Vitamin C Supplements for Type II Diabetics

According to the post linked below (sadly, on the now-defunct diabetes blog, which is/was an excellent resource), taking supplemental doses of vitamin c may be helpful for an individual who is diabetic.

I have type II myself so, of course, I always have my ear open for news regarding this condition, particularly when it involves implications for nutrition and insulin resistance.

According to the post, as with insulin, the uptake of vitamin C can be affected by high blood sugar levels, i.e. excessively high sugar levels can inhibit vitamin c's entry through cellular membranes.

The most interesting part of the post, however, is that supplemental vitamin C actually resulted in lower fasting BG levels and lower HbA1C readings (a test to show what your average blood glucose levels have been over the past three months).

Should you take vitamin C as a supplement? Well, Vitamin C is water soluble so it doesn't the pose the same toxicity risks that some fat-soluble vitamins may (if taken in excessive amounts - mega dosing isn't really the safest idea, in my opinion, for most individuals). And getting enough C in the average citizen's "average poor diet" may be difficult. For diabetics, certainly, a vitamin C supplement may be a good idea.

On the subject of supplements, of course, many diabetics may wish to, at the least, take a daily multi-vitamin, particularly if they take medications that have the effect of reducing levels of key micronutrients. Some medications, for instance, may result in deficient levels of vitamin B12.


Vitamin C, Blood Glucose, and Insulin