Are Supplements to Lower Blood Sugar and Cholesterol Going to Rescue You?!
Patients with high blood sugar and cholesterol levels may feel afraid as they are at higher risk of many complications. Diabetes affects almost every organ in the body, the most common complications are related to feet, vision, and nerves. While high blood cholesterol level causes fatty deposits that affect the blood supply to the affected organ and may cause heart diseases.
You may wonder if there is a solution that doesn’t cause side effects. Supplements to lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels are giving you a hand. We will introduce you to the best 6 but first, let’s know more about blood sugar and cholesterol normal levels.
The normal blood sugar level
Before you think if you are in need of supplements to lower blood sugar, you should know your blood sugar (glucose) level. Your doctor may request one or more of the following blood glucose level tests:
- Fasting blood glucose level
As its name indicates, it requests fasting (eating no food) for about 8 hours. The easiest way is after a full night of sleep. This test is commonly used for diabetes diagnosis.
- Oral glucose tolerance test
For this test, you should fast overnight or not eat for 8 hours then a sample of your blood is taken to measure the fasting blood sugar. Afterward, you should intake an oversweet drink and your blood sugar will be measured 2 or 3 times after 1 hour, 2 hours, and sometimes after 3 hours also. This test is mainly used to detect if your body has any problems dealing with glucose.
- Glycated hemoglobin (A1C) test
It’s a test used to indicate the average blood sugar level in the last 2 or 3 months. It needs no preparation like fasting or eating before the test. It’s one of the common tests used for diabetes diagnosis.
- Random blood sugar test
You can guess that this test measures your blood sugar level at a random time, you don’t have to fast or eat at a certain time before the test. This test is not used for diabetes diagnosis but only as a preliminary test to indicate feather investigations.
This table concludes the interpretation of the tests’ results:
| Fasting blood glucose level | Oral glucose tolerance test | Glycated hemoglobin (A1C) test | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal blood sugar | Simple content< 100 mg/dL (5.6 mmol/L) | < 140 mg/dL (7.8 mmol/L) | < 5.7% |
| Prediabetic | 100: 125 mg/dL (5.6: 6.9 mmol/L) | 140: 199 mg/dL (7.8 mmol/L: 11.0 mmol/L) | 5.7: 6.4% |
| Diabetic | ≥ 126 mg/dL (7 mmol/L) after repeating the test twice separately. | ≥ 200 mg/dL (11.1 mmol/L) | ≥ 6.5% |
The normal cholesterol levels
Cholesterol is a type of fat that is normally present in our bodies. The increase in cholesterol levels may affect our blood circulation and heart health. To measure cholesterol in blood the following tests are used.
Total cholesterol level test
It is your total cholesterol level of all different types in your blood.
LDL cholesterol level test
Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is a harmful type of cholesterol. LDL increase blocks of arteries (atherosclerosis), may lead to heart failure, or stroke. Diabetic patients and people with heart disease should stick to LDL cholesterol optimal level to lower their risks for severe complications.
HDL cholesterol level test
Unlike LDL, HDL (high-density lipoprotein) is a beneficial cholesterol type. It gets rid of LDL so it lowers the risk of heart and blood circulation diseases.
This table concludes the interpretation of the blood cholesterol tests’ results:
| Normal cholesterol level | LDL cholesterol level test | HDL cholesterol level test | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normal/ Optimal | < 200 mg/dL | < 100 mg/dL | < 150 mg/dL |
| Near-optimal | ___________ | 100: 129 mg/dL | ___________ |
| Borderline high | 200: 239 mg/dL | 130: 159 mg/dL | 150: 199 mg/dL |
| High | 240 mg/dL | 160: 189 mg/dL | 200: 499 mg/dL |
| Very high | ___________ | ≥ 190 mg/dL | ≥ 500 mg/dL |
Best Supplements to Lower Blood Sugar and Cholesterol
Patients with high blood sugar and cholesterol levels should aim for reducing these levels to the normal so they can decrease their risk of developing complications. What about taking supplements to lower blood sugar & cholesterol levels? And it’s 100% organic with no side effects. Are you excited to know about them? So continue reading.
1. Psyllium husk supplement
It’s derived from the Plantago plant. It’s a kind of fiber. Psyllium husk has many advantages for body health. It comes at the top of the “supplements to lower blood sugar” list. Researches reveal that it can lower the blood glucose level greatly when diabetic patients take it before meals. While a modest improvement where shown in prediabetic patients, so it’s a great blood sugar supplement.
Psyllium husk is one of the best supplements to lower cholesterol level, LDL; the bad one, and also increase HDL; the good one, Which makes it a great supplement for heart health. It can also be used for weight loss, as a laxative, and as a treatment for other digestive problems.
You can find Psyllium husk in many forms and under different brand names, Fiber select is a great example of a supplement to lower blood sugar and cholesterol at an affordable price. It’s 100% organic.
2. Flax Seed supplement
Flax has been used to produce linen for thousands of years now. Recently, flax seed was proven to have many positive effects on human health.
