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VERIFIED CONTENTConsultation: Aleksandra Narojek, dietitian, Medicover Diet

Supplements won't make insulin resistance go away - but they can help promote proper insulin secretion or lower blood glucose levels, and alleviate some of the symptoms associated with insulin resistance, such as brain fog, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, or a lack of energy. What is worth supplementing with insulin resistance? Which supplements are proven to work and can help?

Although insulin resistance is not a disease in itself, but part of the metabolic syndrome, doctors often recommend medications to regulate blood sugar levels in addition to diet or exercise in people who have it. It is also worth considering the use of supplements that will help lower sugar levels, increase the sensitivity of cells to insulin, or alleviate the bothersome symptoms associated with insulin resistance.

However, they should not be used on your own - they are easy to overdose, and they can also interact with medications or falsify test results. Before starting supplementation, it is always necessary to consult a doctor or dietitian and adjust the type of supplement and its dose - sometimes, for this purpose, it is necessary to determine the concentration of specific vitamins or minerals in the blood. Which supplements are effective for insulin resistance and how do they work?

Vitamin D3

90 percent Poles have a deficiency, while numerous scientific studies have proven that there is a relationship between the concentration of vitamin D and the insensitivity of cells to insulin, i.e. insulin resistance. Vitamin D receptors are found in almost every cell in the body, including the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas.

This proves that vitamin D participates in the processes of insulin secretion, and also sensitizes tissues to it. Research shows that it can also indirectly affect the pancreas, influencing the rate of calcium absorption. The effect of a too low level of vitamin D3 is an insufficient level of calcium in the body - and thus abnormal insulin secretion.

Therefore, with insulin resistance, it is worth measuring the level of vitamin D3 in the blood, as it may require supplementation, or - in the case of a very low concentration - treatment with vitamin D intherapeutic doses always determined by the doctor.

Omega-3 fatty acids

Omega-3 fatty acids work in many different ways in our body. They can have a positive effect on body weight, limiting the growth of adipose tissue (they accelerate metabolism and the appearance of satiety, reduce appetite), normalize blood pressure, and reduce the release of glucose from the liver.

Omega-3s also have anti-inflammatory properties (which is important in the case of insulin resistance accompanied by chronic inflammation), reduce the risk of developing coronary heart disease, and inhibit the development of type II diabetes. Research has shown that they can improve cell sensitivity to insulin, reduce markers of inflammation and reduce fatty liver.

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Magnesium

Its deficiency in the diet can lead to insulin resistance, as this element is very important for the action of insulin and for glucose homeostasis. Too low levels of magnesium can disrupt insulin secretion processes and reduce the sensitivity of tissues to this hormone, as well as lead to the development of inflammation.

According to some hypotheses, the deficiency of this element may also reduce the activity of insulin receptors. Magnesium supplementation (when deficient) may improve glycemia and insulin sensitivity, as well as the lipid profile.

It should be considered especially by people taking metformin (recommended not only to diabetics, but also to people who, apart from insulin resistance, have prediabetes), because research proves that they may have lower levels of magnesium. It is worth paying attention to the form of the preparation - organic forms, e.g. magnesium citrate or lactate, are better absorbed.

Chrome

The so-called glucose tolerance factor GTF which acts as a physiological "enhancer" of insulin activity. GTF supports the metabolism of cells and makes them sensitive to insulin. So it improves the carbohydrate balance.

Chromium supplementation can lower postprandial glucose levels, normalize blood sugar fluctuations and restore insulin sensitivity. Chromium has been studied by many scientists for its role in weight reduction, which is important and recommended in insulin resistance. The results of the research, however, are inconclusive, because some researchers observed a decrease in body weight with supplementation, while others did not. The potential effect of chromium is accelerating the reduction of body fat and reducing appetite or its better control.

What matters is the dose of the preparation (which should be determined by the doctoror a dietitian depending on the indications), as well as the chemical form of the supplement. It is also not allowed to increase the dose on your own, because excess chromium has a toxic effect.

Zinc

Some studies suggest that zinc deficiency may worsen insulin resistance. A meta-analysis conducted by Chinese researchers in 2022 (the results were published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition), which included 32 studies involving 1,700 patients from 14 countries, showed that zinc supplementation can significantly improve glycemic control.

Compared to the control group, patients who supplemented zinc showed a reduction in both fasting and two-hour postprandial glucose, as well as a reduction in fasting insulin and a reduction in glycosylated hemoglobin.

People with insulin resistance who participated in these studies also showed a reduction in the HOMA-IR index. Zinc supplementation also allows you to lower too high a concentration of C-reactive protein (CRP), a high level of which is one of the cardiovascular risk factors.

B vitamins

With insulin resistance, there may also be a deficiency of B vitamins, especially folic acid, vitamins B6 and B12. Lower concentration of these vitamins is associated with worse glucose tolerance. Vitamin B12 deficiency may also be related to treatment with metformin (the mechanism of this process has not been thoroughly investigated, there are assumptions that this drug may lead to bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine, which may interfere with the absorption of vitamin B12). Therefore, people on long-term treatment with metformin are recommended to supplement with vitamin B12.

