Type 2 Type 2 and Multivitamins

[Mscmhs1]

Hey everyone.

I’m still new to all this diabetes stuff (diagnosed with type 2 in March this year) and I find the masses of (sometimes conflicting) information a real minefield.

And I seem to be spending money like no ones business.

I’ve bought the True Metrix Air and testing strips but as it’s fairly a recent thing, I’ve not yet established best practice and any patterns and trends.

I’ve also bought several books to better educate myself about how I might potentially manage my glucose levels effectively but again, I find them often confusing or as if they are intended to scare!

Anyway, I was wondering if there are particular multivitamins people recommend. The reason I ask is because I saw one today in Holland and Barrett (UK) aimed specifically at diabetics. However, when I compared the ‘ingredients’ they were very similar to standard brands with perhaps slightly more amounts of a few things. So I didn’t buy the diabetic-specific one and instead bought their Super One Formula (which was half the price) and the ingredients of those are as in the pic.

What’s the consensus amongst people? Do multivitamins support glucose regulation sufficiently? If so, are some better than others?
Would love to hear your thoughts.

Thanks

 

[DCUKMod]

Hey everyone.

I’m still new to all this diabetes stuff (diagnosed with type 2 in March this year) and I find the masses of (sometimes conflicting) information a real minefield.

And I seem to be spending money like no ones business.

I’ve bought the True Metrix Air and testing strips but as it’s fairly a recent thing, I’ve not yet established best practice and any patterns and trends.

I’ve also bought several books to better educate myself about how I might potentially manage my glucose levels effectively but again, I find them often confusing or as if they are intended to scare!

Anyway, I was wondering if there are particular multivitamins people recommend. The reason I ask is because I saw one today in Holland and Barrett (UK) aimed specifically at diabetics. However, when I compared the ‘ingredients’ they were very similar to standard brands with perhaps slightly more amounts of a few things. So I didn’t buy the diabetic-specific one and instead bought their Super One Formula (which was half the price) and the ingredients of those are as in the pic.

What’s the consensus amongst people? Do multivitamins support glucose regulation sufficiently? If so, are some better than others?
Would love to hear your thoughts.

Thanks

To be candid, I'm not a great fan of a scatter gun approach of multi-vitamins, and will only really add a supplement if testing informs me I need something, then I will take a specific item.

The image you have posted looks like it's trying to deliver a little of everything, but, in my view, it is a little of everything. If I were taking that, I wouldn't be confident I would be making any material difference to my health or addressing any deficiency, unless it was very minor. (Just as an example, I take 4000iu Vitamin D3, along with 250mcg K2 (the K2 helps with the uptake). I've also been taking 1000mg Vitamin C during COVID. If one overdoses on Vit C, our body just wees it out, so that's a low risk addition.

If your GP has done a broad spectrum blood panel, you should have some vitamin and mineral data on there.

Don't panic. We're in this for the long haul. My guidance to you would be to work on data, not on guesswork.

 

[VashtiB]

Hello and welcome,

It is great that you have a meter and after a while you should find some patterns.

I agree with @DCUKMod that it is probably worthwhile getting some tests to work out what if any vitamin deficiencies you have. My recent tests showed I was lacking in sodium- never thought I'd hear my doctor advising more salt- goes well with pork crackling.

My doctor orders these tests with every HbA1c and so far apart from the sodium and vitamin D I have been fine.

Good luck.

 

[Tophat1900]

I don't take multi vitamins... I do take a b-complex and I only take select vits/mins based on deficiency results. My opinion of multi vits is they are not worth the money. Some things in them clash and others listed are often found to not exist when tested and it seems to be a popular thing to add herbs and other ingredients that may be a problem if you take blood glucose lowering agents.

 

[JoKalsbeek]

Hey everyone.

I’m still new to all this diabetes stuff (diagnosed with type 2 in March this year) and I find the masses of (sometimes conflicting) information a real minefield.

And I seem to be spending money like no ones business.

I’ve bought the True Metrix Air and testing strips but as it’s fairly a recent thing, I’ve not yet established best practice and any patterns and trends.

I’ve also bought several books to better educate myself about how I might potentially manage my glucose levels effectively but again, I find them often confusing or as if they are intended to scare!

Anyway, I was wondering if there are particular multivitamins people recommend. The reason I ask is because I saw one today in Holland and Barrett (UK) aimed specifically at diabetics. However, when I compared the ‘ingredients’ they were very similar to standard brands with perhaps slightly more amounts of a few things. So I didn’t buy the diabetic-specific one and instead bought their Super One Formula (which was half the price) and the ingredients of those are as in the pic.

What’s the consensus amongst people? Do multivitamins support glucose regulation sufficiently? If so, are some better than others?
Would love to hear your thoughts.

Thanks

If you take metformin, you could become deficient in Vitamin B12, (it inhibits the uptake), and practically everyone in the western world needs to supplement vit d.... For me, I also take electrolytes (a complex) and call it good. But that's what *I* need. You have to figure out what *your* needs are. I'm a big H&B fan and I have just about everything in stock, but I don't take that stuff all the time. D-Mannose only when I have a bladder infection for instance. Or I give my husband extra magnesium when his legs cramp in the night. So I take what is needed, not a whole bunch of stuff extra. Basically, you should be able to get everything you need from the food you eat. And if for some reason you can't, like with the metformin knocking out the B12 absorption, well... Then it's called for. Checking your full blood panel results may be helpful in this. And keep in mind, it's usually better to get the vits and mins through food rather than through a capsule or pill. (I eat enormous amounts of salmon these days for the D). I don't quite believe it'll make one iota of difference in T2 management; diet or medication'd do that. But there's no harm in getting an idea of what you might need to add into your diet or supplements.

 

[TeddyTottie]

I do take a general multivit, I started when I was first diagnosed and learning about how to ‘do’ LCHF, and also generally suffering from nausea and low appetite from the metformin. I figured it would provide a bit of a baseline while I was working out how to eat, and actually eating very little for those first 3 months.

I’m much more settled on LCHF now and eat very well, but I have the multivitamins so I still take them. Also specific B12, but I’ve stopped metformin now so I won’t buy more of those once I’ve finished the last few.

I have suffered some hair loss, presumably from rapid weight loss, but I am about to have a blood test for that so yes, I also agree with everyone else that specific issues should be treated with targeted supplements.