| Supplement | Amount | Why |
|---|
Alpha Lipoic Acid | 600 to 1,200 mg a day |  [3 stars] Taking alpha lipoic acid may improve insulin sensitivity and help protect against diabetic complications such as nerve damage. |
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Brewer's Yeast | 9 grams per day | [3 stars] Chromium-rich brewer's yeast has been shown to be useful in treating type 2 diabetes in several ways, including by improving glucose tolerance. |
|
Cayenne Topical
(Diabetic Neuropathy) | Apply an ointment containing 0.025 to 0.075% capsaicin four times a day to areas of nerve pain | [3 stars] Topically applied capsaicin (from cayenne) may help relieve nerve pain. |
|
Chromium | 200 to 1,000 mcg daily | [3 stars] Chromium has been shown to be useful in treating type 2 diabetes in several ways, including by improving glucose tolerance. |
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Evening Primrose Oil | 4 grams daily | [3 stars] Supplementing with evening primrose oil has been found to improve nerve function and to relieve pain symptoms of diabetic neuropathy. |
|
Fenugreek | 2.5 to 15 grams daily | [3 stars] Fenugreek seeds are high in soluble fiber, which helps lower blood sugar by slowing down carbohydrate digestion and absorption. |
|
Fiber |
Talk to your doctor
| [3 stars] Taking fiber supplements may help to stabilize your blood sugar. |
|
Glucomannan | 500 to 700 mg per 100 calories in the diet | [3 stars] Glucomannan delays stomach emptying, leading to more gradual sugar absorption and lower blood sugar levels after meals. |
|
Magnesium | 200 to 600 mg daily | [3 stars] People with type 2 diabetes tend to have low magnesium levels, supplementing with the mineral may restore levels and improve insulin production. |
|
Psyllium | 5.1 grams daily with meals | [3 stars] Supplementing with psyllium has been shown to be a safe and well-tolerated way to improve control of blood glucose and cholesterol. |
|
Acetyl-L-Carnitine
(Diabetic Neuropathy) | 500 to 1,000 mg three times daily |  [2 stars] Taking acetyl-L-carnitine may improve symptoms of diabetic neuropathy. |
|
Aloe | 1 Tbsp (15 ml) of gel daily | [2 stars] Aloe, either alone or in combination with the oral hypoglycemic drug glibenclamide, has been shown to effectively lower blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes. |
|
American Ginseng | 3 grams with or following meals | [2 stars] Supplementing with American ginseng may help improve blood sugar control. |
|
Asian Ginseng | 200 mg of herbal extract containing approximately 5 to 7% ginsenosides daily | [2 stars] Asian ginseng is commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat diabetes. |
|
Berberine
(High Cholesterol) | 500 mg of berberine taken twice a day for three months | [2 stars] Berberine, a compound found in certain herbs such as goldenseal, barberry, and Oregon grape, has been found to lower serum cholesterol levels. |
|
Bilberry | 160 mg twice per day of an herbal extract containing 25% anthocyanosides | [2 stars] Bilberry may lower the risk of some diabetic complications, such as diabetic cataracts and retinopathy. |
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Biotin | 9 to 16 mg daily | [2 stars] Biotin may improve glucose levels and reduce pain from diabetic nerve damage. |
|
Bitter Melon | 50 to 100 ml of juice daily or 5 grams three times daily of powdered fruit | [2 stars] Whole, fried slices, water extracts, and juice of bitter melon may improve blood-sugar control in people with type 2 diabetes. |
|
Cinnamon | 1 to 6 grams daily | [2 stars] Cinnamon may improve glucose utilization in people with type 2 diabetes. |
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Coenzyme Q10 | 120 mg daily of a standardized herbal extract | [2 stars] Supplementing with CoQ10 may improve blood sugar metabolism. |
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Crepe Myrtle | 32 or 48 mg of an herbal extract standardized to contain 1% corosolic acid | [2 stars] Crepe myrtle has been used in folk medicine to treat diabetes. It appears to work by lowering blood glucose levels. |
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Gymnema | 800 mg daily of an herbal extract standardized for 25% gymnemic acids | [2 stars] Gymnema may stimulate the pancreas to produce insulin and may help normalize blood sugar control in people with diabetes. |
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Hairy Basil | 10 grams three times per day with meals | [2 stars] Taking hairy basil may help people with type 2 diabetes control their blood sugar levels. |
|
Holy Basil | 1,000 to 2,500 mg daily | [2 stars] Taking holy basil may help people with type 2 diabetes control their blood sugar levels. |
|
L-Carnitine | 0.25 mg per 2.2 lbs (1 kg) of body weight | [2 stars] Supplementing with L-carnitine may reduce cholesterol and triglyceride levels in people with diabetes. |
|
Milk Thistle | 200 mg per day of silymarin
| [2 stars] Supplementing with silymarin (a component of milk thistle) may help lower blood sugar levels.
|
|
Multivitamin
(Infection) | Follow label instructions | [2 stars] Supplementing with a multivitamin-mineral may give your body the nutrients it needs to help prevent common infections. |
|
Onion | 20 grams fresh onion three times per day | [2 stars] Large amounts of onion have been shown to lower blood sugar levels in people with diabetes, possibly by blocking the breakdown of insulin in the liver. |
|
Pycnogenol | 100 to 150 mg per day
| [2 stars] Preliminary research has suggested that Pycnogenol might help lower blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes and slow progression of complications such as retinopathy.
