Herb Weisbaum: Beware The 'Sugar Pill' Claims For Diabetes

Herb Weisbaum: Beware The 'Sugar Pill' Claims For Diabetes

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Story Published: Jun 21, 2006 at 6:33 AM PDT

Story Updated: Aug 31, 2006 at 8:30 AM PDT

By Herb Weisbaum

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SEATTLE - When you have diabetes -- as more than 21 million Americans do -- you need to get your blood sugar under control. Wouldn't it be great if there were a pill, one you could get without a prescription, that would do that for you?

Actually, there are lots of these "sugar-reducing pills" on the market. David Schardt, associate nutritionist with the Center for Science in the Public Interest checked the research on seven of these supplements: Chromium, Cinnamon, Coenzyme Q10, Ginseng, Gymnema Sylvestre, Lipoic Acid, Magnesium, Vanadium.

"We found none of them had convincing evidence that they worked," Schardt tells me. "So there's really nothing that you buy in a bottle, off the shelf, over-the-counter, that's really going to help you either prevent diabetes or treat your diabetes."

Chromium seems to be the hot sugar aid right now, but Schardt says, "Overall there's no strong effect from chromium and that's why the Food and Drug Administration will not let manufacturers make a claim that chromium can help with diabetes.

A recent federal study shows there are things you can do to cut your risk of type 2 diabetes (the most common form of the disease) by 60 percent. Schardt says you need to "lose a little bit of weight, an average of maybe 10 or 15 pounds, and do some moderate intensity exercise, like brisk walking, for a total of about 2 1/2 hours a week."

For More Information:

Diabetes Prevention

More Than 50 Ways to Prevent Diabetes

Diabetes Prevention Program

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