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Does Vitamin C Supplement Raise Blood Sugar

Drugs And Supplements That Affect Your Blood Sugar

Dr. Tom explains how Vitamin-C plays a role in blood sugar and blood pressure.

According to a 2018 study by diaTribe, over 42 factors affect ones blood sugar, ranging not only from biological factors such as too little sleep and stress to environmental factors such as sunburn, and even medications like prescription drugs and supplements.

Managing life with diabetes while also taking other prescribed medications or even a daily assortment of vitamins can become stressful.

In this article, Ill list which drugs and supplements affect blood sugar the most. Ill also discuss why they raise or lower your blood sugar, and what you can do to better manage the impact.

Always talk with your doctor before starting or stopping a new medication.

What Does All This Mean

In short, when youre trying to up your vitamin C intake you should also keep your sugar intake into consideration. Even if youre purposefully taking vitamin C supplements or youre eating vitamin C-rich foods, the excessive sugar you eat can counteract them and leave you with insufficient levels of vitamin C in your system.

So, there are two things you need to do:

  • Cut your sugar intake. Excessive sugar is pretty horrible for us anyway so, aside from its taste, you shouldnt miss it.
  • Take more vitamin C. The recommended daily intake of vitamin C is ~100 mg for adults. However, thats not counting the sugar youre eating or other problems or side factors that may require more vitamin C.

Fortunately, vitamin C is water-soluble which means that you cant really overdose on it our bodies simply excrete any excess through our urine. There are some possible side effects of consistent and excessive intake of vitamin C such as diarrhea or nausea but reaching such extreme levels is pretty difficult. Plus, according to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, the Tolerable Upper Intake Level is 2,000 mg a day.

Comparison Of Subjects Included And Excluded From The Analyses

To understand the differences between the sample selected for this study and those persons who were excluded from the original sample of subjects with type 2 diabetes , we compared demographic, lifestyle, and clinical characteristics of these 2 groups as reported at visit 1.

The excluded persons were more likely to be older , female , and black than were the persons who were included in the analyses. The excluded persons had a longer duration of diabetes , had higher serum glucose values , had a greater incidence of hypertension , and were less likely to be current drinkers . The persons excluded from these analyses were more likely to use oral hypoglycemic agents or insulin at visit 1 than just diet to control their diabetes . Additionally, there was a greater prevalence of retinopathy at visit 3 among the excluded persons who also provided retinal photographs than among the persons who were included in the analyses . The 2 groups were not significantly different with respect to body mass index, smoking status, plasma triacylglycerol concentrations, plasma cholesterol, hematocrit, prevalent coronary heart disease at visit 1, supplement use of vitamin C or E at visit 1, and intake of vitamin C, vitamin E, carbohydrates, protein, and total fat .

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Data Synthesis And Analysis

Between-group differences in pre-post changes were determined for outcomes. For parallel design trials, mean pre-post differences and SDs were used or calculated from the pretreatment and posttreatment data. If not provided, the pre-post change SD was calculated assuming a correlation coefficient of 0.7. This value was established on the basis of correlation coefficient values determined using data from two studies in our review . We also undertook sensitivity analyses of all outcomes using a correlation coefficient value of 0.5 for which no changes in statistical outcomes occurred compared with use of a 0.7 correlation coefficient . One study did not provide variance data, and for that study, SD values consistent with average vitamin C and control group data across all other included studies were imputed.

Crossover trials were regarded similarly to parallel trials, with separate vitamin C and control arms. One crossover study did not provide pretreatment values, and therefore, for that study, only posttreatment data were used.

GRADEpro GDT software was used to assess certainty of evidence for primary outcomes on the basis of areas of study design, risk of bias, inconsistency, indirectness, imprecision, and other considerations, such as publication bias, effect size, and potential confounding. Grades of evidence and their explanations include the following:

Are Organic Vitamins Good For You

Does Vitamin C Pills Raise Blood Sugar

On one hand, natural health authorities and experts tout the benefits of organic vitamins, and in some respects, they are correct. Those who claim that organic vitamin supplements are better do so in large part because with the natural plant source, co-factors are present. A good example is vitamin C.

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We Recently Added Several Studies To The Vitamin C Page Regarding Blood Sugar Effects From Existing Research It Seems Theoretically Possible That Vitamin C Could Help Improve Blood Sugar Control But The Evidence Is Quite Mixed At This Point

This page is regularly updated, to include the most recently available clinical trial evidence.

Each member of our research team is required to have no conflicts of interest, including with supplementmanufacturers, food companies, and industry funders. The team includes nutrition researchers, registereddietitians, physicians, and pharmacists. We have a strict editorial process.

This page features 8 references. All factual claims are followed by specifically-applicable references. to see the full set of referencesfor this page.

NEW YEAR SALE:Get actionable, evidence-supported information to achieve your health goals.

Recently, a reader wanted to know what we thought about a couple of vitamin C studies. These studies found reductions in glucose levels when people with type 2 diabetes took vitamin C supplements. After a literature search, it turns out there were a lot more studies than anticipated, and we didnt have most of them on the vitamin C page.

