Glucose control is the Holy Grail for many diabetic patients but also for people with Metabolic Syndrome and overweight. The use of oral hypoglycemic agents has become common practice, but despite billions of dollars in drug development and their massive use, the pandemic of metabolic diseases continues unabated. Why is glycemic control so elusive? What else can we do?
Let us remember that blood glucose levels are related to the intake of carbohydrates from the diet on the one hand, but mostly to the mechanisms that control these blood levels. For example, someone may wake up with high glucose levels despite many hours of fasting and this may be due to hepatic gluconeogenesis or hyperresponse of morning cortisol, even after a long fast. Something similar happens with chronic inflammation. On its own, it induces hyperglycemia even in people with very strict glycemic control diets. Other factors also sometimes show counterintuitive responses that make glycemic control a nightmare in clinical practice. That is why a systemic approach becomes relevant that addresses the root cause of the glycemic imbalance and not just trying to disguise the figure as we would do with oral hypoglycemic agents or with added insulin regimens.
In order for glucose levels to remain within desirable ranges, this molecule must be able to enter the cell and be metabolized. These 2 processes can be affected by various causes, which must be eliminated so that glucose oxidation occurs successfully. In this article we will discuss 3 substances that positively affect this glucose metabolism.
Myo-Inositol:
Inositol is considered a molecule of the group of B vitamins. Chemically very similar to glucose, it is synthesized in human cells via the glucose 6 phosphate pathway, although its level is considered to be closely related to external intake. The Inositol family comprises 9 stereoisomers of which myo-inositol is the most abundant in living beings.
Once it enters the cells, it participates as a post-activation signaling molecule of the insulin receptor (PI3K) as part of the Kinase pathway. It is also part of the response in cell membranes, not only related to glucose metabolism but also has antiproliferative and anti-stress properties and has recently been a promising candidate as a therapeutic agent in neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease.
Perhaps its most well-known and studied effect has been its ability to improve body mass index and reduce blood sugar levels and insulin resistance in diabetic patients and women with polycystic ovary syndrome. In the latter cases, it has been shown that its intake in therapeutic doses restores ovarian function and, consequently, in many cases, gestational capacity.
Cinsulin:
This ingredient is a patented extract of Cinnamon which in clinical trials has demonstrated the ability to reduce fasting levels in diabetic patients, improve body composition in overweight people, reduce the rate of insulin resistance and increase sensitivity to it.
It has also demonstrated a marked antioxidant and vascular system protection effect. This effect is essential for the intention of reversing, with its intake, the gene expression of phenotypes that promote chronicity associated with chronic non-communicable diseases such as obesity, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Let us remember that chronic oxidative stress is a powerful inducer of cellular metabolic pathways associated with chronic degenerative diseases of all kinds.
Chromium Nicotinate:
It is a special combination of the mineral Chromium with vitamin B3 which enhances its effect as a glucose regulator. It has long been known that Chromium promotes the effect of insulin on its receptor in target tissues. It has been seen that this process occurs through Chromomodulin, a molecule responsible for ensuring insulin signaling. This molecule increases its levels dramatically when Chromium is supplemented externally, which has been seen to favor the entry of glucose into the cells for its subsequent oxidation.
Consequently, as several published studies have shown, fasting levels of glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin decrease, improving the control of type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and patients with Metabolic Syndrome and Insulin Resistance and even Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.
References:
- Roussel, A.M., Hininger, I., Benaraba, R., Ziegenfuss, T.N., & Anderson, R.A. (2009). Antioxidant effects of a cinnamon extract in people with impaired fasting glucose that are overweight or obese. Journal of the American College of Nutrition , 28 (1), 16–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/07315724.2009.10719756
- Anderson R.A. (2008). Chromium and polyphenols from cinnamon improve insulin sensitivity. The Proceedings of the Nutrition Society , 67 (1), 48–53. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0029665108006010
- Bizzarri, M., Monti, N., Piombarolo, A., Angeloni, A., & Verna, R. (2023). Myo-Inositol and D-Chiro-Inositol as Modulators of Ovary Steroidogenesis: A Narrative Review. Nutrients , 15 (8), 1875. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15081875
- Bizzarri, M., Fuso, A., Dinicola, S., Cucina, A., & Bevilacqua, A. (2016). Pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of inositol(s) in health and disease. Expert opinion on drug metabolism & toxicology , 12 (10), 1181–1196. https://doi.org/10.1080/17425255.2016.1206887
- Nordio, M., Basciani, S., & Camajani, E. (2019). The 40:1 myo-inositol/D-chiro-inositol plasma ratio is able to restore ovulation in PCOS patients: comparison with other ratios. European review for medical and pharmacological sciences , 23 (12), 5512–5521. https://doi.org/10.26355/eurrev_201906_18223
- Balk, E.M., Tatsioni, A., Lichtenstein, A.H., Lau, J., & Pittas, A.G. (2007). Effect of chromium supplementation on glucose metabolism and lipids: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Diabetes care , 30 (8), 2154–2163. https://doi.org/10.2337/dc06-0996
- Zhao, F., Pan, D., Wang, N., Xia, H., Zhang, H., Wang, S., & Sun, G. (2022). Effect of Chromium Supplementation on Blood Glucose and Lipid Levels in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Biological trace element research , 200 (2), 516–525. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-021-02693-3