Flax seed is one of the supplements to lower blood sugar. It has shown a major effect in preventing and treating diabetes. It reduces blood sugar level in type 2 diabetic patients and in prediabetics also.
Flax seed is one of the best supplements to reduce cholesterol levels and it also has a role in preventing lipid disorders. Moreover, Flax seed prevents & treats cardiovascular diseases like hypertension, atherosclerosis (blockage of arteries) & derangement of heart rhythm (arrhythmias).
Flax seed boosts the brain and skin health. It exhibits cancer prophylactic effects. Cancer patients on Flax seed are in better condition compared to their counterparts who didn’t used to take flaxseed before diagnosis.
Flaxseed also helps alleviate the post-menopausal symptoms like hot flashes. But the intake of it during pregnancy and lactation is controversial. Some studies support its positive effect in diabetic mothers while others link flax seed with premature birth and low birth weight. Ask your physician for advice if you are pregnant and want to take a flax seed supplement.
There are many trade names for flax seed and you can find it as a component of many products. We think Flax Seed Oil is a great choice to benefit from all the advantages we mentioned and more.
3. Rice bran supplement
I know that you are not expected to read about rice here and you may avoid it to maintain a healthy weight but rice bran has many benefits for your health.
It’s one of the best supplements to lower A1c and improve the blood lipid profile, including cholesterol levels. It can also help in the treatment of hypertension and obesity.
Rice bran is a component in many blood sugar supplements like FiberMend, Fiber Select which are 100% organic so we guarantee you avoidance of any side effects when you follow our instructions.
4. Apple pectin supplement
As we all know apples are very useful for us; filled with minerals and vitamins. Pectin extracted from apples also has many benefits for our health. Some of them are:
- Lowering blood cholesterol levels.
- Reducing blood sugar
- Boosting immunity
- Treatment of cancer
- Treatment of inflammation
- Treatment of Alzheimer’s
- Treatment of pain
- Antibiotic effect
Muscle relaxation
We have many products, including supplements to lower blood sugar, that are rich in apple pectin including FiberMend, Fiber Select, and PureLean Fiber that will help you lose weight.
5. Prune (Prunus Domestica) vitamins
We all love prune but you will love it more after knowing about its benefits for your health. We know prune for its laxative effect but prune can do more. It can protect you against cancer and heart diseases as it reduces the blood cholesterol level (especially LDL) and riches in potassium which is beneficial for heart & vessel health.
I’m sure diabetic patients will be happy with the following news, prune postpones sugar absorption and it doesn’t immediately increase the blood sugar content which makes prune supplements one of the best supplements to lower blood sugar. If you are a postmenopausal female, here is an extra piece of good news. Prune can protect you against osteoporosis.
Prunes supplements make it possible to have all these benefits in high concentration, you can choose among Fiber Select and PureLean Fiber which can help you to be in a good shape too
6. Fig (Ficus Carica) vitamins
Another fruit that we all adore is fig. Fig supplements are among the supplements to lower blood sugar. They can help in the treatment of diabetic and prediabetic patients as it improves the postprandial sugar level and helps keep insulin at its normal level.
It can prevent cancer due to many of its properties including antioxidant effect. It can fight many microorganisms like fungi, viruses, and bacteria. It also alleviates inflammation and fever. It also protects your liver cells and enhances blood clotting.
You may ask if there is a supplement that combines all 6 best supplements to lower blood sugar and cholesterol. Fiber Select helps you enjoy all the benefits mentioned in this article and more.
We want to emphasize that supplements to lower blood sugar are not enough only, you need a thorough program to manage your diabetes, check our program here.
Feel a little bit confused, contact us now.
References
- Diabetes Tests | CDC
- Lipid Panel | Johns Hopkins Medicine
- Psyllium fiber improves glycemic control proportional to loss of glycemic control: a meta-analysis of data in euglycemic subjects, patients at risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus, and patients being treated for type 2 diabetes mellitus
- The right fiber for the right disease: an update on the psyllium seed husk and the metabolic syndrome
- Dietary Flaxseed as a Strategy for Improving Human Health
- Overview of Flaxseed Patent Applications for the Reduction of Cholesterol Levels
- Effect of maternal use of flaxseed oil during pregnancy and lactation on glucose metabolism and pancreas histomorphometry of male offspring from diabetic rats
- Maternal intake of flaxseed-based diet (Linum usitatissimum) on hippocampus fatty acid profile: implications for growth, locomotor activity and spatial memory
- Effect of defatted rice bran supplementation on metabolic parameters and inflammatory status in overweight/obese adults with hypercholesterolemia: a randomized, placebo-controlled intervention
- Metabolic and Cardiovascular Benefits of Apple and Apple-Derived Products: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials – PMC
- Review article Pharmaceutical and drug delivery applications of pectin and its modified nanocomposites
- Abscisic Acid Standardized Fig ( Ficus carica) Extracts Ameliorate Postprandial Glycemic and Insulinemic Responses in Healthy Adults