Consequently, many studies have been added to the page, specifically to the pages Human Effect Matrix . Heres an overview of what they say.

Diabetes Increases Oxidative Stress

High blood sugar is the defining characteristic of diabetes, but a number of other metabolic abnormalities are also going on, and one of them is oxidative stress.

Hyperglycemia increases the production of unstable and highly reactive free radicals. Unless these marauding atoms are neutralized and controlled by antioxidants, which donate electrons to stabilize them, free radicals inflict damage on proteins, fats, DNA, cell membranes, and other cellular structures.

This is the essence of oxidative stress, and it is a major player in insulin resistance and the development and progression of diabetesas well as a primary cause of nerve and blood vessel damage, cardiovascular disease, kidney failure, vision loss, and other complications of diabetes.

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Treatment Of B12 Deficiency In Diabetes Patients

There are a few different options as far as how you can treat your vitamin b12 deficiency if you are diabetic. The first possible treatment option is to look at your diet.

We understand that veganism is a popular diet that has many health claims behind it, and we know that many do it for animal rights. However, since B12 comes from animal protein, it may be difficult to get the proper vitamin nutrients from a plant-based diet.

Adding animal protein in your diet may help boost your vitamin B12 levels. This includes poultry, seafood, eggs, and dairy products. It is best to incorporate these foods into your diet prior to becoming deficient in B12 as a way to prevent it.

If deficiency of B12 is severe, then injections of B12 may be recommended by your doctor. A B12 injection costs up to $80, depending on your location and insurance. The two common injections are cyanocobalamin and hydroxocobalamin. Typically, as part of maintenance therapy, an injection of 100-200 mcg is given once a month.

Vitamin B12 supplements can also be taken by mouth. Discuss what dosage your doctor suggest for an oral B12 supplement. It is typically taken once daily.

Medication And Supplements May Contribute To Blood Sugar Changes

Vitamin C Supplements Lower Blood Glucose Levels

Illness itself can increase blood sugar levels, but so can illness-fighting medication. A number of over-the-counter and prescription drugs even some vitamins and supplements can raise blood sugar. Examples include corticosteroids, asthma medication, birth control pills, certain antidepressants, and some medication for severe acne, Dodell says. While the exact causes arent completely clear, research suggests that changes in blood flow as well as direct effects on insulin release and receptors may explain why blood-pressure-lowering medication has the potential to spike blood sugar.

Its therefore important to let your doctor know about each and every medication you take, whether OTC or prescribed by another doctor, he says. They may be able to help you find an alternative medication that is better for your blood sugar levels or, alternatively, simply help you manage your blood sugar despite any sugar-increasing medicine.

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Sample Size Randomisation And Treatment

In our preliminary experiment, it was determined that subjects reached a new lower steady-state plasma concentration after one week on controlled diet. Placebo or vitamin C supplementation was started after one week of vitamin C restricted diet. Patients were given a new supply of tablets at the end of each fourth week. Same doses were maintained throughout the study. Patients were not stabilised before enrolment in the study as they were satisfying our main inclusion criteria. But if we find increased fasting blood sugar level beyond 250 during the study period, then we exclud that patient from the study. No comorbid condition or infection occurred to these study patients during the study period. After study period was over, subjects were handed over to respective physician.

How Do I Decide Which Medications Are Worth Taking

Just because some drugs and supplements may negatively affect blood sugars does not mean you should not take them! This will just require a little more planning on your part.

Always work with your doctor and medical team to determine what drugs and supplements to take, how often to take them, and how much to take to balance the benefits of the drugs or supplements with the costs to your blood sugar.

Always speak with your doctor before you start, stop, or change any medications.

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How Can I Better Manage The Impact Of Drugs And Supplements On Blood Sugar

Work with your doctor to find a proper dose, if you have just been prescribed a drug that is known to cause issues with blood sugar. Make sure your doctor knows all medications youre currently taking.

Sometimes, as in the case of steroids, if your doctor knows you have diabetes, you can be prescribed a shorter duration of the medication, a lower dose, or a different medication altogether.

Every time you pick up a new prescription, read the information that comes along with it to learn of any negative possible side effects you may experience as a person with diabetes.

Better yet, speak with the pharmacist to find out if they know of any impacts the drug may have on diabetes and blood sugars.

A few more tips to better manage the impact of drugs and supplements on blood sugars include:

  • Checking your blood sugar more often while youre taking the drug or supplement
  • Sticking to your normal diabetes management routine, and taking all of your medications related to your diabetes

What Were The Results

Does Vitamin C Supplement Raise Blood Sugar

For the 27 participants who completed the study, post-meal blood sugar levels were significantly lower following 4 months of vitamin C supplementation compared with 4 months of placebo treatment.

After taking vitamin C supplements, participants also had fewer hours per day with hyperglycaemia or post-meal hyperglycaemia, and had lower blood pressure.

