In recent years there has been a deluge of “natural” supplements promising to stabilize blood sugar levels for anxious diabetes patients. Unscrupulous marketers deviously attempt to convince sufferers to “manage their disease nature’s way”. An assortment of advertisements for herbal pills and non-vitamin capsules shamelessly claim help is only a credit card swipe away. Hustlers prey on the almost 30 million Americans suffering from diabetes, with nearly two million joining their ranks annually. Are there solid facts and hard science to support their extravagant claims?
Six Supplements That Fail To Deliver
Cinnamon
In five randomized, double-blind clinical trials, a total
of 349 people with type 2 diabetes took either a placebo or approximately one
daily teaspoon of cinnamon. Blood sugar levels did not change for either group
after 3 – 4 months.
Chromium
In eight randomized, double-blind clinical trials, a
total of 476 people with type 2 diabetes took either a placebo or a leading
chromium supplement daily for 3 months. Seven of the eight trials showed
absolutely no improvements for those taking the supplement. Another Yale
University study of 59 people over 6 months showed no lowering of blood sugar
levels.
Gymnema
Sylvestre
In spite of internet hucksters proclaiming this miracle
cure for all diabetics, no clinical trials have ever been done to prove or
disprove efficacy.
Fenugreek
Only one Chinese study of 46 diabetics indicated mild
improvement for those taking the Fenugreek supplement. No studies have been
done in the seven years since. More are needed to confirm the extravagant
claims of internet marketers.
Bitter
Melon
Only one study has been done in the Philippines of 40
diabetics who were given bitter melon supplements or a placebo. After 3 months
there was no difference between the two groups.
Lipoic
Acid
Two mammoth studies were done of 921 people with type 1
and type 2 diabetes. One lasted two years and the other four years. Those
taking the Lipoic Acid supplement showed no improvement or benefit compared to
the placebo takers.
David Schardt, “Diabetes Defence? Don’t count on
supplements to lower your blood sugar” Nutrition
Action HealthLetter, May 2015
Online version (segment of print article) at: http://www.nutritionaction.com/daily/diabetes-and-diet-cat/diabetes-advice/
Supplement Controversy
“When it comes
to tablets, capsules, powders, and teas that claim to control blood sugar, RDs
and other healthcare practitioners agree that the research doesn’t support the
miracle cure reputation many supplements have developed. And with little
research available on side effects and potential interactions with oral
diabetes medications, insulin, and other drugs diabetes patients often use
(such as cholesterol- and blood pressure-lowering agents), not enough is
known about long-term safety.” http://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/110211p32.shtml
Consumers also need to be wary of the thoroughly diluted,
homeopathic version of supplements that claim to cure diabetes. The 5 most
common are: Uranium Nitrate, Phosphorus, Lactic Acid, Insulin and Bryonia.
These “remedies” don’t work because the original ingredient that was supposed
to help with diabetes has been so completely diluted by homeopathic labs that
barely a molecule remains once it is ingested in the body. For a general
overview see: http://www.mybestbuddymedia.com/2013/10/17-concise-reasons-why-homeopathy-is.html
Diabetes Free
The 121 page downloadable book Diabetes Free is one of the top internet diabetes scams. For $37
you can get to the root of diabetes and send it on its way! Links are provided
to fabricated product review sites that the company itself set up. No publisher
is identified and its author is a fake medical specialist with no credentials. The San
Diego Consumers’ Action Network did some research:
“The
author is an unknown. Not only does the site fail to offer the
credentials of the so-called doctor, but a Google search turned up nothing but
a family doctor in Massachusetts with no expertise in diabetes. It is a
common strategy of these scammers to use “doctor” names that are very common.
He claims he’s risking his career to bring this information to you.
Truth is there is no career to risk because he doesn’t exist. One
tip-off: not many medical researchers have a trained announcer’s
voice.” http://www.sandiegocan.org/2015/03/15/scam-alert-stay-free-of-diabetes-free-miracle-shake-scam/
When you read these deceptive and exaggerated claims from
internet swindlers, you know it’s time to click the “x” in the corner:
--Miracle Shake Permanently Reverses Diabetes in 14 Days
--Warning: This video contains highly controversial
information that the mainstream medical establishment does not want you to see…
--Discover the diabetes miracle cure for yourself.
Imagine: no more insulin, no more needles, no more painful finger pricks
--Imagine: life free from diabetes. This short video
could change your life. Watch Now!
--Diabetes Breakthrough: 3 foods that kill diabetes!
--At the link below, you will discover a little known but
scientifically proven way to ERASE your diabetes in 3 short weeks. Doctor
Approved Method
--(Our treatment) addresses your diabetes right at the
source – healing your insulin production and mercilessly fight against the
disease. So, really, asking people to pay $289 for a real and effective
diabetes treatment seems incredibly reasonable when you think about it.
--I believe …. I have a moral DUTY to get this treatment
to as many people as possible.
--Without this treatment, there is a very real chance
that any diabetic or pre-diabetic out there will suffer greatly and die early!
Just one source used to fleece the desperate:
Many of the e-books and videos promoting miracle cures and
quack medicine come from the Boise, Idaho company Clickbank. For a small fee anyone
can write an e-book or e-course and promote their product through Clickbank,
the undisputed leader in digital marketing. The company boasts 6 million
e-books, courses and instructional videos. The authors are never asked to
substantiate any claims made:
“While ClickBank is most
definitely not a scam, the problem that many people have is that ClickBank
doesn’t have any requirements or screening process that stops disreputable
companies from using their services. The ClickBank marketplace is
literally open to everyone. Since ClickBank is considered a reputable company,
when customers see the ClickBank logo on a payment page, they feel as though
that is a sort of testimony to the quality of the product they are purchasing,
when, in reality, the two things have nothing to do with one another.
ClickBank will sell a terrible program just as willingly as a great
program.” http://reviewopedia.com/workathome/clickbank-reviews-is-clickbank-a-scam-or-legit/
Helpful web sites:
Managing Diabetes
http://www.joslin.org/info/managing-diabetes.html
Take
Charge of Your Diabetes from the CDC: http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/pubs/pdf/tcyd.pdf
National Diabetes Education Program http://ndep.nih.gov/
Type 2
Diabetes: A Doctor’s Surprising Assertion http://www.mybestbuddymedia.com/2014/04/type-2-diabetes-doctors-surprising.html
Photo: https://www.adclinic.com/2011/11/free-seminar-nov-17-discussion-about-diabetes/ CC
Jerry De Luca is a Christian freelance writer who loves perusing dozens of interesting and informative publications. When he finds any useful info he summarizes it, taking the main points, and creates a (hopefully) helpful blog post.
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