Why Protein is Crucial For Fat Loss - Part 2

How to Maximize The Results You Get From Your Protein Powder. Timing Is Everything!

Whether it be for fat loss or muscle gain, I always recommend taking a good protein supplement. The reason for this is simple: it is a convenient way to get high-quality protein without excess calories.

Be aware, however, that in no way am I advocating that you live on protein powder (like the dangerous Liquid Protein diets that used to be popular) alone. The key point to understand here is that a protein supplement is exactly what the name suggests: a supplement. It should be taken in addition to a nutritious diet in order to achieve a certain purpose, in this case increased protein intake.

Protein powders and protein bars can also be used as meal replacements on occasion, especially when you are on the go. They are far more nutritious than a fast food meal and more convenient.

The most popular and highest quality protein powder is whey protein. Whey is very digestible and is used efficiently in the body.

You can maximize the effects you get from your protein supplement simply by knowing exactly when to take it. Here is a list of the when, why and how of effective protein supplementation, ranked in order of importance.


1. Immediately After A Workout

If you only take protein once per day, this is the absolute best time to take it. Immediately after you finish your workout, your body needs raw materials to rebuild and recover with. If you don’t supply the raw materials through eating, your body will break down muscle from elsewhere in your body in order to rebuild the damaged areas. This is very counterproductive as you can well imagine.

By taking in some protein (20 to 30 grams or so) within minutes after exercise, you provide your body with the raw materials it needs to recover without breaking down it’s own muscle tissue.

2. An Hour After A Workout

About an hour following a workout, your body has settled down from the excitement and is ready to really start rebuilding. The protein that you took in immediately following the workout has been metabolized and your body is looking for more. Another protein shake at this time is a good way to help speed recovery. Try to take in another 20 to 30 grams about an hour after working out.

3. First Thing In The Morning

Immediately upon waking, or as soon after that as you can manage, take a scoop of protein powder. Your body has just been through an (approximately) 8 hour fast and is hungry for nutrients. Feed your body!

Protein powder is more quickly assimilated than solid food and gets into your muscles faster. This protein shot gives your metabolism a boost, which can help with fat loss. Be sure to follow it with a good breakfast, of course.

4. Last Thing At Night

Prepare your body for the long overnight fast by giving it a little something to work with. A good combination for this purpose is to mix a scoop of whey protein in with a small glass of milk.

Whey is what’s known as a "fast" protein, meaning that it’s digested quickly, while milk protein (casein) is what’s known as a "slow" protein, meaning it’s digested relatively slowly. At night, you want your protein to be metabolized slowly so that your body gets a more even supply over the course of the night. By mixing "fast" and "slow" proteins, you get the benefits of the higher-quality whey with the slower digestion time of the milk.

5. In-between Meals

A quick protein shake can be a great snack in between meals. It helps keep your body supplied with protein all day long. This is especially useful if you tend to have long periods of time in-between meals. It could mean the difference between losing muscle and building or keeping muscle!

6. With Meals

Taking a protein supplement with meals is a handy way to increase the protein content of a meal. This is perfect for when you make a meal that is somewhat low in protein.

7. In The Middle Of The Night

This is a trick that bodybuilders sometimes use in order to keep their muscles supplied with protein throughout the night. Keep a pre-mixed protein shake right beside your bed. Although some trainers have been known to set alarms to wake up to drink it, I prefer to have it there waiting just in case I wake up, but I don’t try to wake up on purpose. If I don’t wake up, it’s right there ready for me to drink first thing in the morning! This strategy is more targeted for muscle growth rather than fat loss.

WARNING!

Never drink a protein supplement immediately before working out!

Some people do this thinking that it will give them an energy boost or give them a head-start for post-workout recovery. Basically, all it does is sit in their stomach and bloat them up. Valuable blood that should be going to working muscles gets sent to the digestive system to try and digest it. The same warning goes for taking protein during a workout. Don’t do it!

By following these protein-intake recommendations, you will increase the effectiveness of your supplementation. Even if you choose to take advantage of only one or two of these timing techniques, you will certainly see an improvement in your recovery ability.

Author: Nick Nilsson is Vice President of BetterU, Inc., an online exercise, fitness, and personal training company. Check out his latest eBook "The Best Exercises You've Never Heard Of" at http://www.thebestexercises.com or visit http://www.fitstep.com. You can contact him at betteru@fitstep.com or subscribe to BetterU News, his fitness newsletter at betterunews@fitstep.com.

