Supplement | Amount | Why |
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Alpha-Lipoic Acid | 600 to 1,200 mg daily | [3 stars] Taking alpha lipoic acid may improve insulin sensitivity and help protect against diabetic complications such as nerve damage. |
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Brewer’s Yeast | 9 grams (about 2 teaspoons) daily | [3 stars] Chromium-rich brewer’s yeast has been shown to be useful in treating type 2 diabetes in several ways, including by improving blood glucose control. |
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Cayenne Topical (Diabetic Neuropathy) | Apply an ointment containing 0.025 to 0.075% capsaicin four times daily to areas of nerve pain | [3 stars] Topically applied capsaicin (from cayenne) may help relieve nerve pain. |
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Chromium | 200 to 500 mcg daily, or more under doctor supervision | [3 stars] Chromium has been shown to be useful in treating type 2 diabetes in several ways, including by improving blood glucose control. |
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Fenugreek | 5 grams or more daily | [3 stars] Fenugreek seeds appears to lower blood glucose levels by slowing down carbohydrate digestion and absorption. |
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Fiber | 15 grams (about 1 tablespoon) daily | [3 stars] Taking fiber supplements may improve blood glucose control and reduce insulin resistance in people with type 2 diabetes. |
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Folic Acid | 6 mg methylfolate daily | [3 stars] Folic acid supplementation may improve blood glucose control and insulin sensitivity in people with type 2 diabetes. Folic acid also lowers homocysteine levels and preliminary evidence suggests it may help to prevent and treat diabetes complications. |
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Glucomannan | 1 to 10 grams daily | [3 stars] Glucomannan delays stomach emptying, leading to more gradual glucose absorption and lower blood glucose levels after meals. |
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Magnesium | 200 to 600 mg of elemental magnesium daily | [3 stars] People with type 2 diabetes tend to have low magnesium levels. Supplementing with magnesium may improve glucose metabolism and help prevent diabetes-related cardiovascular disease. |
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Probiotics | 7 billion CFU or more of a mix of probiotic strains daily | [3 stars] Probiotics can improve blood glucose control, as well as cholesterol and triglyceride levels, in people with type 2 diabetes. |
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Psyllium | 5 grams (about 1 teaspoon) twice daily with meals | [3 stars] Supplementing with psyllium has been shown to be a safe and well-tolerated way for people with type 2 diabetes to improve control of blood glucose and cholesterol levels. |
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Acetyl-L-Carnitine (Diabetic Neuropathy) | 500 to 1,000 mg three times daily | [2 stars] Taking acetyl-L-carnitine may improve symptoms of diabetic neuropathy. |
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Aloe | 100 to 300 mg daily | [2 stars] Aloe vera leaf gel may help lower blood glucose levels and hemoglobin-A1c, a marker of long-term glycemic control, in people with type 2 diabetes. |
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American Ginseng | 1 gram three times daily | [2 stars] Supplementing with American ginseng may help improve blood glucose control and insulin sensitivity in people with type 2 diabetes. |
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Asian Ginseng | 5 grams of powdered root or an equivalent dose of Asian ginseng extract daily | [2 stars] Asian ginseng may help restore healthy insulin sensitivity and improve blood glucose and lipid levels in people with type 2 diabetes. |
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Berberine (High Cholesterol) | 500 mg two to three times daily | [2 stars] Berberine may improve blood glucose control and insulin sensitivity and decrease risks of cardiovascular and other complications in people with type 2 diabetes. |
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Bilberry | 160 mg two to three times daily | [2 stars] Bilberry may improve glucose metabolism and lower the risk of some diabetic complications, such as diabetic retinopathy. |
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Biotin | 9 to 15 mg daily | [2 stars] Biotin may improve glucose and triglyceride levels in people with type 2 diabetes and reduce pain from diabetic nerve damage. |
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Bitter Melon | 2 grams daily | [2 stars] Bitter melon may help lower blood glucose levels and improve overall metabolism in people with type 2 diabetes. |
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Cinnamon | 1 to 3 grams daily | [2 stars] Cinnamon may improve glucose levels in people with type 2 diabetes. |
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Coenzyme Q10 | 100 to 200 mg daily | [2 stars] Supplementing with CoQ10 may improve blood glucose control, insulin sensitivity, and cardiovascular health. |
