Don’t get mugged by your diabetes medications
BY SUZY COHEN Dear Pharmacist
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Dear Pharmacist, I have your “Diabetes
Without Drugs” book and it has
helped me, but I’m still on two of the
original 5 medications for this condition.
What nutrients should I take with
my medicine? — B.B., Micanopy, Fla.
For my new readers, the term
“drug mugger” refers to how
medication (or foods) reduce
levels of vitamins, minerals and
beneficial flora (probiotics) and
cause side effects.
Metformin, which belongs
to the biguanide class, depletes
probiotics, vitamin B12 and
folic acid. This deficiency may
cause homocysteine to rise. You
can measure homocysteine in
the blood.
Up to 30 percent of people
taking biguanide drugs (like
metformin) experience poor
absorption of vitamin B12, according
to Diabetologia (1983)
and withdrawal of this drug
resulted in normal absorption
in only half of those with malabsorption.
In other words, just
taking the medicine means that
half of you still need long-term
B12 supplementation, because
your B12 won’t automatically
rise upon discontinuation of
the drug.
Low B12 and folate could
contribute or possibly cause
tingling or numbness in the
hands or feet (termed neuropathy),
depression, megaloblastic
anemia, weakness, rapid heart
rate, confusion, memory loss,
dementia, diarrhea/constipation,
chronic fatigue, sciatica,
as well as a higher risk of heart
disease.
Do you think I’m telling you
to stop your medicine? I’m not.
I am trying to keep you safe and
help you learn what nutrients
to put back. Replenishing what
the drug mugger stole reduces
your risk of side effects and
remains compliant with your
medication.
Hopefully your doctor has
my book and has already told
you to take a good B12 and folic
acid supplement, as well as
(and this is important) a good
probiotic, because you require
beneficial bacteria to manufacture
B12.
Sulfonylureas (glipizide,
glyburide, glimepiride) can
increase the risk of CoQ10 deficiency
according to a study in
the Journal of Medicine. That
can lead to fatigue, shortness of
breath and heart arrhythmias.
info@dearpharmacist.com
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