Why Protein is Crucial For Fat Loss - Part 2

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Why Protein is Crucial For Fat Loss - Part 1

I Didn’t Realize How Important Protein Was For Fat Loss Until I Discovered Something That Blew My Mind...

The year was 1992. I had just finished a long cycle of weight gain whereupon I had moved my bodyweight up from about 150 pounds to about 215 pounds. And let me just tell you, it wasn’t all muscle!

I hadn’t been all that careful about my diet previously but I thought I knew pretty well what I was doing. It was time to lose some of that fat.

The first thing I did was make the biggest mistake a dieter can make: in my focus of trying to eat only low fat foods, I unwittingly and drastically reduced the amount of protein that I was eating.

The result? I lost weight and plenty of it. The problem was, I lost mostly muscle! I was smaller, weaker, lighter and nearly as fat as I was before. Not quite the results I was looking for.

In retrospect, I know exactly what I did wrong and it’s something I’ll never do again.

I FORGOT ABOUT PROTEIN!

Protein is an extremely important nutrient whether your goal is to lose fat, gain muscle or just tone yourself up. It is the main structural nutrient in your body, making up the bulk of your muscles and organs. Protein is essential for proper hormone function and immune system health.

Most importantly, for our purposes, protein is used for building and repairing muscle tissue.....


When you are trying to lose fat, you reduce your calories. Unfortunately, your body views fat stores as more precious than your muscle tissue and will tend to eat up muscle tissue before it goes to fat for energy. This physiological adaptation used to protect our ancestors from famine but works against us now.

This is very unfortunate because muscle tissue is a great calorie-burner. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn even when you’re doing absolutely nothing! Protecting your muscle tissue makes fat loss so much easier, it will amaze you. Not only that, it will help you keep that fat off permanently!

What can you do to protect your muscle tissue?

The first thing you can do is exercise. Exercise, especially resistance training, provides a stimulus for your body that sends it a signal saying "keep this muscle, you’re going to need it."

The second thing you can do is provide your body with enough protein. This can be in the form of food or supplements.

Good food sources of protein include chicken, fish, eggs, lean meats, legumes (beans), soy, and dairy products. Protein supplements are derived from food sources but are concentrated for convenience and effectiveness.

How much protein do you need?

The standard recommendation for athletes is between 1.2 to 1.7 grams per kilogram of bodyweight per day (or 0.5 to 0.7 grams per pound of bodyweight per day), though some research indicates a ratio as high as 2 grams per kilogram of bodyweight per day (0.9 grams per pound) is beneficial. This means if you weigh 150 pounds, you should try to eat between 75 and 105 grams and up to around 135 grams of protein per day.

Essentially, you should experiment with your protein intake to find out what works best for you. As far as importance in your supplement program goes, I would rank protein as next in importance to a good multi-vitamin.

When I made my first grand attempt at fat loss, I made the mistake of neglecting protein and it cost me. Don’t make the same mistake I did!

Author: Nick Nilsson is Vice President of BetterU, Inc., an online exercise, fitness, and personal training company. Check out his latest eBook "The Best Exercises You've Never Heard Of" at http://www.thebestexercises.com or visit http://www.fitstep.com. You can contact him at betteru@fitstep.com or subscribe to BetterU News, his fitness newsletter at betterunews@fitstep.com

Protein is Crucial For Fat Loss - Part 1

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Believe me…

I’ve had my fair share of large bills especially when I’m trying to bulk up and gain weight.

Am I right about this so far?

Don’t’ worry… there are some really overlooked and rather inexpensive methods to get all the food you need without breaking the bank. But I have an even better idea… let me just start off with a quick list of foods that you can find at most grocery stories and warehouse locations that are cheap and are excellent sources of protein, carbohydrates and fats.

Low Cost Bodybuilding Foods (no particular order):

1. Tuna
2. Nuts
3. Olive Oil
4. Whey Protein Concentrate, in bulk
5. Pasta
6. Chicken legs
7. Beans


Of course you’ll want to get servings of fruits and veggies but normally it’s the other foods that are expensive in bulk. With just the above foods, you can get many of them in bulk or for discounts and have plenty of wholesome foods for your bulking, cutting and bodybuilding endeavors.