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Crepe Myrtle | 32 or 48 mg of an herbal extract standardized to contain 1% corosolic acid | [2 stars] Crepe myrtle has been used in folk medicine to treat diabetes, and preliminary research suggests it may lower blood glucose levels. |
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Green Tea | The best effective dose is unknown, but doses providing 450 mg of total green tea polyphenols (catechins) daily are considered moderate; doses providing 800 mg of EGCG or more daily have been linked to liver injury and are not considered safe. | [2 stars] Green tea may protect cardiovascular health and improve metabolism. |
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Gymnema | 400 to 1,000 mg daily | [2 stars] Gymnema may stimulate the pancreas to produce insulin and help normalize blood glucose control in people with type 2 diabetes. |
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Hairy Basil | 10 grams three times daily with meals | [2 stars] Taking hairy basil seeds may help lower blood glucose levels in people with type 2 diabetes. |
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Holy Basil | 1,000 to 2,500 mg daily | [2 stars] Taking holy basil may help people with type 2 diabetes control their blood glucose levels. |
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L-Carnitine | 2 to 4 grams daily | [2 stars] Supplementing with L-carnitine may reduce glucose, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels, and support medical therapies for type 2 diabetes. |
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Milk Thistle | 140 mg of silymarin three times daily | [2 stars] Supplementing with milk thistle extract may improve blood glucose levels, HbA1c, and insulin sensitivity, and reduce oxidative stress and inflammation. |
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Multivitamin (Infection) | Follow label instructions | [2 stars] Supplementing with a multivitamin–mineral may give your body the nutrients it needs to help prevent common infections. |
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Onion | 2 to 3.5 ounces fresh onion daily | [2 stars] Onion may lower blood glucose levels and improve glucose tolerance in people with type 2 diabetes. |
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Pine Bark Extract (Pycnogenol) | 100 to 200 mg daily | [2 stars] Pycnogenol may improve blood glucose control and help prevent diabetes complications such as retinopathy in people with type 2 diabetes. |
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Pinitol | 400 mg three times daily | [2 stars] Pinitol may improve glucose metabolism in people with type 2 diabetes. |
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Vitamin B1 and Vitamin B12 (Diabetic Neuropathy) | Refer to label instructions
| [2 stars] Taking vitamin B1 combined with vitamin B12 may improve symptoms of diabetic neuropathy. |
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Vitamin B1 and Vitamin B6 (Diabetic Neuropathy) | 25 mg of vitamin B1 daily, with 50 mg of vitamin B6 daily | [2 stars] Taking vitamin B1 combined with vitamin B6 may improve symptoms of diabetic neuropathy. |
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Vitamin B12 (Diabetic Neuropathy) | 1 to 10 mg daily | [2 stars] Vitamin B12 deficiency is common in people being treated medically for type 2 diabetes. Supplementation can restore healthy levels and prevent dangerous long-term consequences of B12 deficiency. |
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Vitamin B6 | 35 mg of pyridoxal 5-phosphate twice daily | [2 stars] People with type 2 diabetes, and especially those with diabetes complication, tend to have low levels of active vitamin B6, a nutrient needed for healthy metabolism. |
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Vitamin C | 500 mg one to two times daily | [2 stars] Supplementing with vitamin C may lower blood glucose levels and protect cardiovascular health. |
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Vitamin D (Diabetic Neuropathy) | 2,000 IU of vitamin D daily for three months | [2 stars] In a preliminary trial, supplementing with vitamin D per day significantly improved pain by almost 50% in patients with diabetic neuropathy. |
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Vitamin D | 1,332 IU daily | [2 stars] 4,000 IU per day |
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Vitamin E (Diabetic Retinopathy) | 1800 IU daily | [2 stars] Vitamin E supplementation may protect against diabetic retinopathy. |
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Vitamin E (Diabetic Neuropathy) | 900 IU daily | [2 stars] Vitamin E supplementation may protect against neuropathy. |
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Zinc | 15 to 25 mg of elemental zinc daily | [2 stars] People with type 2 diabetes, especially those being treated with anti-diabetes medications, tend to be zinc deficient. In those with zinc deficiency, supplementation may improve blood glucose regulation and reduce insulin resistance. |
