

Vitamin C supplementation is associated with improved blood glucose levels in people with type 2 diabetes, research suggests. A small Australian study, published in the journal Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, reports that people with type 2 diabetes who took a vitamin C tablet two times a day reduced their blood glucose spikes after meals by 36%. The Deakin University research revealed people who took the vitamin C supplements spent almost three hours less a day with high blood glucose levels. A total of 31 participants took part in the study, comprising 26 men and five women, all of whom had type 2 diabetes. They were spilt into two groups. One group was not given vitamin C, while the second group was given two 500mg doses daily, equivalent to approximately 10 times the intake considered to be normal. Both groups ate standardised meals and were monitored with continuous glucose monitors over a four-month period. "We found that participants had a significant 36% drop in blood sugar spike after meals. This also meant that they spent almost three hours less per day living in a state of hyperglycemia. This is extremely positive news as hyperglycemia is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease in people living with type 2 diabetes," said associate professor Glenn Wadley, who led the study. The participants who took vitamin C also had lower blood pressure, the results revealed. Prof Wadley added: "Vitamin C's antioxidant properties can help counteract the high levels of free radicals found in people with diabetes, and it's encouraging to see this benefits a number of the disease's common comorbidities, such as high blood pressure. "For people living with type 2 diabetes, vitamin C could be a potentially cheap, convenient and effective additional therapy, used in addition to their usual anti-diabetic treatments. Study participants with hypertension also had their blood pressure levels drop while taking the vitamin C tablets." The findings indicate that vitamin C provides significant health benefit, but as the researchers say, the significance is that vitamin C is used as an "effective additional therapy", such as a healthy diet. For many people, eating a real-food diet such as that recommended on our award-winning Low Carb Program can help people lose weight, reduce their blood glucose levels and even put type 2 diabetes into remission.

Continue reading...

Wow