GYMNEMA SYLVESTRE

Research shows that the average person consumes 12 pounds of sugar a year.  The re­sults of this sugar binge are: hy­perinsulinemia, hyperlipidemia, obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, Syndrome X, A.G.E. products, cataracts, and various forms of neuropathy. These are the chronic diseases of our times. The frontline organ deal­ing with this glucose onslaught is the pancreas. The increasing levels of diabetes and dysglyce­mia problems are indicators that the pancreas is not up to dealing with this level of sweetness.
 
Gymnema sylvestre, a woody climber from the tropical forests of India, has been shown to re­pair/revitalize/regenerate the pancreas. In one study, Streptozotocin was used to induce dia­betes in rats. Gymnema treated rats had increased insulin secre­tion and beta cell number. There was no effect on normal rats. Rabbits induced diabetes with Alloxan showed the same re­sults. Tests in humans with both Type I and Type II diabetes Gym­nema was shown to be effective. Gymnema extract was able to reduce blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin, glycosylated plasma proteins, increased C-­peptide levels and conventional diabetic drug therapy. These effects are not noted with stan­dard conventional therapy. All patients developed secondary hypoglycemic symptoms and had to have their drug dosages reduced after several weeks.
 
When tested on healthy individu­als, Gymnema does not produce any acute reduction in fasting blood glucose levels. This re­search is starting to overturn the conventional concept that the pancreatic beta cell in juve­nile, maturity-onset, and ex­perimentally-induced diabetes is irreversible.

Gymnema extract has the ability to normalise blood glucose func­tion by repairing, revitalizing, and regenerating the beta cells of the pancreas. Gymnema in traditional Indian medicine is known as a stomachic, diuretic, and diabetic con­troller. In Sanskrit it’s known as Meshashringl and in Hindu as Gurmar. Both names refer to its ability to destroy sugar. Gym­nema has the interesting prop­erly of being able to stop sweet taste. This property was investi­gated in the early 1900’s in a crude fraction known as ‘gymnemic acid’. This fraction not only stopped sweet taste but glycouria as well.
 
Modern research has isolated a polypeptide, gurmarin, that is responsible for stopping the sweet taste. Several triterpenpoid saponins have been isolated that have the blood glucose regulating effect.

VANADYL SULFATE

Vanadyl sulfate, a salt of the mineral vanadium (vanadium oxysulfate), has demonstrated insulin-like effects on glucose metabolism in both animal and human trials. (2,3) Clinical trials have shown a significant de­crease in insulin requirements by patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus after Vanadyl sulfate therapy and a significant decrease in cholesterol levels in both insulin-dependent and non-­insulin-dependent diabetics. There was an increase in basal mitogen-activated protein and S6 kinase activities in mononu­clear cells from both groups that mimicked the effect of insulin stimulation in controls. (3) Vanadyl sulfate given to diabetic rats stimulates glucose uptake and metabolism leading to glu­cose normalization. Rats with Streptozotocin-induced diabetes were given Vanadyl sulfate for three weeks. Although insulin levels were still depressed, glu­cose tolerance was normalized.

Vanadyl Sulfate has also been shown to lower high blood pres­sure in the same rats, as a result of the reduction in excess insulin. Vanadyl Sulfate is likely to be beneficial for diabetes mellitus. It partially restored insulin produc­tion in diabetic rats’ pancreas tissue. Three weeks of Vanadyl Sulfate treatment, followed by 13 weeks without it, still protected the size and insulin content of pancreas islets. It also main­tained glucose tolerance regard­less of insulin levels. In another study on diabetic rats, Vanadyl Sulfate maintained the normal levels of glucose, lipids, creatin­ine, and thyroid hormone. It also corrected abnormalities in heart function and in glycerol output from adipose tissue.

Muscle cells showed increased intake of glucose, amino acids, and insulin. Muscles increase tissue formation and retention. Less protein from muscles is available for fuel, so the body turns to fat for fuel. As the meta­bolic rate increases, the muscles’ sensitivity to Vanadyl appears to increase.

Glycogen production is increased in muscle and liver cells. The result: less fat, more muscle, and more endurance. Vanadyl Sulfate is beneficial for diabetes mellitus. It partially re­stored insulin production, pro­tected the size and insulin con­tent of pancreas islets, and main­tained glucose tolerance--regard­less of insulin levels--maintained the normal levels of glucose, lipids, creatinine, and thyroid hormone, and corrected heart func­tion and glycerol output from adipose tissue.

NIACIN (B-3)

Vitamin B3, also called Niacin, Niocinamide, or Nicotinic Acid, is an essential nutrient required by all humans for the proper metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, as well as for the production of hydrochloric acid for digestion. Vitamin B3 also sup­ports proper blood circulation, healthy skin, and aids in the functioning of the central nerv­ous system. Because of its role in supporting the higher func­tions of the brain and cognition, vitamin B3 also plays an impor­tant role in the treatment of schizophrenia and other mental illnesses. Lastly, adequate levels of B3 are vital for the proper synthesis of insulin and the sex hormones, such as estrogen, testosterone, and progesterone.

Chromium taken with Niacin has been found to be a syner­gistic combination, that in­creases glucose utilization be­yond that when taking Niacin or Chromium alone.

CHROMIUM POLYNICOTINATE

Research in recent years has been published showing that chromium in its non-toxic, triva­lent state bound in an organic complex with nicotinic acid as Glucose Tolerance Factor (GTF) improves insulin function In vitro and in vivo. Most chromium used as a GTE supplement comes from Brewer’s yeast. Chromium in Brewer’s yeast is in the Polynicotinate form. Chro­mium Polynicotinate is up to 300% more bio-available than chromium picolinate.

Chromium doesn’t stimulate the increase of insulin, but rather acts in potentiating the action of the hormone. Human trials have shown that chromium works in the following ways: re­duces fasting glycemia, mean blood glucose, and glycated he­moglobin. It lowers cholesterol and triglycerides but less than the other indices.

Newer research points to chro­mium as being able to sensi­tize tissues to insulin. This ac­tion would be beneficial in insu­lin resistance and Syndrome X problems.

Chromium not only acts in glu­cose related problems, but is also involved in body composi­tion and fat distribution. In dou­ble blind studies, just the addi­tion of chromium supplementa­tion with no other dietary changes altered the body fat composition to increase nonfat body mass.

One factor affecting chromium stores is the body is the amount of sugar that an individual con­sumes. Once chromium has acted as a cofactor in insulin re­sponse, it is excreted in the urine. With the high sugar diet of today, the turnover rate of chromium is quite high. In patients with the highest risk for developing frank diabetes, they need chromium the most. The highest tissue stores of chromium occur in newborns. As the result of diet and sugar stress, chromium is depleted from the body as we age. Studies have shown that diabetics have lower plasma chromium levels than non-diabetics.

Niacin-bound chromium is more bio-available than chromium picolinate. A recent animal study at the University of California found that Chromium Polynicoti­nate was absorbed and retained up to 311% better than chromium picolinate and 672% better than chromium chloride.