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Açaí | 100 grams (about 3 ounces) açai berry pulp or the equivalent daily | [1 star] Preliminary evidence suggests açai may have benefits in type 2 diabetes. |
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Amylase Inhibitors | Varies depending on source | [1 star] Amylase inhibitors from various medicinal herbs and plant foods may reduce the usual after-meal rise in blood glucose levels in people with diabetes. |
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Coffee | Amount providing 400 to 450 mg chlorogenic acid daily | [1 star] Drinking either regular or decaffeinated coffee has been associated with reduced type 2 diabetes risk in several studies. |
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Evening Primrose Oil | 4 grams daily | [1 star] Preliminary research suggests evening primrose oil may be helpful for preventing and treating diabetic neuropathy. |
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Fish Oil | 6 grams (about 1.25 teaspoons) of fish oil, providing approximately 2,000 mg of combined EPA and DHA, daily | [1 star] Supplementing with fish oil can reduce inflammation and may lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels in people with type 2 diabetes. |
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Fructo-oligosaccharides | 10 to 20 grams (about 2 to 4 teaspoons) daily | [1 star] Fructo-oligosaccharides improve metabolic healthy by supporting growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut. Supplementing with fructo-oligosaccharides may improve blood glucose and lipid levels. |
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Ginkgo | 120 mg daily | [1 star] Ginkgo may improve the efficacy of commonly used anti-diabetes medications. It also appears to help prevent and treat type 2 diabetes-related complications. |
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Goldenseal | 1 gram daily of berberine for two months | [1 star] Preliminary research with berberine (an active compound in goldenseal) for two months lowered blood glucose levels in people with type 2 diabetes.
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Hibiscus | One cup of hibiscus tea two to three times daily | [1 star] Hibiscus is a traditional remedy for diabetes. Preliminary research suggests it may lower blood pressure and improve lipid levels in people with type 2 diabetes. |
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Inositol | 500 to 2,000 mg daily | [1 star] Inositol has been shown to improve glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome, and preliminary evidence suggests it may lower HbA1c in people with type 2 diabetes. |
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Manganese | 1.8 to 2.6 mg daily | [1 star] Manganese is important as an antioxidant and metabolic regulator. Supplementation to prevent deficiency may be helpful for people with type 2 diabetes. |
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Medium-Chain Triglycerides | 1 to 3 tablespoons MCT oil daily | [1 star] Replacing other dietary fats with medium-chain triglycerides may lead to metabolic benefits in people with type 2 diabetes. |
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Mistletoe | Refer to label instructions
| [1 star] Mistletoe extract has been shown to stimulate insulin release from pancreas cells, and it may reduce diabetes symptoms. |
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Moringa | Refer to label instructions
| [1 star] Moringa has been used traditionally to treat diabetes. |
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Olive Leaf | 500 mg of olive leaf extract or three cups of olive leaf tea daily | [1 star] Preliminary research suggests olive leaf may improve glucose metabolism and have benefits for people with type 2 diabetes. |
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Quercetin | Refer to label instructions
| [1 star] Quercetin has been found to improve glucose metabolism and reduce complications in animal models of type 2 diabetes. |
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Reishi | Refer to label instructions
| [1 star] Reishi may have some beneficial action in people with diabetes. |
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Taurine | Refer to label instructions | [1 star] Supplementing with taurine may affect insulin secretion and action and may help some people with type 2 diabetes. |
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Vanadium | Refer to label instructions
| [1 star] Vanadyl sulfate, a form of vanadium, may improve glucose control in people with type 2 diabetes. |
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Vitamin B3 (Niacin) | Less than 2 grams daily | [1 star] Dietary niacin (vitamin B3) is important for healthy management of cholesterol and triglycerides; however, high dose supplementation with niacin could worsen glycemic control in people with type 2 diabetes. |
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Yerba Mate | Refer to label instructions
| [1 star] Preliminary research suggests yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) tea may improve measures of blood glucose control in people with type 2 diabetes. |
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