By now, you’re probably wondering…

Okay, that’s a nice list of general foods I can use but I am taking some supplements. And they aren’t so cheap. I’d like to try everything I see in the latest muscle magazines but I really only have time for what works. Where’s the cheap list of supplements?

Inexpensive (best bang for your buck) supplements:

1. Multi-vitamin
2. Fish oil
3. Whey concentrate
4. Dextrose
5. Creatine Monohydrate

Fact is…

I try a lot of supplements myself. I’m curious. I want to know what works and sometimes I stumble across something that is worth it. But the above list is the basic supplement list that I always return to no matter what. It’s part of the vitamin closet in the kitchen. If I have no time, no money or no desire to try anything new, I know that above is the only stash I need to make any gains I’ll need.

So let me summarize and review…

Bodybuilding on budget is real. If you look for specific foods that are great sources of protein, carbs and healthy fats and mix and match, you have a really well rounded selection to make many meals. No matter if you are on a bulk phase, cutting phase or just want to eat healthy, it doesn’t have to be the most expensive things you’ve ever done.

Sponsored by: http://www.balootisme.com

Author: Marc David is a bodybuilder, writer, and author of the the e-book "The Beginner's Guide to Fitness and Bodybuilding" (BGFB): What Every Beginner Should Know but Probably Doesn't. The Beginner's Guide is oriented towards fitness minded men and women who are just starting or have worked out for years without results. To learn more about the Beginner's Guide, visit Beginning-Bodybuilding at: http://www.beginning-bodybuilding.com

Bodybuilding on a Budget

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Omega 3 Microencapsulation: The Newest Development

In an effort to add Omega 3 from the right source (fatty fish) to our grocery store products, the latest attempt to cash in on the Omega 3 band wagon is micro encapsulated Omega 3 fish oil in of all things, orange juice (Tropicana), butter (I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter) and yogurt. Suffice it to say, micro encapsulation is a complicated process that requires a scientific background to explain.


What I do know is, I never wish to add fish of any kind, in any form, encapsulated, freeze dried, flaked or otherwise to orange juice, butter, yogurt, or any food for that matter. It’s not only tremendously unappealing, many people are deathly allergic to fish. Will they have to read labels of orange juice, butter and yogurt to make sure dried or encapsulated Omega 3 fish oil is not lurking within?

We are inundated by commercialism, clever advertisers, hype, powerful food and drug companies complicated by our own time limitations to dig deep for answers. So we do our best to keep up, read a bit here, listen a bit there and assimilate information often on the run. When we walk into our grocery stores and see Omega 3 on products, our first reaction is to buy knowing we need to add Omega 3 yet so few know they just added more seed oils to their bodies. And with today’s textbook science clearly showing seed oils are the culprit behind chronic inflammation affecting Americans’ health today, it is not a stretch to call the behavior of food manufacturers unscrupulous in their duping of the American consumer in the most dreadful way – not the cash in their hand but the very health they are trying to either keep or restore.

Research once showed ALA from seed oils was beneficial to heart health and other diet-related diseases, yet those conditions continued to climb and studies began emerging linking an over-abundance of ALA and other seed oils to chronic inflammation (arachidonic acid) being at the core of those diseases. And unless you’ve stayed clear of fast food restaurants, prepackaged foods, treats, and your favorite sit down restaurant, you’ve unknowingly been consuming huge quantities beyond any healthy recommendation that was suggested just a few years ago.

The first attempt at misleading labeling was conscienceless but the newest of dropping tiny caplets of micro encapsulated Omega 3 fish oil into juice and dairy products defies logic. My mind, nor my palate, can tolerate the thought of the taste or texture. At first glance it might appear as a step in the right direction by at least adding fish oil that we need but do you want fish oil delivered to you in those products? And if we throw Omega 3 microencapsulated fish oil into a wide array of grocery store products, how will we know if we’ve consumed a gram a day as suggested by the AHA or ten grams a day? It is estimated that by 2011, sales of Omega 3 enriched products will soars to $7 Billion Dollars.

A simpler solution is educating the American public as to the difference between food grade Omega 3 fish oils that offer no benefit and pure pharmaceutical grade fish oil from the right fatty fish that do. Purifying fish oil requires years of skill utilizing molecular processes. Suppliers who purchase 50 gallon drums of fish oil to turn into capsules for resale can afford to buy one, get one free and offer a two month supply for $25.00. Your health is precious and finding a quality source of fish oil only requires a little looking beyond the labeling.