Ceylon cinnamon bark extract (cinnamon extract)

Cinnamon, both in the form of a powder (1/2 teaspoon a day) and an extract, can increase the sensitivity of cells to insulin and thus normalize blood sugar levels. Supplementation with cinnamon extract lowers fasting glucose levels and glycosylated hemoglobin indices, as well as insulin sensitivity parameters, such as HOMA-IR.

White mulberry leaves

Mulberry leaves contain a number of substances that promote he alth - including those that have anti-diabetic properties. White mulberry extract is an ingredient of many diabetic supplements, while the leaves can be bought dried and infused like tea.

\ An infusion of white mulberry leaves has been shown to lower blood glucose levels (especially after a meal). They owe their hypoglycaemic properties to, among others compounds contained in the leaves, especially 1-deoxynojirimycin (DNJ) and its derivatives.

They reduce the activity of α-glucosidase, which impairs the absorption of sugars in the intestines, reducing the rise in blood glucose. The dose of the supplement should be consulted with a specialist and supplemented under his supervision, because excess mulberry may cause an increase in insulin levels, which is not recommended in the case of insulin resistance.

Bitter melon

Bitter melon is a type of melon that looks like a cucumber with a corrugated skin. In traditional Chinese medicine, it has been used for centuries primarily to treat indigestion.

The compounds contained in this plant act on the body in a similar way to exercise: they activate the AMPK enzyme, thanks to which glucose circulating in the blood is converted into energy. Since the effects of bitter melon supplements can significantly lower sugar levels and increase the effects of some medications (including cholesterol-lowering drugs), consult your doctor before taking it.

Fenugreek

Fenugreek (fenugreek herb, fenugreek) is a plant from the legume family, the seeds of which have proven to improve metabolic parameters. A number of substances are present in fenugreek seeds, which positively affect both blood glucose levels and insulin sensitivity.

One of them is galactomannan, a polysaccharide that delays gastric emptying so that the rise in blood glucose after a meal is lower. In turn, the amino acid 4-hydroxyisoleucine and polyphenols improve the sensitivity of cells to insulin. The inclusion of fenugreek seeds or a supplement in your diet improves fasting blood glucose levels.

EGCG - green tea extract

EGCG is epigallocatechin gallate, i.e. green tea extract. It is a very powerful antioxidant, speeds up metabolism, and reduces the risk of complications typical of type II diabetes, including cardiovascular diseases.

Studies have shown that supplementation with EGCG reduces fasting plasma glucose and fasting serum insulin, also lowers glycated hemoglobin indexes and improves cell insulin sensitivity.

Alpha lipoic acid (ALA)

Alpha-lipoic acid is a water-soluble and fat-soluble compound, therefore it can work in cells and tissues as well as at the level of cell membranes. It increases the sensitivity of cells to insulin, lowers blood glucose levels and supports its transport to cells. But that is not its only beneficial effect in insulin resistance.

This compound intensifies the processes of glucose uptake by the liver and muscles,it also intensifies the processes of glucose oxidation and at the same time slows down the processes of its molecules formation. Alpha-lipoic acid also has an antioxidant effect and is beneficial for the cardiovascular system.

berberine

Berberine is an alkaloid obtained primarily from barberry shrubs (most of it is in the roots, stems and bark). Mention of its beneficial antidiabetic properties appeared already in studies from 1986. It is one of the best-known supplements recommended for insulin resistance: it lowers blood glucose and insulin levels both on an empty stomach and after a meal, it also reduces triglycerides and reduces inflammation.

Its effectiveness is compared with that of metformin used in insulin resistance, pre-diabetes and type II diabetes. However, be careful with berberine when taking metformin, as they can interact.

Bilberry extract

Bilberry extract is rich in, among others, into anthocyanins, natural pigments that research shows can improve the sensitivity of cells and tissues to insulin. It does this by activating certain processes, including lowering the concentration of C-reactive protein and activating the protein kinase.

Curcumin

This is the dye that gives turmeric its yellow-orange color. Curcumin has an anti-inflammatory effect and has been shown to be beneficial in insulin resistance. Curcumin lowers fasting glucose by up to 22 percent. (which was confirmed in a large meta-analysis that included over 1,800 people), it also affects the level of insulin, e.g. by increasing peripheral glucose uptake and, as a result, reducing insulin resistance.

It is worth choosing curcumin supplements with the addition of piperine (a component of black pepper), which significantly improves its absorption.

Probiotics

Strains of probiotic bacteria can also support people with insulin resistance. The research on the use of probiotics carried out at the Medical University of Poznań has shown that probiotic therapy with preparations containing many strains of bacteria can reduce obesity, lower insulin and glucose levels - and thus improve the HOMA-IR insulin resistance index - and seal the lipid barrier and alleviate inflammation in intestines caused by dysbiosis.

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