Vitamin C for Diabetes Patients, Including Health Benefits
Healthful Vitality | 09/26/2021 | By NP Contributor | Vitamin C for Diabetes Patients
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is a well-known vitamin with numerous health benefits. It helps maintain immunity, protect cells from free radicals, boost healing processes, and help form connective tissues. Most adults need 75 to 100 mg of vitamin C a day for optimal health.
Since vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin, the body does not have its large stores. It means that its deficiency may occur in a relatively short time. Further, there is an increased need for the vitamin in those living with chronic ailments.
Researchers are also exploring the therapeutic effects of high-dose vitamins.
Benefits of vitamin C in diabetes
Below are some of the benefits of vitamin C in diabetes:
1. Helps control blood sugar levels and prevent spikes
One of the latest studies by Deakin University demonstrated that 500 mg of vitamin C twice a day might considerably help lower blood glucose and prevent postprandial spikes. In the study, it could help cause a significant 36% reduction in the spikes.
2. Antioxidant and insulin sensitizer
Studies show that adequate intake of vitamin C may help counter not only free radicals [1] but it may also boost insulin sensitivity. In one of the controlled trials, those who took vitamin C had much better diabetes control. Moreover, it may help reduce the risk of various diabetes-related complications.
3. Improves basal metabolic rate and lipid profile
In a lab experiment, researchers found that vitamin C is a metabolic booster. It means that a person continues to burn calories more efficiently even when resting, and it may help reduce bad cholesterol levels.
4. Lowers inflammation
In diabetes, high cholesterol, poor vascular health, and low-grade inflammation considerably increase the risk of cardiovascular events like myocardial infarction. Thus, researchers are looking for novel ways to reduce low-grade systemic inflammation. Studies seem to suggest that vitamin C may help reduce C-reactive protein, one of the major biomarkers of inflammation and risk of a cardiovascular event.
5. Improves microcirculation
Damage to smaller blood vessels in diabetes increases the risk of retinopathy, kidney disease, and cardiovascular issues. It seems that vitamin C may also help boost microcirculation and thus prevent many diabetes-related complications.
6. Boosts wound healing
Diabetes is the leading cause of non-healing ulcers. There are many reasons for it apart from high blood sugar, like a defect in immune responses, poor microcirculation, and much more. Studies suggest that vitamin C may have a role in promoting wound healing.
7. Boosts immunity
Vitamin C is well known to boost immunity, help fight seasonal infections. Those living with diabetes have poor immunity and a greater risk of catching various ailments, and vitamin C may help.
To conclude, vitamin C has numerous health benefits, and it may be a cost-effective and safe way of managing diabetes and diabetes-related complications. It may not be a potent diabetes remedy, but adding it to diabetes treatment may help gain better control over blood sugar. However, it is worth noticing that prolonged high dose use of vitamin C is not recommended. This is because prolonged abuse may sometimes cause just opposite effects like increasing the risk of infections and slowing down healing processes.
(Related Article: Supplements to Lower Blood Sugar Naturally)
Reference
- Ascorbic acid supplementation improves skeletal muscle oxidative stress and insulin sensitivity in people with type 2 diabetes: Findings of a randomized controlled study. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0891584916000071?via%3Dihub