Skip to main content

CNN CNN Health

ASK AN EXPERT
Got a question about a health story in the news or a health topic? Here's your chance to get an answer. Send us your questions about general health topics, diet and fitness and mental health. If your question is chosen, it could be featured on CNN.com's health page with an answer from one of our health experts, or by a participant in the CNNhealth community.




* CNN encourages you to contribute a question. By submitting a question, you agree to the following terms found below.
You may not post any unlawful, threatening, libelous, defamatory, obscene, pornographic or other material that would violate the law. By submitting your question, you hereby give CNN the right, but not the obligation, to post, air, edit, exhibit, telecast, cablecast, webcast, re-use, publish, reproduce, use, license, print, distribute or otherwise use your questions(s) and accompanying personal identifying and other information you provide via all forms of media now known or hereafter devised, worldwide, in perpetuity. CNN Privacy Statment.
Thank you for your question!

It will be reviewed and considered for posting on CNNHealth.com. Questions and comments are moderated by CNN and will not appear until after they have been reviewed and approved. Unfortunately, because of the voume of questions we receive, not all can be posted.

Submit another question or Go back to CNNHealth.com

Read answers from our experts: Living Well | Diet & Fitness | Mental Health | Conditions

Expert Q&A

  • Share this on:
    Mixx Digg Facebook delicious reddit StumbleUpon MySpace
    Share
  • E-mail
  • Save
  • Print

What are the best supplements for a diabetic?

Asked by Michelle, Tallahassee, Florida

Open quote
Close quote

My husband has adult-onset diabetes. He is 43, but was diagnosed about five years ago. His mother is diabetic as well. Both are very small-framed people who are not overweight nor very muscular. There is no doubt the disease is genetic for them.

My husband takes Glucovance to help control his blood sugar. He also strives to stay physically active despite a sedentary desk job. What advice can you offer for type 2 diabetics who struggle to maintain their weight?

Are there supplements that he would benefit from? He does his best to emphasize protein and fruits/veggies in his diet, but carbs are still a weakness. Seems like all advice is geared toward obese diabetics or insulin-dependent type 1.

Expert Bio Picture

Diet and Fitness Expert Dr. Melina Jampolis Physician Nutrition Specialist

Expert answer

Hi Michelle. This is an excellent question, as maintaining weight is very important to controlling blood sugar and decreasing risk of heart disease, the leading cause of death in diabetics. Staying physically active is critical, particularly with a sedentary desk job, and it is essential to incorporate aerobic exercise and resistance training.

A study released last week in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that the combination of both types of exercise was the best way to lower hemoglobin A1c levels, a marker of long-term blood sugar control. In addition, combining aerobics and strength training helped reduce fat mass and waist circumference, a measure of harmful belly fat, which can increase risk of heart disease.

Take this test to see how you're managing your diabetes

Since you mention that your husband is not very muscular, adding in strength training is especially important for controlling blood sugar and maintaining weight, as muscle burns more calories than fat and helps improve blood sugar control and decrease insulin resistance.

There are no supplements that would help significantly with weight control, but I do recommend that most of my patients take a multivitamin, fish oil and vitamin D supplement for optimal health. There are some studies that suggest that chromium may help with blood sugar control in some diabetics, but it does not appear to help with weight control. If your husband's blood sugar is not well controlled, he may want to discuss trying this supplement with his physician.

How alcohol can affect your diabetes

Finally, lowering the glycemic index of your husband's diet may help with weight control by improving blood sugar control, controlling hunger and possibly improving metabolism.

The glycemic index is a measure of how a food increases blood sugar. High glycemic foods cause a rapid increase in blood sugar, making it more difficult to control blood sugar and requiring more insulin, which may lead to worsening of diabetes and weight gain. Low glycemic carbohydrates are generally less processed, lower in sugar and higher in fiber. For more information about the glycemic index, visit the American Diabetes Association website or http://www.glycemicindex.com/.

In general, eating mainly lean protein, low-fat or fat-free dairy, small portions of healthy fat, whole grains in moderate portions and lots of fruits and vegetables will ensure a low glycemic diet.

Previous question:
Could I be getting too much iron?« Back to Diet and Fitness

Next question:
Can heavy weight exercise cause hair loss?

More Q&A

  • CNN's Medical UnitCNN's medical unit brings you the best experts available to answer your questions about current events and health issues that matter most to you.
Will jogging hurt an obese person's joints?asked by: Asked by John Simmet; St. Paul, Minnesota
Is creatine a safe supplement?asked by: Asked by Ralph; New York
What foods cause flatulence?asked by: Asked by Peter; United States
More From Diet & Fitness »
Quick Job Search
keyword(s):
enter city:

CNN Comment Policy: CNN encourages you to add a comment to this discussion. You may not post any unlawful, threatening, defamatory, obscene, pornographic or other material that would violate the law. All comments should be relevant to the topic and remain respectful of other authors and commenters. You are solely responsible for your own comments, the consequences of posting those comments, and the consequences of any reliance by you on the comments of others. By submitting your comment, you hereby give CNN the right, but not the obligation, to post, air, edit, exhibit, telecast, cablecast, webcast, re-use, publish, reproduce, use, license, print, distribute or otherwise use your comment(s) and accompanying personal identifying and other information you provide via all forms of media now known or hereafter devised, worldwide, in perpetuity. CNN Privacy Statement.

The information contained on this page does not and is not intended to convey medical advice. CNN is not responsible for any actions or inaction on your part based on the information that is presented here. Please consult a physician or medical professional for personal medical advice or treatment.