Find a fish oil manufacturer (not a fish oil reseller, retailer or supplier) who began the process of producing fish oil by contracting with deep sea fisherman to deliver it to their lab. Make sure they either own the pharmaceutically lab purifying the oil or are aware of the lab’s standards. If not, your supplement passed through so many hands, it’s amazing it made it to the shelf in tact. Check for testimonies from real, satisfied customers who have experienced significant health changes. There are great fish oil products out there.

Author: Lois Smithers, former avid equestrian who fractured two vertebra, spent years researching Omega 3 she credits with ending debilitating chronic inflammation. With Debra Morgan, they own Sea-Based Health, LLC. Sign up for their newsletter and product recommendations, visit http://seabasedhealth.com

Omega 3 Micro encapsulation: The Newest Development

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Vitamin D – A Closer Look At Cancer Prevention

Vitamin D is the nutrient long known for it's critical role in the body's processing of calcium and subsequent maintenance of the bones and teeth. However, studies are revealing more and more evidence supporting the role of vitamin D in protecting the body by significantly cutting the risk for most forms of cancer. In fact, new research published most recently in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that vitamin D supplements may lower the risk factor by as much as 77 percent.


The following reveal exciting evidence of the exceptionally strong cancer-protective effects of vitamin D.

Breast Cancer – most recently the results of a study were published in the Archives of Internal Medicine suggesting that pre-menopausal women who maintain high levels of vitamin D and calcium in their diets have a significantly lower risk of breast cancer. More importantly, high levels of calcium and vitamin D among this group seemed to reduce the most aggressive breast tumors, including those that are likely to spread to the lymph nodes, which contain the most dangerous types of cancer cells. The two nutrients function together to block or interfere with the effects of the IGF (insulin-like growth factor) hormone, which is known to stimulate breast and other cancer cells.

Colon/Rectal Cancer - More than fifty years ago, while realizing the correlation between sunlight and vitamin D blood concentrations, curious scientists began studying weather data around the country, along with health statistics anticipating a relationship between areas with the highest amount of sunshine and lower rates of colon cancer death. New research conducted at the Creighton University School of Medicine in Nebraska has revealed that supplementing with vitamin D and calcium can reduce your risk of colon cancer by nearly 80 percent.

Pancreatic Cancer – known for having one of the highest mortality rates, pancreatic cancer is frequently called the "silent killer" typically because its presence is seldom diagnosed prior to reaching the advanced stages generally considered incurable. Results of two studies that began over thirty years ago, with a combined 170,000 male and female participants revealed evidence that at higher intake levels of vitamin D (at least 600 IU per day) there was a significant reduction in the risk of pancreatic cancer.

Prostate Cancer - Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in men in the United States. However, an abundance of clinical research is providing evidence that vitamin D may be a key factor in reducing or eliminating the risk of contracting the disease. Most recent results include a new study indicating that vitamin D generated from about 15 minutes of sunshine per day may help lower the risk of prostate cancer. Other epidemiological studies also show correlations between the risk factors for prostate cancer and conditions that can result in decreased vitamin D levels. And, additional clinical research has shown that the presence of vitamin D inhibits the growth of human prostate cancer cells.

Lung Cancer – is the leading cause of cancer related deaths in America, so it is with great promise that a study published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention revealed that Vitamin D from a combination of dietary sources and sun exposure appears to improve the survival of patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which accounts for 75% to 80% of all lung cancers. It's interesting to note that group participants who had surgery during the summer months gained a 13% survival advantage over those receiving surgery during the winter.

Recent research indicates that anyone totally avoiding the sun will need an intake of about 4,000 IUs of vitamin D a day! Now, if you do the math this means that it will be impossible from a practical means, to get enough vitamin D from either natural foods or nutritional supplements. Consider the requirement of 40 glasses of milk or 10 multi-vitamin tablets a day. Such an alternative would be an unrealistic and physically dangerous undertaking, to say the least.

Most of us make about 20,000 units of vitamin D after about 20 minutes of summer sun, but if for some reason you're not getting vitamin D from sunshine, you need to take supplemental vitamin D3 cholecalciferol. Since most of us do in fact receive much more vitamin D from the sun than we actually realize, it's reasonable to assume then that the majority of us need to supplement our intake with an additional 2,000 IUs per day, to ensure the risk reduction benefits against all cancer related illness.

