Consumers Turning to Natural Supplements to Prevent Type II Diabetes

Chances are, this isn’t the first time you’ve read that Type II diabetes has reached epidemic proportions in the United States. From television reports and newspapers to your grocery store shelves, the disease has become a national concern that will only increase as baby boomers move into their 50s and 60s.

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) notes most of the 20.9 million diabetics in the United States have Type II diabetes. The group estimates another 41 million Americans have prediabetic conditions like insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome X. In these conditions, glucose levels are higher than normal but are still not high enough for a diabetes diagnosis.

Type II diabetes often begins between the ages of 50 and 70, and develops over years of nutritional neglect and sedentary living. The Standard American Diet, or SAD, is strongly associated with many blood sugar problems that, if left unchecked, can develop into Type II diabetes. The SAD diet is high in sugar, refined and concentrated carbohydrates, as well as fried and fatty foods. Refined carbohydrates break down into simple sugars that are quickly absorbed into the bloodstream, causing a rapid rise in blood sugar. A high-fiber, whole foods diet, in conjunction with daily exercise, is the most effective way to reduce the incidence of blood sugar elevation.

Type II diabetes is also known as Non-Insulin Dependant Diabetes Mellitus (NIDDM) or Adult Onset Diabetes. Type II diabetics are generally not reliant on insulin injections; in fact, the pancreas is secreting more insulin than necessary. Due to constantly high levels of insulin in the blood, the cell is no longer able to receive adequate glucose, the body’s primary fuel. This causes symptoms such as fatigue, hunger, thirst, increased frequency of urination and unintended weight loss. The body responds by stimulating the pancreas to secrete even more insulin, perpetuating a vicious cycle and exhausting the organ. If glucose is not carefully regulated, the body loses its ability to make insulin and must rely on insulin injections.

As more Americans are diagnosed with Type II diabetes and pre-diabetes, consumers are turning to dietary supplements that specifically target blood sugar control and may help prevent developing diabetes. The industry is responding to the demand for effective, well-researched natural solutions with successful new formulations. Products featuring once obscure folk herbs like cinnamon or ingredients such as bitter melon are receiving increasing media attention and a boost in sales. These products are being introduced through both the natural and conventional retail channels.

Targeted Ingredients

Chromium, glucomannan, bitter melon and cinnamon are just a few of the natural supplements growing in popularity for the prevention of Type II diabetes (Table 1). Product sales (including Vitamins, Supplements, Herbs and Medicinal Teas) related to the diabetes heath concern have increased 13 percent in the natural channel and a whopping 45 percent in the conventional channel over the past year, for an average of 30 percent growth across channels (Table 2).

Chromium

is by far the most important mineral for anyone dealing with blood sugar issues. It has the ability to increase the cell’s sensitivity to insulin, which is key in maintaining healthy blood sugar levels (Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine 2nd edition, Prima Publishing, 1998). It is common for diabetics to be deficient in this vital trace mineral. “There is a widespread tendency toward increased consumption of highly processed foods such as refined sugar, which is not only low in chromium, but also stimulates chromium losses,” said Richard Anderson, Ph.D., a researcher with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center.

Chromium has also been shown to reduce fat while maintaining muscle mass. This is significant because about 90 percent of diabetics are also obese, which causes higher levels of insulin leading to insulin resistance (Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine 2nd edition, Prima Publishing, 1998). Obesity is both a cause and symptom of diabetes; a healthy weight-loss program is a key ingredient to effectively managing the disease.

Peripheral neuropathy, which produces numbness and sometimes pain and weakness in the limbs and extremities, is another common symptom of diabetes. It is caused by the crystallization of glucose in the tiny blood vessels, inhibiting adequate blood flow to the limbs. A study performed on chromium-deficient diabetics showed a marked improvement in neuropathy when the participants were given supplemental chromium (Textbook of Nutritional Medicine, Third Line Press, 1999).

Surprisingly, sales of products listing chromium as the primary ingredient are in decline. However, this does not mean that consumers are turning their backs on it completely. Many supplement companies are continuing to incorporate chromium as a secondary ingredient in their sophisticated blood sugar control formulations.

Fiber slows down the rate at which carbohydrates are turned into glucose. This prevents the dramatic blood sugar spikes that are so exhausting to an already compromised system. Glucomannan is a water-soluble dietary fiber derived from konjac root (Amorphophallus konjac). Its primary ingredient sales are skyrocketing in the conventional channel with a growth of 791 percent, and are up in the natural channel by a substantial 25 percent. This may be because conventional medicine recognizes fiber as an important component to a diabetic treatment plan.

There are other recent introductions to the diabetes dietary supplement market. The water-soluble oils in cinnamon have been shown to help the body process sugar more effectively. Sales of cinnamon extracts have increased 381 percent in the natural channel and an amazing 1,435 percent in the conventional channel over last year. This is likely due to solid scientific data, media attention, and the 2005 launches of a few highly successful cinnamon products.

Bitter melon

(Momordica charantia) has been shown in preliminary research to increase the cell’s sensitivity to insulin—key to maintaining healthy blood sugar levels. Sales of the products with bitter melon as the primary ingredient are showing 75-percent growth in the natural channel and 7-percent growth in the conventional channel over last year.

With the increase in susceptibility and incidence of blood sugar disorders in the United States, there has never been a better time for new product development and consumer education in regards to natural supplement solutions.

Kerrin Rourke is natural products expert and Sonia Caltvedt in marketing and communications with San Francisco-based SPINS, a leading market research firm. SPINS partners with Healthnotes to offer insight into how specific health concerns affect product sales, and can offer sales information on supplement products aligned with over 80 health concerns. For more information on SPINS health condition or ingredient reporting, contact SPINS at (415) 957-4400 or [email protected].