Insulin resistance is preventable and reversible through lifestyle changes, proper nutrition, supplements, exercise and stress management. Weight loss and exercise are the best treatments for restoring the body’s ability to respond to insulin.

Metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance are a significant health care problem in the United States. Type 2 diabetes affects more than 300 million people. Up to 15% of patients cannot take metformin because of kidney damage risks.

There are many different cofactors that can improve dysglycemia such as zinc, alpha lipoic acid, chromium, and vanadium.

According to a review published last month in Diabetes & Metabolic Syndrome: Clinical Research & Reviews, researchers investigated the effect of vitamin C supplementation on glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes.

This meta-analysis included a total of 22 randomized controlled trials with 1,447 patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. The results demonstrated a significant decrease HbA1c levels, fasting insulin, and fasting blood glucose levels in those treated with vitamin C supplementation compared to placebo. In addition, there was a substantial linear association between the duration of vitamin C supplementation and changes in serum HbA1c levels. On the other hand, there was not a significant effect of vitamin C supplementation on homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) in diabetic patients. Furthermore, subgroup analyses showed that high-dose vitamin C supplementation greater than 1000 mg per day considerably decreased serum HOMA-IR levels.

These results demonstrate that long-term supplementation greater than 3 months and high-dose vitamin C supplementation greater than 1 gram per day may improve the glycemic profile in patients with type 2 diabetes.

It is important to note that diabetic individuals have additional micronutrient requirements for proper control of oxidant/antioxidant homeostasis. There is also a high prevalence of vitamin C deficiency in these patients.

Previous research has also shown a benefit of vitamin C supplementation in the management of diabetic foot ulcers.

Diabetic foot ulcers are complicated wounds resulting from the dysfunction of several major body systems that interfere with healing processes in which vitamin C plays an important role.

Vitamin C has been shown to improve neuropathic complications in individuals with diabetic foot ulcers. It also supports vascular function essential in wound healing and responds to oxidative stress in infections that interfere with healing.

Numerous studies have demonstrated an association between vitamin C deficiency and diabetic foot ulcer development, severity, and outcomes. Only a few clinical studies have evaluated increased vitamin C intake or supplementation for the prevention or treatment of diabetic foot ulcers. The dosing ranged from 500 mg to 1000 mg per day or vitamin C status over an 8-to-16-week period.

By Michael Jurgelewicz, DC, DACBN, DCBCN, CNS

Source: Nosratabadi S, Ashtary-Larky D, et al. The effects of vitamin C supplementation on glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Diabetes Metab Syndr. 2023 July 7;17(8):102824.

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