Digestive Enzymes: An Unexpected Diabetes Game Changer

sud5nala

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Many thanks to multiple people here, especially @Winnie53, and especially for the enzyme discussion. I had amylase and lipase measured. Amylase is high (~80) while lipase is low (~30). The received wisdom I could find is that the lipase is not too low for effective digestion, that very little is needed. But for up to 3 years now, some fatty foods seem not to digest as well, and sour cream even tastes a tiny bit more sour, it has a faint unpleasant bite. I still eat a lot of sour cream for the texture and the high fat diet, but its flavor isn't too enjoyable anymore. (Cheese and ice cream still are.)

Another evidence of recently impaired fat digestion is that this year, I gave melted coconut oil a try for its nutritionally superior fat types, but every single time, it gave me a stomach ache. That was from sipping 1 to 3 teaspoonfuls. Coconut oil consists predominantly of medium chain triglycerides, which supposedly don't even need to be digested to be absorbed. The book with this advice (I think it was one of cardiologist Stephen Sinatra's) reports that both long chain and short chain triglycerides need to be digested in order to be absorbed (counterintuitive about the short chain TG's).

Among the causes of pancreatic enzyme deficiency is aging. That goes for every new malady that has emerged in the last 3 years! "Old." "Old." "Old." :grumpy:

Interesting, my fasting is usually 85-87, but the postprandial is 140-180.
 

Jo123

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Sorry to ignore the recent posts, but just wanted to say that I have ordered two pots of the B vitamins as used by the OP and will be interested to see if it has similar results with my husband and I, who both have Prediabetes, although with low carbing we now have 'normal' blood sugar readings.
We both low carb and eat moderate amounts of fat in the form of fish, nuts, extra virgin olive oil.

I read the OP at the time but have had a busy couple of weeks so I haven't followed the rest of the thread, which looks quite complex!
 

Winnie53

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@sud5nala I just realized that I haven't responded to you, apologies. Thinking again about your post... :)

@Jo123 yes this thread has gone in a lot of interesting directions. I'm curious as to whether or not you experience any changes. At the time I was also taking 200 mg Alpha Lipoic Acid too, but when I ran out of the B-complex with the digestive enzymes, blood glucose levels went back up. Today I take both. Do you log your blood glucose levels? It would be interesting to compare fasting and 2-hour post meal blood glucose levels before and after the B-complex with digestive enzymes. I took one capsule with breakfast, and one with dinner.

As for the B-complex with digestive enzymes, it took 2 or more weeks before I noticed any changes. A big question in my mind is how do digestive enzymes affect are gut flora? There's so much I need to learn. Hope you see an improvement.

If anything, with the diabetes, we probably all should be on a good quality, B-complex - (I prefer the ones made from whole foods) - to prevent diabetic complications. The digestive enzymes are a bonus.

One of the things I found interesting is that five of the B vitamins, Alpha Lipoic Acid, and other supplements are used to reverse peripheral neuropathy. Some may be able to get all the B vitamins they need from food, but I can't, perhaps because of my family and personal history with inflammatory bowel disease. So it's been a big help for me. :)
 
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Jo123

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@Winnie53 thanks for your reply.

I have stopped monitoring my bg levels as they have been very good recently, in fact I think my tolerance for carbs has increased although this is not something I do often!

I intend to monitor mine and my husbands bg levels before and after we take the supplements.
I will update you with the results.

What I do like about these supplements is that they are from whole food which I think it's much better than synthetic supplements.
 

Winnie53

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@Jo123 I agree. Whole food supplements seem more aligned with our whole foods lifestyle. My blood glucose levels worsened a bit for a while - (it was probably the fresh peaches) - but they're better again. I live for the day when my blood glucose levels are so good I only have to test one day a week, and when I'm concerned I might have spiked my blood glucose by something I ate. I'll get there. :)
 

Jo123

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Well the supplements have arrived!!
I have to be honest and say we haven't tested but I do intend to start to see if I see a pattern, not going to carry on if no effect on my BG.
My husband is taking them to as he had prediabetic BG reading some time ago. Although his last Hba1c was 32 but he low carbs to achieve this.
 
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Jo123

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Well we have been taking them religiously twice a day and our fasting this morning was 5.7 exactly the same for both of us.
We tested as soon as we woke up.
We will continue to test every morning and then when we finish the tablets continue to test to see if the BG readings stay the same.
To be honest I am a little disappointed, I had hoped for a replication of your results Winnie!
But still good results in that they are normal, albeit this used to be the sort of reading we both got when testing regularly. Once we were getting normal readings and hba1c's we had got out of the habit of testing.
But it was definitely worth a try :)
 

Jo123

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And 5.3 this morning, my husband 5.4, so much better! We will carry on monitoring once we finish the tablets.
 

Jo123

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Another 5.3:)

Last morning of the supplements, will continue to monitor my BG and see what happens.
 

Jo123

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Well 24 hours without taking a supplement and my fbg is 4.4, however I took it after I had been up and active for 20 minutes!
 

Jo123

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Well yesterday am 48 hours after stopping 6.4, but I had half a naan bread with dinner, so really to be expected.
 

Winnie53

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@Jo123 apologies, missed most of your posts because I'm working on a huge non-diabetes project right now - (and it's also my Halloween and Christmas decor collecting season).

I didn't note any changes with the digestive enzymes initially. Not sure, but think it took at least two weeks, possibly 4 weeks before I noted a significant change. When I stopped taking the digestive enzymes but continued taking 200 mg alpha lipoic acid, my glucose levels popped back up so I resumed taking the enzymes and glucose levels dropped back down. Additionally, I increased and continued taking 400 mg alpha lipoic acid - (200 mg in morning, again in evening).

The question in my mind is... are the effects of the digestive enzymes temporary? Don't know because as my blood glucose levels improve I add more vegetables, and a limited amount of fruit in the summer, back into my diet which bumps my blood glucose levels back up.

For me the low carb/ketogenic diet with thoughtfully chosen supplements, intermittent fasting, exercise, etc. is a lifestyle, for life. That said, I'm trying to build as much diversity of foods back into my diet as I can a long the way.
 

Deb2021

Newbie
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Hiya. I notice that one of the ingredients in the Garden of Life supplement is cucumber (gourd). I wonder if this could be bitter gourd, a supplement known to lower blood sugar?
 

RAW1tu

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Has anyone had experience with either the research or taking NMN. Some of the information on research tends to be a little complicated. From what I gather the research that I do understand makes sense. The reality that our body and its functions change as we age is inevitable. It becomes a matter better managing the process. The NMN appears that it could be quite helpful to us diabetics.