For additional information and important resources, please visit http://www.newdaynutrients.com/

Author: Harry Monell is writing articles and maintaining New Day Nutrients.com, a website dedicated to promoting better health and vitality by providing useful information, advice and the latest news covering a wide range of health and nutritional topics. For additional information and resources, please copy into your web browser http://www.newdaynutrients.com

Vitamin D – A Closer Look At Cancer Prevention

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FISH OIL AND WEIGHT LOSS

Many people still struggle to lose weight despite the huge number of weight loss products and diet supplements on the market which would suggest that they might not be the ideal solution. However, one recent study has found that simply taking fish oil supplements on a daily basis could help promote weight loss and combat obesity.

The study was conducted by the University of South Australia in 2006 and without making any modifications to diet, those taking fish oil supplements and walking or running for 45 minutes three times a week lost an average of two and half kilograms of weight over the period of the trial whereas there was little difference in the other groups. Not only that, instruments used to measure body fat composition found that those taking the fish oil also had a significant reduction in body fat. The results suggest that weight loss can be accelerated when fish oil is combined with moderate amounts of exercise.


So why would fish oil make such a difference?

Fish oil contains the essential Omega 3 fatty acids Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and as these fats cannot be synthesised in the body, they have to be obtained from the diet. Most of us do not get adequate amounts of Omega 3 fatty acids in our diet and some health professionals believe that this is responsible for a number of diseases that are on the increase in the 21st Century such as heart disease, inflammatory diseases, allergies and even depression. So what impact does Omega 3 fatty acids have on our weight?

Many people who try to lose weight believe that they have to cut out as much fat as possible. This is simply not the case and indeed, extremely low fat diets can be harmful as the body needs a certain amount of fat to survive. The secret lies in getting the right kind of fat. The types of fats to be avoided are the "trans" fats or hydrogenated fats that are found in abundance in processed foods. This type of fat will not facilitate weight loss and indeed is harmful to the body in general. Omega 3 fatty acids on the other hand can improve fat metabolism.

Another important consideration is the amount of pro-inflammatory Omega 6 fatty acids that are consumed in relation to the amount of Omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 6 fatty acids are also essential but are generally abundant in Western diets in meat and dairy products, in vegetable oils and in processed foods. The important Omega 3 fatty acids EPA and DHA are only found in any significant quantities in oily fish like Salmon, Sardines, Tuna and Mackerel, and of course in fish oil supplements. The other plant based Omega 3 fatty acid is alpha linolenic acid (ALA) and this can be found in dark green leafy vegetables and flax seed oil but the body is not efficient at converting this into the really important EPA and DHA.

The truth is anyone who restricts calorie consumption and increases the amount of calories they burn off will eventually lose weight. However, it is healthy weight loss that is the ideal as this is the only way that the weight will come off and stay off. The South Australian study suggests that weight loss can be achieved by taking fish oil and some exercise without making any changes to the diet. It would be reasonable then to surmise that even greater results might be achieved by making some alterations to the diet along with taking fish oil and some moderate exercise.

Fish oil supplements

There are other health benefits to taking fish oil supplements than promoting a healthy weight loss. Fish oil is known to reduce inflammation and offer protection against heart disease and depression and a whole host of other health problems. You could also try adding more fish to your diet but the current recommendation is to limit consumption of fish due to the amount of toxins they can contain, like Mercury and PCBs for example. So, fish oil would seem the ideal way to get enough Omega 3 fatty acids into the diet to make a difference, however, a word of warning. As fish oils are produced from fish, they too can contain unhealthy levels of toxins unless it is high quality fish oil that has been through processes such as molecular distillation to remove these toxins so shop around for a good one first.

Conclusion

More research is required to establish just how effective fish oil is at promoting weight loss but in the meantime, there is every reason to believe that fish oil is certainly worth a try, not only might you shed some extra pounds, you could improve your general health too.

Author: Dave McEvoy is an expert in omega 3 fish oil EPA with over 20 years experience; for more information about fish oil and how it can help with weight loss please come and visit our site.

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Bodybuilding Supplement

To supplement or not to supplement - that is the question on more bodybuilder's lips than ever before. Are they safe? Have you ever wondered what works and what doesn't?

Lets have a look at the basics.

There are various reasons why athletes may be interested in supplementation.

