ot: Nutritional supplements and their effect on glucose control - melatonin etc

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Nutritional supplements and their effect on glucose control.

<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21298562>

Lee T, Dugoua JJ.

Curr Diab Rep. 2011 Apr;11(2):142-8.

Type 2 diabetes is a growing health concern. The use of nutritional

supplements by patients with type 2 diabetes is estimated at somewhere

between 8% to 49%. The objective of this review was to search the

scientific literature for advances in the treatment and prevention of

type 2 diabetes with nutritional supplements. Twelve databases were

searched with a focus on extracting studies published in the past

3 years. The following nutritional supplements were identified as

potentially beneficial for type 2 diabetes treatment or prevention:

vitamins C and E, ?-lipoic acid, melatonin, red mold, emodin from Aloe

vera and Rheum officinale, astragalus, and cassia cinnamon.

Beta-carotene was shown to be ineffective in the prevention of type 2

diabetes. Ranging from preclinical to clinical, there is evidence that

nutritional supplements may be beneficial in the treatment or prevention

of type 2 diabetes. Health providers should investigate drug-nutritional

supplement interactions prior to treatment.

but see melatonin abuse in:

*/Dessert, Laid-Back and Legal/*

By CATHERINE SAINT LOUIS

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/15/us/15lazycakes.html

Remember melatonin? In the 1990s, this over-the-counter dietary

supplement was all the rage among frequent fliers, promoted as the

miracle cure for jet lag. Now it is back in vogue, this time as a

prominent ingredient in at least a half-dozen baked goods that

flagrantly mimic the soothing effects of hash brownies --- and do so

legally. At least for now....