What supplements are good for you as a diabetic?

As I have mentioned before, proper dosage of a supplement for lowering blood sugar would depend on how much carbs you eat in the first place, and the condition of your pancreas system. Since I had low blood sugar years ago, I am careful not to risk anything that would lead to low blood sugar and serious consequences. If I were to get to the condition that I am dizzy and thinking I may pass out, I would not risk experiencing that condition again. It is best for me not to eat the cookies and to eat balanced meals. Much safer.

If you have regular hypoglycemic episodes an A1C below 7 is not advisable. Hypo attacks do far more harm than readings in the 7s. source: American College of Physicians

I agree, Lewis, that hypo attacks are dangerous, but a healthy diet and eating regularly more often can prevent the attacks from happening. Stress control is also a factor, since adrenaline rushes can lower blood sugar in an emergency. When i got the stress under control in my busy home and ate on a regular basis, as much as six times a day, depending on my work load, I had no more problem with low blood sugar. I also age more veggies and felt good. I had no help from my doctor and had no blood tests to help me plan and was on my own to learn how to eat. It was a better life for me. Dorisena

Donsena, What is your A1C? How do you know your sugars are controlled? Just feeling good is not enough. Diabetes is an insidious disease. Lewis

I have tested my fasting blood sugar since I was diagnosed 13 years ago, and I have studied and learned about my numbers rising and falling as i eat a low carb diet with many vegetables, mostly from my garden in the summer. When the number is higher in the morning, I know to eat a healthy, careful diet, and I cook my own delicious meals every day. I can take one or two Metformin in the evening, as prescribed by an endocrinologist, which may help some, but mainly it is the diet and some exercise or activity which keeps the numbers near normal in the morning, and stay below 200 in the evening. My AIC right now is 6.8 but it has been as low as 6.3. I would like to get it lower but eat too much fat in my diet to balance the meals. In the beginning I lost 18 pounds giving up sugar and white bread, and have lost another 6 pounds this year without being to walk much due to back surgery. Diet and exercise is the key to good control and I recommend a wide variety in a balanced diet. I have studied nutrition all my adult life. I never depend on pills or test apparatus. My doctor has never advised me what to do but he did send me to a nutritionist. I have studied about diabetes at the college level and know it can be awful but the only problem I am dealing with right now is a fat waist. I am working on it. You are what you eat. Dorisena

Congratulations, JK, on your good A1C level and being able to eat a cookie now and then. I also believe it is possible to reverse diabetes but most people do not like to stay on the diet that gives such good success. Also you must exercise, which is not as much fun in the winter. I never was an athlete and loved reading a good book with a bowl of apples at my side. I am working on it. Dorisena

There isn't much I haven't experienced in the past about diabetes watching my late husband literally eat himself to his death. He had an eating disorder and stopped at a fast food or restaurant daily, in addition to my good cooking. When I quit baking sweets, he ate out as much as possible, and considered donuts his go to snack. He was obese, His eyes declined, his physical health declined, he had dementia, and he had prostate cancer and didn't stay on the treatment. He died of a tumor growing up his spine and was paralysed.
It was horrible to watch him in pain and denial, and he never reconciled to me or his diseases. You can imagine how it affected me after fifty years of marriage, and how I learned about diabetes first hand before I was diagnosed. Yes, you can reverse diabetes, especially if you can be active and learn to cook well. Many doctors do not believe this, however. And many do not teach their patients. Dorisena

Based on my low blood sugar problems of years ago, I wouldn't consider any supplements that lower blood sugar too much because of the danger of too low numbers if you have a spell. In the 1970's my doctor seemed to understand little about low blood sugar and only told me to eat often and carry cheese. A paramedic explained what was happening to my body, and I learned to eat six times a day and cut the carbs, although I didn't know why it helped. A nutrition book I read at the time said people with low blood sugar are neurotic. My reply was that low blood sugar can make a person neurotic, as it is really scary to be dizzy and not know what you are doing. I finally realized that my episodes were triggered by stress and with stress control and eating changes, the problem went away. I have eaten every four hours ever since and was surprised when diagnosed with diabetes years later. So I would not consider supplements that lower blood sugar as a regimen without depending on diet and exercise as the essential plan for controlling blood sugar. It gets easy and improves health generally, and I don't consider myself a sick person. At age 85, I am outliving my friends. Dorisena

During the years with low blood sugar and no knowledge about the problem, my sister and her daughter also had the same issues and she was hospitalized where they gave her insulin for low sugar and almost killed her. My grandson was fainting in elementary school and I discovered he wasn't eating breakfast, as his mother skipped it regularly. He has changed to a mandatory breakfast steadfastly and has had no more problems. Skipping breakfast for some people can be dangerous and is not recommended. Several in my family carry food in our vehicles so we don't go long hours without food. Prevention can be the cure for bad habits. We are learning. Dorisena

Merry Christmas, Dorisena. You are a model of considering moderations and sensible good health. However long you live, you will have helped many people. I hope your holidays are happy. Susu2