Table 2.
Commonly used dietary supplements to treat diabetes
| Name | Beneficial effects/hypothesized mechanism of action | Side effects/potential drug interactions and contradictions | References |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chromium | Lipid-lowering effects, insulin-sensitizing effect by decreasing tyrosine phosphatase activity or direct effect on insulin receptor by increasing tyrosine kinase activity at the insulin receptor may promote glucose transport | Renal toxicity and dermatological reactions, potential hypoglycemia with secretagogs, steroids may decrease chromium levels, vitamin C may increase chromium absorption | [27, 52, 117] |
| Omega-3 fatty acid/fish oil | Lowers triglycerides, antiinflammatory, antiplatelet, hypotensive, slight increase in blood glucose | High intake might cause bleeding, fish meat to be eaten with caution because of contamination with high levels of methyl mercury; may increase LDL, drug interactions with anticoagulant and antihypertension drugs | [27, 28] |
| Alpha-lipoic acid | Improves insulin resistance and increase glucose effectiveness | Can affect thyroid function in patients with thyroid disease, might produce allergic skin reactions, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and vertigo | [28, 52, 122] |
| Coenzyme Q10 | Improvement in pain and paraesthesia in diabetic neuropathy | No effect on blood glucose, additive effects with antihypertensive drugs | [21, 28, 52] |
| Magnesium | Insulin secretagog, essential in glucose metabolism, prevent diabetic complications, increased insulin sensitivity | Diarrhea, abdominal cramping, magnesium toxicity in individuals with renal failure, antibiotics, drug interactions with drugs to prevent osteoporosis, calcium channel blockers, muscle relaxants, diuretics | [27, 28] |
| Zinc | Improves insulin levels, lipid-lowering effects, improves weight loss, metalloenzyme activitor | Nausea, vomiting, reduce absorption of folic acid, tetracyclines and copper, reduce the effect of therapies that rely on dopamine receptor antagonists | [27, 120] |
| Vanadium | Insulin mimetic, increase insulin sensitivity | Prolonged high doses may cause renal toxicity, gastrointestinal upset | [28, 52] |