* Concern about getting adequate nutrients from our food supply.
* Suspicion of pharmaceuticals.
* Belief that diet alone will not achieve optimal nutrition


Supplements include the following:

* Vitamins
* Minerals
* Amino Acids
* Herbs

The concerning thing about supplements is that anything classified as a dietary supplement is not required to meet any FDA or other standards! Think about that! there are no regulations in place that guarantee the safety or purity of something sold as a supplement.

They are also not made to meet the similar safety requirements as prescription drugs or any other manufacturing standards. They are not required to meet product potency or purity ratings and are not required to prove the effectiveness of any health claim that is made.

Studies suggest that a number of supplements may deliver on advertising claims. However, trainees are spending large sums of money on products that have little or no proven usefulness.

Personally I find the use of supplements over rated and as with strength training, supplementation asks the same question

"If a little is good then maybe more has to be better"

Supplementation and steroids started to proliferate when volume strength training became the training system of the day. Young strength trainees slaving in the gym for five to six days a week was seen as normal. All this without making any progress or putting on any size whatsoever.

They then turned to the latest supplement or steroid thinking that this is the magic bullet to put on that added muscle when all the time they were just plain

"Overtraining"

The cold hard facts are that the majority of the regular trainees in your gym are overtraining. The sad reality is that the type of training that you find in bodybuilding books and magazines (and used by the stars) are irrelevant to the majority of
the population and has a high failure rate.

If more bodybuilders started using more infrequent, short, high intensity weight training sessions, followed by the required amount of time to recover and become stronger...

"Most of the Muscle building supplements and steroids available today would not be needed"

. The bottom line on weight gain supplements

* Before taking a supplement try to make modifications to your diet that might achieve the same goals.
* Only choose products that show the amount of active ingredients on the label that are required.
* Be aware that "natural" does not mean 'safe'
* Some herbal supplements may have unpleasant side effects.

Listed below are some popular bodybuilding supplements available on the market today:

Creatine monohydrate

Creatine was first introduced to the market place some eight years ago and has since become the most popular bodybuilding supplement of all time.

Creatine is said to significantly increase lean muscle mass, improve performance, increase energy levels and speed up recovery rates.

Creatine also stimulates the uptake of amino acids in the proteins, which means that the more that it's used the more muscle that may be grown.

Dosage: A loading phase of 20grams a day for the first five days then a maintenance phase of 5grams a day from then on.

Whey Protein isolate

The highest yield of protein currently available and is extracted from milk. This is another popular supplement for athletes and bodybuilders because of its high proportion of amino acids.

It is supposed to be high in potassium, which is essential
for muscle growth and is an antioxidant and a good immune system builder.

Dosage: 20gms - 100gms a day.

Tribulus Terrestris

Tribulus terrestris is a plant that grows in many tropical and moderate areas of the world and is very rich in chemical compounds such as saponins, flavonoids and alkaloids.
Tribulus terrestris is supposedly a testosterone enhancer and increases sex drives in both men and women.

Dosage as per bottle.

Glutamine

Is a non-essential amino acid, which makes up to 60% of the amino acids in the bodies muscles. Glutamine containing products are protein shakes and good quality protein powders; it can also be added to protein shakes for added potency.

Dosage: 5grams to 15 grams per day.

So there you have it, a supplement is something added to the diet to make up for a nutritional deficiency or imbalance, they are not intended to substitute for eating a balanced diet. If they are to be taken at all they should only be used to supplement the diet and not replace it.

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Supplements For Diabetes

Diabetes:

Diabetes is a chronic condition in which body does not produce or produce less insulin compared to healthy individual or body develops resistance to insulin (body does not respond to insulin).

Most foods that we consume finally enter into the blood in form of carbohydrate, fat & protein. From blood, these nutrients enter into cells. Insulin is required for this entry of glucose into cells. Body cells utilize carbohydrate & fat for energy & growth.

Because of less insulin or resistance to insulin in diabetes, blood sugar cannot enter into cells & remain in blood resulting in high blood sugar.

Studies have shown that supplements like chromium, alpha lipoic acid & vanadium plays an important role in the management of diabetes.

Chromium supplements in diabetes:

Diabetes is associated with low concentrations of chromium in blood, so, an early, long-term addition of chromium to the standard therapy has been recommended in several studies. Some latest clinical reports also support the safety and therapeutic value of chromium supplementation for the management of high cholesterol and sugar in subjects with diabetes.

Chromium increases insulin receptor numbers & insulin binding to cells. Since chromium acts by increasing insulin efficiency, so lower amount of insulin is required in presence of chromium.

