Which Supplements/Vitamins Would You Say Really Help?

[Vanch]

I'm a 25 year old male, with type 1 Diabetes. I've had it since I was 9 years old. I use Apidra & Lantus as my insulin types, taking Lantus once a day at 12am and the Apidra usually whenever I eat.

I am massively into fitness/bodybuilding and have been working out in the gym for around 10 years now. I started working out to begin with in order to help control my blood sugar levels, although after a short while it became a lifelong hobby.

My problem is, I know I have the mindset to perform much better in the gym and with fitness in general, although it feels as though my diabetes is really holding me back. I can't quite explain it, although there is always the feeling in the back of my mind of "I could be doing SO much better if I wasn't diabetic" which really puts a downer on most physical activites I do. It's a shame because I love physical activity, and the competitiveness of it at times but the physical part of me is hindering the mental part... Mentally I'm lightyears ahead of where I am physically, and I just wish the physical part of me could catch up. Hopefully that's easy to understand haha.

I spend quite a bit of money every month on fitness related supplements to help me out in the gym etc. I have now made a decision to cut back on THAT type of supplement, and instead look for something which can help me to manage my diabetes more efficiently and in turn hopefully help me out in my various physical activities. I feel that if my diabetes was managed better I would be able to feel better when working out etc. Not that supplements are going to be the be all & end all to my diabetes management, but ANYTHING that can help would be great.


Anyway... Which supplements/vitamins/minerals would you say are the most important/effective in terms of helping manage type 1 Diabetes? I read the following page (http://www.diabetes.co.uk/vitamins-supplements.html) although there are so many there I found it hard to actually decide WHICH supplements would be the best to buy, as I can't really afford to purchase them all. I also felt I had better get some opinions first, before just deciding on a select few, incase there are others which would benefit me more.


Sorry for the lengthy first post, although anybody who has read this far I genuinely appreciate it.


Thanks in advance for any help/advice given!

 

[noblehead]

Anyway... Which supplements/vitamins/minerals would you say are the most important/effective in terms of helping manage type 1 Diabetes?

I don't believe there are any vitamins or minerals that help manage type 1 diabetes Vanch, a good healthy diet should provide you with all you need unless you were diagnosed in suffering from a deficiency.

Taking vitamins unnecessarily is a waste of money IMHO and can sometimes be harmful, that said I've taken Cod Liver Oil for the last 20+years after a surgeon told me it would prevent arthritis developing in my broken foot, so far I've not had any signs of arthritis but that could just be a coincidence.

Try looking on the website Runsweet for advice on fitness & bodybuilding, it's there for people like us who have type 1 diabetes and is really helpful !

 

[RichardJ]

Where abouts do you try and run your levels at will exercising?
I've found if i run mine too high/low while exercising then i don't perform at 100%.

Its all personal choice if you want to take supplements/vitamins/minerals and which ones you take due to your reason for exercising.
I'm close to finding a good choice of supplements to support me while running, but yet to find a good supplement for when i go back to weights.

Echoing noblehead Runsweet is very good for advice.