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Effects Of Vitamins C And D In Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Accepted for publication 26 November 2014

10 February 2015Volume 2015:7 Pages 2128

Darshika J Christie-David,1,2 Christian M Girgis,24 Jenny E Gunton14 1Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Westmead Hospital, 2Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney, 3Westmead Millennium Institute, 4Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia Abstract: Scurvy and rickets are largely considered historical diseases in developed countries. However, deficiencies in vitamins C and D are re-emerging due to increased consumption of processed foods and reduced fresh foods in the Western diet, as well as to an indoor sedentary lifestyle away from sun exposure. These dietary and lifestyle factors also predispose one to diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Our understanding of the potential roles of vitamin C and vitamin D in disease is increasing. In this review, we present observational, interventional, and mechanistic studies that examine the potential links between vitamins C and D in reversing defects in glucose homeostasis and the prevention of type 2 diabetes. Studies suggest an association between vitamin C deficiency and diabetes. An association between vitamin D and insulin resistance has been well described however, the role of vitamin C and D supplementation in diabetes and its prevention requires further controlled trials. Keywords: glucose homeostasis, diabetes, insulin resistance, vitamin C, vitamin D

Introduction

Effects of vitamin C in diabetes

Summary points

Can A Vitamin C Supplement Cause A Blood Sugar Spike If I Have Diabetes

Important: This content reflects information from various individuals and organizations and may offer alternative or opposing points of view. It should not be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. As always, you should consult with your healthcare provider about your specific health needs.

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Screening For Vitamin B12 Deficiency Among Patients With T1dm

Among patients with T1DM, there are no clear guidelines regarding screening for vitamin B12 deficiency. However, due to the high prevalence of pernicious anaemia and subsequent vitamin B12 deficiency among T1DM patients reported in most cross sectional studies, it would be pragmatic to screen at diagnosis and then later yearly for 3 years, then five yearly thereafter or in presence of any clinical indication since vitamin B12 deficiency can develop at anytime . Screening should involve assessment of serum vitamin B12 levels and markers of gastric autoimmunity like PCA and AIF especially among T1DM patients with GAD-65 and thyroid peroxidase antibodies. Presence of these auto antibodies increases the propensity to developing vitamin B12 deficiency .

Degree Of Fat Accumulation In Liver

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Level of liver steatosis was measured using ultrasonography with Esaote medical ultrasound machine at the beginning and end of the study. Hepatic ultrasonography was done by someone who was blinded to the objectives of the study. For ultrasound, patients were required to fast for 8 h. Ultrasonography was performed in supine position. Right and left lobes of the upper and lower surfaces were studied. Echogenicity of the liver, presence or absence of bulky tumors, and cystic or solid calcification also were assessed. Intrahepatic bile ducts, portal vein, and hepatic artery were evaluated. Liver steatosis was scored semi-quantitatively on a scale of 0-3, where 0 denoted absent, 1 was given for mild, 2 for moderate, and 3 for severe steatosis. Steatosis was graded according to Saverymuttu et al.

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Stress Increases Cortisol Which Affects Insulin Sensitivity

Youre overextended at work, theres a family crisis, and suddenly your blood sugar level is through the roof. Sound familiar? Stress definitely raises blood sugar levels, Dodell says. It increases cortisol, our fight-or-flight hormone. When cortisol goes up, it makes us less sensitive either to our bodys own insulin or to insulin injections.

Stress can be physical sustaining an injury, for example or mental, such as being beset with financial woes or marriage problems. Even positive changes to your daily routine a promotion at work or going on vacation can cause a sudden increase in blood sugar, he says.

The best ways to de-stress and get the hormones back under control? People often turn to food, which doesnt help, Grieger says. But we can learn new ways to manage stress. There are things you can do when youre right in the moment when tension at work suddenly makes you want to pull your hair out. Go for a five-minute walk or take 10 deep breaths to slow your breathing, she says. And there are regular habits you can develop, like establishing a daily exercise or meditation routine.

Assessment Of B12 Status Among Patients With Pernicious Anemia

Pernicious anemia is a condition in which the gastric parietal cells fail to synthesis the intrinsic factor, which is essential for B12 absorption. A positive test for intrinsic factor antibodies may be a useful assessment method in some patients with pernicious anemia . However, some individuals do test positive for the intrinsic factor antibody without actually having pernicious anemia. Parietal cell antibody test constitutes another, more accurate, assessment method. It is believed that up to 90 percent of patients with pernicious anemia will have a positive parietal cell antibody test . Both the intrinsic factor antibody and the parietal cell antibody may detect the presence of antibodies in the stomach secretions and in serum.

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And Lowers Antioxidant Stores

Because people with diabetes have a higher burden of oxidative stress, they also tend to have lower levels of protective antioxidants. Their antioxidant stores, both endogenous and exogenous , get used up defending against excessive free radical activity.

Theres another reason why antioxidant depletion is common in individuals with diabetes. Under normal circumstances, your kidneys reabsorb glucose as it filters your blood. When blood sugar levels are high, the kidneys cant keep up, so excess glucose is flushed out in the urine. Thats why diabetes is associated with excessive urination.

Unfortunately, glucose isnt the only thing that is excreted. Antioxidants and other essential vitamins and minerals are also lost in the urine. And unless they are replaced, these nutrient losses can adversely affect multiple aspects of health.

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