Chapter 8
Supplements for Control of AGEs
When most people think of controlling blood sugar, they automatically think of diabetes, a chronic disease that affects about twenty million Americans. There are at least double that number-more than forty million Americans-who have what might be called "prediabetes," a dysfunctional or suboptimal control of blood sugar. Most of these people are completely unaware that their blood-sugar levels are fluctuating wildly throughout the day, but they clearly feel the effects in terms of fatigue, problems concentrating, constant hunger, weight gain-and, yes, accelerated skin aging (mostly via glycation, but also via oxidation and inflammation).
Control of blood sugar-and the excessive glycation that can result from improper control-can benefit greatly from a number of the dietary supplements outlined below.
Chromium
Chromium is a trace mineral that is essential for normal insulin function. (Insulin is the hormone that causes blood sugar, or glucose, to be absorbed into cells for metabolization by the body.) Dietary studies indicate that most people in the United States and other industrialized countries don't get enough chromium, and deficiencies appear to be even more common in people with diabetes and problems with blood-sugar control. Chromium is an essential trace mineral that aids in glucose metabolism, regulation of insulin levels, and maintenance of healthy blood levels of cholesterol and other lipids. Chromium forms part of a compound in the body known as glucose tolerance factor (GTF), which is involved in regulating the actions of insulin in maintaining blood-sugar levels and possibly in helping to control appetite. Food sources for chromium include brewer's yeast, whole-grain cereals, broccoli, prunes, mushrooms, and beer.
Chromium deficiency is known to lead to glucose intolerance and insulin resistance, symptoms commonly encountered in people with diabetes. Since chromium helps regulate the actions of insulin (as a constituent of glucose tolerance factor), chromium supplements may help support the many functions of insulin in the body, such as maintaining blood-sugar levels.
Many clinical studies support the benefits and safety of chromium supplementation for normalizing blood sugar. Supplemental chromium can lower blood insulin levels, improve glucose tolerance, and decrease systemic levels of glycation. Experts from the U.S. Department of Agriculture at the Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center in Maryland recommend chromium supplementation in daily amounts of 200-1,000 mcg (micrograms) for optimal blood-sugar control. Clinical studies show that the inorganic forms of chromium, such as chromium chloride, are not as effective as the organic or chelated forms, such as chromium polynicotinate, picolinate, glycine-niacin chelate, GTF chromium, and chromium yeast.
Vanadium
Vanadium is another trace element involved in promoting normal insulin function. A normal diet typically provides about 10-30 mcg of vanadium per day. Although there is currently no DRI established, this amount appears to be adequate for most healthy adults. Supplemental forms of vanadium are usually vanadyl or vanadate forms. Vanadium is thought to play a role in metabolism of carbohydrates and may have functions in cholesterol and blood lipid metabolism. In diabetics, vanadium supplements may have a positive effect in regulating glucose levels. Food sources of vanadium include seafood, mushrooms, some cereals, and soybeans.
Vanadium, or the most common supplemental form, vanadyl sulfate, is thought to mimic the physiological effects of insulin through a mechanism that remains unclear. Through this insulin-mimetic effect, vanadium is thought to promote glycogen synthesis and maintain glucose levels. Vanadyl sulfate supplements have been shown to normalize glucose levels and reduce glycosylated hemoglobin levels and can reduce fasting glucose levels by about 20 percent.
Limited information is available about vanadium's toxicity. Traditionally, vanadium is considered quite safe in humans because of its poor absorption. In one safety study, 100 mg of vanadyl sulfate (a huge dose) was given to diabetic subjects for four weeks (50 mg twice per day). Gastrointestinal side effects were experienced by 75 percent of the subjects. It is thought that prolonged exposure to excessive vanadium could cause muscle cramps, emotional depression, and damage to the nervous system and other organs. There is no daily value (DV) or dietary reference intake (DRI) for vanadium, although it is now considered an essential trace mineral. Supplements of approximately 10-30 mcg per day are thought to satisfy the body's needs.
by