Hypo question

[Laurence]

Diagnosed t2 a couple of years ago take atorvastatin, aspirin, metformin 1 od, and vitamin D. I read in the Times that vitamin D was proving to be an asset to diabetics as it helps the insulin use up the blood glucose better.
My annual check up in April showed that my general reading had dropped from 6.7 to 6.6, my weight has dropped a little. I have since April started exercising far more (I now walk at least 45 minutes every day) and watch my diet as best I can. I do not do the low carbs diet, just watch the sugar intake.
Today whilst cleaning the car I suddenly felt really dizzy (4 hours after breakfast) I took my blood sugar and initially it came up as LO (see your doctor and do what he recommends) 2nd time immediately after that it read 1.8., I had a cup of hot chocolate, a couple of biscuits and a banana and felt better then, blood came back to 4.5.
For the past month or so my blood readings have never been above 5 and I am wondering whether it is the vitamin D, the exercising or diet has really altered the levels.
What is your opinion on stopping the metformin? I am wondering if I need it now with the levels being so low whether they would stay that way with just the exercise, diet and the all important Vit D.

 

[sugarless sue]

Do you have a link to this Times article?

 

[kewgirl]

The vitamin D link is very interesting only because we have a new Registrar who joined our Diabetes Team at the local hospital and he has as one of his major interests within Diabetes the effect of Vitamin D on both Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetics.

Now all people with diabetes attending the clinic will have Vitamin D blood levels taken with their review blood tests as a baseline before he is deciding what research to conduct (!) or if he can make any conclusions just from the blood results. :idea:

“Accumulating evidence suggests that serum Vitamin D levels may be inversely related to the prevalence of diabetes, to the concentration of glucose, insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome.”
http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00320853

“Several clinical intervention studies also support that vitamin D, or its active metabolite 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D), improves insulin sensitivity, even in subjects with glucose metabolism parameters classified within normal ranges”
http://journals.cambridge.org/action/di ... id=5877664

The original Times article was short and compact:
Super-vitamin
“Vitamin D is rapidly taking over from vitamin C as the nutrient of the moment. After strong studies indicating its importance in preventing cancer, osteoporosis and heart disease, a new review from Loyola University Chicago this week also points to a role in preventing diabetes, or at least delaying its onset. There is evidence that the vitamin helps to determine how sensitive we are to insulin and how much of the hormone we secrete.
But getting enough vitamin D may not be a simple matter of taking tablets. A good diet is important and sunlight is a key source (it prompts the skin to manufacture the nutrient), but overexposure to ultraviolet light holds obvious skin cancer risks. Joanne Kouba, the study's author, says a combination of all three may be the key.”
http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life ... 525212.ece

Further details of Joanne Kouba’s study can be read on:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20 ... 121821.htm

best wishes

Tx

 

[ChocFish]

Thank you kewgirl, I shall have to pass this on to some of the members in my self-help group, very useful that is.

All the best

Karen