Thursday, January 29, 2009

SAFETY OF CHROMIUM

Most of the concerns regarding the long-term safety of chromium supplementation arise from results of several cell culture studies using supraphysiological doses that suggested that chromium, particularly in the form of CrP, may increase DNA damage.

However, there is currently no evidence that chromium increases DNA damage in vivo. There have also been isolated reports of serious adverse events, including kidney failure, associated with CrP treatment, but the relationship of chromium to these events is not clear.

Recent reviews of the safety of CrP by the Institute of Medicine (84) and by Berner et al. have concluded that CrP is safe. Results from controlled clinical trials have shown that treatment with chromium at doses up to 1,000 µg/day and for periods as long as 64 months does not result in any toxic effects.

ADDITIONAL:

Figure Above - Effects of chromium supplementation on insulin sensitivity in overweight subjects with a family history of diabetes treated for 8 months with 1,000 µg/day CrP (64). Data are means ± SD. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.005 versus baseline.
Conclusion : Data show that insulin sensitivity was increased for the group patient which is supplied with chromium.

Therapeutic Footwear For Diabetes Care

Therapeutic footwear has been used for decades as one of many strategies to prevent reulceration in patients with diabetes and foot risk factors. The findings of several studies reporting statistically significant protective effects from therapeutic footwear may have been influenced by several design issues.

When considering the appropriateness of therapeutic footwear recommendations for moderate-risk patients, clinicians and patients should jointly explore individual strategies to decrease events that lead to foot ulcers

People with diabetes are at increased risk for lower-extremity amputations due to peripheral neuropathy and peripheral vascular disease.

Therapeutic footwear (custom-molded shoes, depth-inlay shoes with inserts, or custom-molded insoles) can prevent or relieve some diabetic foot problems but can be expensive and is often not covered by insurance.

Foot ulcerations and amputation rates are decreased among patients receiving intensive foot care including the use of therapeutic shoes.

Medicare pays for therapeutic footwear when you meet certain criteria and fill out the proper forms. This benefit covers custom-molded shoes, extra-depth shoes, inserts, and some shoe modifications.

Your physician must certify that you are in a plan of diabetes care, have evidence of foot disease, and need therapeutic footwear. A podiatrist writes the prescription, and a podiatrist or pedorthist provides the shoes.

You must buy the footwear from a qualified supplier and file the forms. You can get the forms from the prescription shoe stores, Medicare, or a podiatrist, or your provider may help you get them. Usually you have to pay for the shoes, and Medicare will reimburse up to 80% of the reasonable charge within limits.

Ask about the charge and how much Medicare will pay when you order the shoes. Although government programs can be time consuming, prescription footwear can be an important part of preventing foot problems.

Source : American Diabetes Association

Saturday, January 17, 2009

LACTOFERRIN, CHROMFERRIN AND GTF-Chromium Supplement

Lactoferrin : Multifunctional Health Food
GTF is a good GTF-Chromium supplement. Professor Frank Mao used a breakthrough patented technology to combine chromium with lactoferrin to form a lectoferrin-chromium complex known as Chromferrin.

This invention is due to the discovery by Professor Frank Mao, GTF-Chromium is readily and easily absorbed into our body by using lactoferrin as carrier, hence prevents chromium deficiency in our body.

What is Lactoferrin?
Lactoferrin is minor protein found naturally in the milk of most mammals including human and cow.
It is part of the transferrin family, meaning that it has the ability to bind strongly whith iron also transport iron.

How Lactoferrin Works?
Lactoferrin is often referred to as a innate defense protein and a frequent first-line-of-defense in protection against pathogens.
It maintains immunomodulatory properties to aid the immune system, provides a natural ability for deference against bacterial, fungal and viral pathogens.

Lactoferrin ensures not only the higher absorption of chromium into our body easily. Researches also show that lactoferrin could also play a role in controlling diseases including:
a. various type of cancers
b. lung infections
c. gastointestinal disorders
d. diseases caused by inflammation
e. diabetes


GT&F® Milk Powder is a special formulated GTF (Glucose Tolerance Factor) supplement. It is made by blending trivalent chromium, whey protein concentrated and New Zealand best grade milk powder to mimic the bioactivity of colostrums GTF plus chromium.



Since GT&F® is non-toxic, does not produce side effects, contains no drugs, hormones, or toxins, it is safe to take.It is rich in biologically active GTF, lactoferrin, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and vitamins.

Nutricap is an alternative choice for those who have lactose intolerance or dislike milk taste. Encapsulated with vegetable-based capsule.

GT&F® is able to effectively promote functioning of insulin, and long-term use provides body with sufficient GTF to maintain homeostasis of blood sugar and also will helps patients of type 2 diabetes and its complications. It helps to promote healthy glucose and lipid metabolism.

Diabetes Mellitus is caused by high blood glucose. High blood glucose condition will lead to a fragile blood vessel, thus developing complication of blood circulatory and nervous system. Type 2 diabetes has been thought to be caused by insufficient insulin secretion or ineffective utilization of insulin in human body. However, recent medical research discovered that the lacking of GTF is the main cause of type 2 diabetes.

Insulin resistance is characterized mainly by the weak responsiveness of tissues to insulin. It is a known risk factor leading to the development of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disorders. (Chen et al., 2009)

When blood glucose level increases, insulin level will also increase. In the presence of suitable amount of chromium in usable form, chromium will potentiating the action of insulin. Therefore, less insulin is required and circulating insulin declines with a corresponding stabilization of glucose concentration level. (Anderson et al., 1991)

The clinical trial results showed that:
……by supplementing daily intake with 400mcg of chromium within 6 weeks, type 2 diabetics experienced lower fasting blood glucose level as well as LDL cholesterol. Meanwhile, HDL cholesterol improved…

Research also indicates that GTF is found to be effective in controlling diabetes; as published in A Journal of Pharmacology and Therapeutics; Diabetes, Obesity And Metabolism, 2009…

…chromium group can significantly enhance insulin and protentiating the action of insulin thus leading to uptake of glucose into cell by opening the gate of membrane cell. With this, glucose is converted into energy for conducting body functions...