A clinical study published in ‘Diabetes Care. (2006, August)’ has shown that chromium supplementation in subjects with type 2 diabetes significantly improves insulin sensitivity and glucose control. Chromium supplementation also reduced body weight gain and fat accumulation

A latest review article published in Diabetes Technol Ther. 2006 December has mentioned that 13 of 15 clinical studies involving a total of 1,690 subjects reported significant improvement in at least one outcome of glycemic control. (Glycemic control is a medical term used for blood sugar levels in a person with diabetes) Beneficial effects of chromium supplementation included reduced blood glucose, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels and reduced requirements for drugs for diabetes.

Reduction in blood sugar & improvement in insulin sensitivity with chromium results in decrease risk for diabetes complications.

Alpha lipoic acid in Diabetes:

Alpha lipoic acid is a powerful antioxidant, which is produced in the body & also present in food. High blood sugar in diabetes increases free radical formation in body, which leads to additional complications of diabetes like atherosclerosis, heart problems, nerve damage & cataract. Antioxidant decreases free radicals in body & decreases risk of complications.

There are number of publications confirming beneficial effect of lipoic acid in therapy of many diseases, including diabetes, atherosclerosis, degenerative processes in neurons, diseases of joints,

A recent clinical study on diabetic patients treated with alpha lipoic acid was published in ‘hormones (Athens). 2006 Oct-Dec 5(4)’. The result of the study has proved that short-term oral alpha-lipoic acid treatment increases peripheral insulin sensitivity in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Improvement in insulin sensitivity could improve both blood sugar control and cardiovascular risk factors in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Peripheral insulin sensitivity gives an idea about how body cells respond to insulin. In diabetes, because of decrease response to insulin by body cells, blood sugar cannot enter into cells causing high blood glucose. Alpha lipoic acid enhances glucose uptake by cells in type 2 diabetes.

Diabetic neuropathy or nerve damage is a complication of diabetes. It is a progressive disease, which can cause pain, loss of sensation and weakness, in the feet and sometimes in the hands. Studies have shown that alpha lipoic acid is effective in management of diabetic nerve damage called neuropathy and it reduces pain associated with neuropathy.

Vanadium supplement in diabetes:

Vanadium is a trace mineral required by the body in small quantities. Numerous studies have shown that vanadium has insulin-like effects in liver, skeletal muscle, and adipose tissue. It may improve glucose control in people with type 2 diabetes.

Along with chromium & alpha lipoic acid, some other supplement like evening primrose oil, fenugreek & some herbs also help in management of diabetes.

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IS IT NECESSARY TO TAKE VITAMIN SUPPLEMENTS

For most people, taking a vitamin supplement sounds like a good idea, when they remember or get around to it. It is not very high on most people’s priority list, and that is unfortunate, because it is becoming more and more unhealthy.

Now I know most readers are thinking how can not doing something like taking a vitamin supplement make your health situation worse? I eat a good diet, if I have not been taking vitamins supplements up until now and I've been doing OK, why do i you think I will be less healthy in the future?

The simple answer is that the foods you eat are getting less and less nutritious. A study performed by the US department of agriculture, illustrated this perfectly. In that study 100 grams of spinach from a specific farm was processed to determine the exact amount of iron it contained. The study showed that in 1940 100 g of spinach yielded 158 mg of Iron. In 1965 100 g of spinach yielded only 27 mg of Iron, and in 1995 100 g of spinach yielded just 2.2 mg of Iron.

This study clearly demonstrates the growing problem of mineral and vitamin depletion in the farming soil. Farmers have tried different measures to combat this with little success. Air pollution, chemicals, pesticides, over utilization, Steroids and growth hormones have radically reduced the fundamental nutrition in our fruits and vegetables.

Here are a couple of alarming quotes from US Senate Document Number 264 "No man today can eat enough fruits and vegetables to supply his stomach with the mineral salts he requires for perfect health, because his stomach isn't big enough to hold them! And we are turning into big stomachs." "The alarming fact is that foods (fruits, vegetables and grains) now being raised on millions of acres of land that no longer contain enough of certain minerals are starving us ... no matter how much of them we eat."

This is just one of the many reasons the modern diet is growing more and more deficient. There are many other reasons that contribute to the problem. With all of this in mind, vitamin supplementation is no longer a luxury we can continue to put off. It is now essential to supplement your diet to achieve optimal health and vitality.

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