In 2013, 25.8 million Americans have diabetes — 18.8 million have been diagnosed with the disease, while 7 million are unaware they have it. The World Health Organization expects that figure to surpass 30 million by 2030. Currently, another 79 million adults aged 20 and older are experiencing the earliest stages of the disease — known as pre-diabetes.
Pre-diabetes has recently been shown to trigger all the complications associated with full-blown diabetes. In other words, 79 million people are afflicted with a smoldering
disease that dramatically increases their risk of cardiovascular disease (heart attacks and stroke), amputation, kidney failure, blindness, impotence, Alzheimer’s disease and cancer.
They also have an increased risk for a nerve disorder called diabetic neuropathy. In fact 60 to 70 percent of people with diabetes have some form of neuropathy. Symptoms of neuropathy include tingling and burning pains (pins and needles feeling), and lightning-fast shooting pains. For a complete list of symptoms and for more details, go
here to read my special report “The Diabetes Solution.”
Fortunately, vitamin B supplements can help diabetics in their fight against nerve damage.
I once treated a diabetic patient referred to me by a diabetes specialist. She asked me to treat a nerve problem the woman was experiencing.
I recommended, among other things, a high-dose supplement of B vitamins. I learned that the specialist later told her not to take them. She informed her that all they would do was make her toilet water expensive! I was absolutely shocked that a diabetes specialist didn’t know about the B vitamins and their beneficial effects on diabetic nerve damage.
The nervous system (that includes nerves) is highly dependent on the B vitamins for proper function.
Bruce Ames, one of the world’s foremost experts on molecular biology and free radicals, conducted a study showing that with age and in certain disease states, our enzymes do not work as well. He found that by significantly increasing the dose of the B vitamins, it was possible to kick-start them into operating efficiently again.
On hearing of this, I immediately thought of the diabetic specialist and his ridiculous advice.
Diabetes affects nerves in a variety of ways. One diabetic reaction involves free radicals and lipid peroxidation products. And the disorder can also wreak havoc by taking advantage of a special metabolic pathway.
But antioxidant vitamins and flavonoids also protect the nerves and allow them to recover, and other metabolic supplements have been shown to speed and enhance nerve healing, especially in diabetics. These additional supplements include:
• alpha-lipoic acid
• acetyl-L carnitine
• CoQ10
• N-acetyl-L cysteine (NAC)
• DHA
• vitamin E.
For a complete list of helpful vitamins and recommended dosages and to learn how vitamins and supplements can help many health problems in addition to diabetes, go
here to read my special report “Key Vitamins that Save Your Heart, Prevent Cancer and Keep You Living Long.”
For more of Dr. Blaylock's weekly tips, go
here to view the archive.
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