This blog tracks updates to the Blood Sugar 101 Web site.


Friday, September 25, 2009

Added Fish Oil to The "Helpful Supplements" Page

Page Changed: Helpful Supplements for Diabetes

Added the text from today's Diabetes Update blog post, Fish Oil Yes--But Not From Fish , to the web page about helpful supplements.

1 comment:

Anna said...

I was glad to see your information about Vitamin D up on the supplements page. It wasn't surprising to learn that every member of my extended family in Upstate NY was severely Vitamin D deficient (except my dad who takes the Vit D3 I send him), but I've been finding out that nearly everyone I know in my "sunny" coastal San Diego location who gets their 25 (OH)D level tested is also quite low, even deficient (perhaps we take even more efforts to avoid the sun?). My doctors who are familiar with the latest research on Vitamin D say about 80% or more of their patients have levels too low (and this is in the SD area, too). Inadequate Vitamin D is now being recognized as extremely common, not just among people with diabetes or in northern climates.

I noted you mentioned Vitamin K in connection with Vitamin D, which is great. But it wasn't specified as K2, which might confuse some people. I know you know the difference, but many people might mistake K2 for the more familiar K1, which is found in leafy greens and is involved in blood clotting. K2, on the other hand, is best sourced from animal fats from animals feeding on pasture/grass/algae - grass fed butter, oily fish,egg yolks, organ meats, etc. K2 also is produced found in aged cheeses and natto, the result of bacterial fermentation. People who eat little or none of these foods (people on low fat diets?) or who eat conventionally produced animal products from animals fed on grain instead of pasture might need to supplement with K2, along with their D3.

Also, you mentioned there was a difference between D2 and D3, but didn't mention that D3 (cholecalciferol) is the bioidentical compond humans make in response to the sun. D2 (ergocalciferol) is synthesized by irradiating plant sterols and therefore must be converted first in the body to the useable D3 form. Both forms are available over-the-counter, but the expensive high dose (50,000iu) prescription form is synthetic D2. I know you know these details, but I wonder if some more clarification would be useful for those who don't know much about Vitamin D?