Hypoglycemic? Regardless Of What Some Nutritionists Tell You, Take Your Vitamins!

Even when we eat right, we still need to take our vitamins. Staying healthy really reduces the stress on our bodies, and hypoglycemia symptoms are often much milder when we can eliminate stress.

"I always thought that if I ate properly (and I assumed that I knew how to do that) I wouldn't need to take any ‘pills'" says Anita Flegg in her book on hypoglycemia. She adds "Unfortunately, this isn't true, especially for hypoglycemics. Fluctuating blood sugar causes constant stress on the system and uses up vitamins and minerals much more quickly than normal."

The following list is what you need every day* (according to the Real Age doctors). Get as many of these vitamins from your food as you can, but take supplements, too.

(*If you're unsure about what to take, check with your own physician or health-care provider.)

Start with a high-quality multivitamin containing the following vitamins:

A: No more than 2,500 IU per day

B6: 4 mg a day

B12: 25 mcg, in a supplement. (B12 in a supplement is absorbed much better than the B12 found in food)

C: 400 mg a day (remember it's water-soluble, so you need several doses over the day that total 400 mg). Reduce this to 100 mg a day from supplements if you're taking a statin drug like Zocor, Lipitor, Pravachol, or Crestor.

D: 1000 IU a day if you're under age 60; 600 IU a day if you're 60 or over

Vitamin D is considered the new "miracle vitamin". Recent research links Vitamin D deficiency with many common diseases, including diabetes and heart disease.

Vitamin D is also known as the "sunshine vitamin" because our skin converts sunlight to Vitamin D. Scientists noticed that we are so efficient at creating Vitamin D that 20 minutes of noon sunshine supplies us with upwards of 10,000 IU of vitamin D, and that raised the question, "What does our body do with all that Vitamin D?"

We know Vitamin D is good for strong bones, and that's why milk is fortified with Vitamin D, but scientists are starting to find that Vitamin D has many other uses in the body. Not only does Vitamin D have a role in building our bones, it also seems to play a role in preventing diabetes, heart disease, and even cancer.

Vitamin D is difficult to get in our food, and that's why we should be taking Vitamin D supplements. No one seems to know yet just how much Vitamin D is the right amount, but if the sun can supply so much in such a short time, it seems clear that the standard 1000 IU tablets are a good start until the researchers can tell us more.

E: 400 to 800 IU a day. Reduce this to less than 100 IU a day from supplements if you're taking a statin drug.

F (folate): 800 mcg a day (folic acid, folate, or folicin, sometimes listed as vitamin B9)

Biotin: 300 mcg a day

Niacin: At least 30 mg a day, preferably more if you're taking a statin drug (check with your doctor)

Pantothenic acid: 30 mg a day

Riboflavin: 25 mg a day

Thiamine: 25 mg a day

You also need these minerals:

Calcium: 600 mg twice a day (1,600 mg total a day for women)

Magnesium: 400 mg a day

Selenium: 200 mcg a day

Potassium: Four fruits plus a normal diet should provide all you need.

Zinc: 15 mg a day

And if you just can't eat enough fish (3 servings a week), also add Omega-3 fatty acids.

If you take no other vitamins, you should at least take your B Complex.

The B complex improves digestion, and increases your body's ability to tolerate low glucose levels. They are often billed as "anti-stress" vitamins because of their beneficial effects on the brain and nervous system. They also help improve energy and are very useful in mitigating the symptoms of peri-menopause. Take your B Complex in the morning. They can affect your sleep if you take them just before bed.

Those are some of the main vitamins and minerals that are very useful for reducing hypoglycemia symptoms. Some of the supplements recommended also help to lessen the cravings for sugar and carbohydrates and some even appear to improve the underlying conditions that cause the hypoglycemia.

So, as recommended earlier, check with your physician or health-care provider if you're unsure about what to take. Then find the best quality vitamins and minerals your money can buy, and start supplementing!

Until next time...eat well, supplement well, be well, live well!

Daniel G. St-Jean

Editor of Help For Hypoglycemia

Publisher of the Help For Hypoglycemia Blog