Therefore, GT&F® product is effective as an adjunctive therapy for management of type 2 diabetes mellitus along with diets, exercise and traditional pharmacotherapy.

CLICK HERE for List of Testimonial


QUANTITY VS PRICE

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Excessive food and drink consumption over the festive period could increase your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes

Overview:
1. Dont take excessive food and drink to avoid developing Type 2 diabetes.
2. Diabetes can lead to heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, blindness and amputation
3. Around half a million people in the UK unaware they have Type 2 diabetes
4. The Type 2 diabetes epidemic is one of the biggest health challenges facing the UK today


Excessive food and drink consumption over the festive period could increase your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, leading health charity Diabetes UK warns today.

Over-indulgence in too many calorific treats such as mince pies (around 200 calories each), Christmas cake (approximately 250 calories per slice) and mulled wine (about 250 calories in a glass) can leave us all struggling to buckle our belts in the New Year. Having a large waist means you are up to eleven times more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes¹ and being overweight or obese is one of the strongest risk factors for developing Type 2 diabetes.²

At risk waist measurements are 31.5 inches (80cm) or more for women, 37 inches (94cm) or more for men and 35 inches (90cm) or more for South Asian men. As well as having a large waist, people are more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes if they are overweight, over the age of 40, of Black or South Asian origin, or have a family history of Type 2 diabetes. If a person has two or more of these risk factors Diabetes UK recommends they visit their GP for a simple diabetes test.

Recent research found most people perceive themselves to be slimmer than they really are. When 500 people were asked to estimate their waist size, most under-estimated by an average of 2.7 inches. Men were the most deluded and underestimated their waist size by a significant 3.1 inches (7.9 cm), whilst the estimates of South Asian women were generally the most accurate.

Diabetes is a serious condition that can lead to heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, blindness and amputation. There are 2.5 million people diagnosed with diabetes in the UK but shockingly more than half a million people have Type 2 diabetes but do not know it.

To reduce your risk of Type 2 diabetes Diabetes UK recommends you should eat a healthy balanced diet, maintain a healthy weight and be physically active4. Even a moderate degree of physical activity can reduce your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by up to 64 per cent. Similarly, if you reduce your weight by between 5-10 per cent you reduce your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by 58 per cent.5

Diabetes UK Chief Executive Douglas Smallwood said: “The Type 2 diabetes epidemic is one of the biggest health challenges facing the UK today. Watching our waistlines at this time of year is vital as we all need to do our best to reduce our chances of developing this often preventable condition. It is important to remember that around 80 per cent of people with Type 2 diabetes are overweight at diagnosis.

“There are around half a million people in the UK unaware they have Type 2 diabetes. The condition can be undiagnosed for up to 12 years and 50 per cent of people who have it show signs of complications at diagnosis. The sooner Type 2 diabetes is diagnosed and becomes well managed, the better your long-term health is protected and the lower your risk of developing devastating complications.”

Source : Diabetes UK

Saturday, January 3, 2009

High insulin level raises breast cancer risk

Insulin is required for all animal (including human) life. In humans, insulin deprivation due to the removal or destruction of the pancreas leads to death in days or at most weeks. Insulin must be administered to patients in whom there is a lack of the hormone.

WHAT'S INSULIN?
Insulin is a hormone that performs a variety of tasks in the human body, and is key to regulating blood sugar levels. Insulin is produced in the pancreas by the Beta cells (or "B cells").

One of insulin's many functions is to store glucose in liver and muscle cells. Those cells can use the glucose for immediate energy, store it in the form of glycogen for later use, or convert it into fat for long-term use.

Insulin resistance (IR) is the condition in which normal amounts of insulin are inadequate to produce a normal insulin response from fat, muscle and liver cells. Insulin resistance in fat cells reduces the effects of insulin and results in elevated hydrolysis of stored triglycerides in the absence of measures which either increase insulin sensitivity or which provide additional insulin. Increased mobilization of stored lipids in these cells elevates free fatty acids in the blood plasma. Insulin resistance in muscle cells reduces glucose uptake (and so local storage of glucose as glycogen), whereas insulin resistance in liver cells results in impaired glycogen synthesis and a failure to suppress glucose production.

HIGH INSULIN LEVEL
If the body needs energy and can't burn fat because of high insulin levels, a person feels tired as their brain starves and metabolism slows to compensate. This occurs because the brain runs on glucose and high insulin levels deplete blood glucose levels. Such a condition, rebound hypoglycemia, causes sweet cravings (which just starts the high-insulin cycle all over again).

OBESITY-BREAST CANCER RELATIONSHIP
BUT Researchers from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City compared insulin levels in 835 women who developed breast cancer and 816 women who did not in the Women's Health Initiative study.According to the study, those whose insulin levels were the highest had a 1.5 times greater risk of developing breast cancer than did women with the lowest fasting insulin levels.

In laboratory studies, insulin has been shown to stimulate the growth of breast cells, and overweight has been identified as a risk factor for breast cancer, found by the American Cancer Society.

"These data suggest that hyperinsulinemia is an independent risk factor for breast cancer and may have a substantial role in explaining the obesity-breast cancer relationship," the researchers wrote.

QUESTION
How to regulate insulin to keep it always in optimum level? What type of food supplement that can contribute to regulate you insulin system?

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