|
|
Vitamin B1 and Vitamin B12
(Diabetic Neuropathy) | Refer to label instructions
| [2 stars] Taking vitamin B1 combined with vitamin B12 may improve symptoms of diabetic neuropathy. |
|
Vitamin B1 and Vitamin B6
(Diabetic Neuropathy) | 25 mg daily, with 50 mg of vitamin B6 daily | [2 stars] Taking vitamin B1 combined with vitamin B6 may improve symptoms of diabetic neuropathy. |
|
Vitamin B12
(Diabetic Neuropathy) | Consult a qualified healthcare practitioner | [2 stars] Vitamin B12 is needed for normal nerve cell function, and supplementing with it may improve symptoms of diabetic neuropathy. |
|
Vitamin B6 | 1,800 mg pyridoxine alpha-ketoglutarate daily or 50 mg daily pyridoxine daily | [2 stars] People with diabetes often have low vitamin B6 levels. Supplementing with the vitamin may restore levels and improve glucose tolerance. |
|
Vitamin C | 500 mg twice per day | [2 stars] Supplementing with vitamin C may benefit people with type 2 diabetes in several ways, including by reducing sorbitol levels, urinary protein loss, and glycosylation. |
|
Vitamin D | 1,332 IU daily | [2 stars] Vitamin D is needed to maintain adequate insulin levels, and supplementing with it may improve blood sugar control in people with type 2 diabetes. |
|
Vitamin D
(Diabetic Neuropathy) | 2,000 IU of vitamin D per day for three months | [2 stars] In a preliminary trial, supplementing with vitamin D per day significantly improved pain by almost 50% in patients with diabetic neuropathy. |
|
Vitamin E
(Diabetic Neuropathy) | 900 IU daily | [2 stars] Vitamin E supplementation may protect against neuropathy. |
|
Vitamin E
(Diabetic Retinopathy) | 1800 IU daily | [2 stars] Vitamin E supplementation may protect against diabetic retinopathy. |
|
Zinc | 15 to 25 mg per day | [2 stars] People with type 2 diabetes tend to be zinc deficient, supplementing with zinc may help restore levels. |
|
Acai | Refer to label instructions
|  [1 star] Acai is reported to be a traditional remedy for diabetes. |
|
Amylase Inhibitors | Refer to label instructions
| [1 star] Amylase inhibitors, when given with a starchy meal, can reduce the usual rise in blood sugar levels of people with diabetes. |
|
Fish Oil | Refer to label instructions
| [1 star] Supplementing with fish oil may improve glucose tolerance and symptoms of diabetic neuropathy and nephropathy |
|
Fructo-oligosaccharides | Refer to label instructions
| [1 star] In one trial, supplementing with fructo-oligosaccharides significantly lowered fasting blood-sugar levels and serum total-cholesterol levels in people with type 2 diabetes. |
|
Ginkgo | Refer to label instructions
| [1 star] Ginkgo may help prevent and treat early-stage diabetic neuropathy. |
|
Goldenseal | 1 gram per day of berberine for two months
| [1 star] Preliminary research with berberine (an active compound in goldenseal) for two months lowered blood glucose levels in people with type 2 diabetes.
|
|
Green Coffee Extract | Refer to label instructions
| [1 star] Drinking either regular or decaffeinated coffee has been associated with reduced type 2 diabetes risk in several preliminary human studies.
|
|
Hibiscus | Refer to label instructions
| [1 star] Hibiscus is a traditional remedy in India for diabetes, and is supported by preliminary research. |
|
Inositol | Refer to label instructions
| [1 star] Supplementing with inositol may improve diabetic neuropathy. |
|
Manganese | Refer to label instructions
| [1 star] People with diabetes may have low manganese levels, which can contribute to glucose intolerance. Supplementing with the mineral may help. |
|
Medium-Chain Triglycerides | Refer to label instructions
| [1 star] Medium-chain triglycerides have been found to lower blood sugar levels and may be useful in treating type 3 diabetes. |
|
Mistletoe | Refer to label instructions
| [1 star] Mistletoe extract has been shown to stimulate insulin release from pancreas cells, and it may reduce diabetes symptoms. |
|
Olive Leaf | Refer to label instructions
| [1 star] Olive leaf extracts have been used experimentally to lower high blood sugar in diabetic animals. |
|
Quercetin | Refer to label instructions
| [1 star] Quercetin may be helpful for its ability to reduce levels of sorbitol--a sugar that accumulates in cells and damages the nerves, kidneys, and eyes of people with diabetes. |
|
Reishi | Refer to label instructions
| [1 star] Reishi may have some beneficial action in people with diabetes. |
|
Taurine | Refer to label instructions
| [1 star] Supplementing with taurine may affect insulin secretion and action, and may help protect the eyes and nerves from diabetic complications. |
|
Vanadium | Refer to label instructions
| [1 star] Vanadyl sulfate, a form of vanadium, may improve glucose control in people with type 2 diabetes. |
|
Vitamin B3 | Refer to label instructions
| [1 star] Small amounts of niacin (a form of vitamin B3) may help some people with type 2 diabetes. |
|
Yerba Mate | Refer to label instructions
| [1 star] Preliminary research suggests yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) tea may improve measures of blood glucose control in people with type 2 diabetes.
|
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