Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
Subscribe Today! Please see below for a complete transcript of this episode. A LITTLE COCOA GOES A LONG WAY, INVITE HEALTH PODCAST, EPISODE 622 Hosted by Amanda Williams, MD, MPH. *Intro Music* InViteⓇ Health Podcast Intro: [00:00:04] Welcome to the InViteⓇ Health Podcast, where our …
Written by: Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND For further questions or concerns email me at [email protected] Blood sugar concerns can range from pre-diabetes to full blown diabetes. Even those with healthy blood sugar may want to monitor their blood sugar if they have a family history …
Written by: Claire Arcidiacono, ND
For further questions or concerns email me at [email protected]†
In our modern world we have many alternatives to sugar. These alternatives include artificial sweeteners and those that are considered natural sweeteners. In this blog I will be going over sugar substitute’s not actual sugar. For more information on sugar it please see my prior blog on sugar. Before I get into sugar alternatives I want to point out that while Agave, molasses and honey are considered by some to be healthy sugar alternatives they are actually still sugar. While they may be a better choice for some for those looking to lower their sugar intake they are not an alternative solution since they are still sugar.†
Artificial sweeteners are those that are made by extracting plant compounds or by using chemicals to form a sweet compound. Artificial sweeteners include aspartame, saccharin, sucralose and cyclamate. Typically when we think of artificial sweeteners we tend to think of those that are made in a lab or modified in a lab setting. And while this is not exact it can be helpful to think of them that way. “Over the counter” names for common artificial sweeteners include Equal, Sweet “n” Low and Splenda. (1) Those that are considered “natural” alternative sweeteners are usually extracted directly from plants. The most common of these include Xylitol, Stevia and Monk fruit.† (2)
Now I’m sure we have all heard about the side effects of artificial sweeteners but are there any benefits? Well some studies have shown that there is a potential for benefits when it comes to weight loss and helping improving fasting blood glucose. Side effects while not proven 100% have been found in studies to occur in some individuals that use these items. While as I said the following are not proven without a doubt the fact that the data suggests these do happen is concerning. Some data has found that artificial sweeteners can cross the blood-brain barrier and can in the long run affect appetite leading to an increase in food intake. Data has also found that artificial sweeteners can cause your taste buds to become accustomed to ultra-sweet flavors. In other words your taste buds are so used to super sweet that you can no longer even recognize mild sweet such as found in fruit. Additionally some studies have found that artificial sweeteners can affect bacteria in the gut leading to an increase risk of insulin resistance, diabetes, obesity and metabolic syndrome. Studies have also found that artificial sweeteners are linked to many different digestive issues such as IBS. In other words artificial sweeteners both decrease our immune system and increase our risk for chronic inflammatory disorders. Aspartame in particular cannot be consumed by anyone with Phenylketonuria. Unfortunately in this blog I just didn’t have the space to put all the potential side effects of artificial sweeteners. If I had tried we would be here for a very long time. So I just put the most common.† (3)
SIDE EFFECTS OF ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS
Now natural alternative sweeteners have some potential side effects, however in clinical practice I have found that they tend to be pretty rare. However, just like with anything it is possible to overdo it. Sugar alcohols such as Xylitol in high amounts may have a laxative affect. (4)Stevia may cause bloating, nausea, dizziness and numbness. (5) So far Monk fruit only appears to cause allergy type side effects for those that are allergic to it.† (6)
Now unlike with artificial sweeteners where the benefits aren’t very varied natural sweeteners have a variety of benefits. Xylitol and Stevia have both been found to help improve bone health which is why Invite use’s Stevia in our Bone powder and Collagen Hx! Xylitol is very helpful when it comes regulating bacteria especially in the mouth. This is why Invite uses it in our periodontal lozenges and even our Chew-able Coq10! Back to Stevia it is associated with decreasing blood sugar levels. Monk fruit contains an antioxidant which has been found to be anti-inflammatory. And of course natural sugar alternatives are helpful for those who wish to lower their sugar intake either because of family history or personal medical history. (7) I always tell people that prevention is key. It is much better to avoid a problem than to try and correct it later. One way to help stay healthy is to use natural sweeteners which is what Invite does to help us stay healthy.†
INVITE’S SOLUTIONS TO THAT SWEET TOOTH CRAVINGS
Next week well be concluding our series on blood sugar.†
For further questions or concerns email me at [email protected]†
REFERENCES
1. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/artificial-sweeteners-good-or-bad#types
2. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/artificial-sweeteners/art-20046936
3.https://www.eatthis.com/artificial-sweeteners-side-effects/
4. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/artificial-sweeteners/art-20046936
5.https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-682/stevia
6.https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/monk-fruit-health-benefits
7.https://www.medicinenet.com/what_is_the_best_alternative_to_sugar/article.htm
Written by: Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND For further questions or concerns email me at [email protected] Last week we covered metabolic syndrome. Today we are going to talk about a few topics that may seem unrelated but are important to any discussion of high blood sugar. In …
Written by: Claire Arcidiacono, ND For further questions or concerns email me at [email protected]† Last week I wrote about the individual parts of metabolic syndrome. But today we are going to take a step back and look at metabolic syndrome as a whole. As I previously …
Written by Dr. Claire Arcidiacono, ND
For further questions or concerns email me at [email protected]†
Last week we talked about prediabetes. While not all people with diabetes type 2 first present with prediabetes, in my clinical experience many people do. Likewise while not everyone with prediabetes becomes a type 2 diabetic, it is very common. Type 2 diabetes is also known as adult onset diabetes or non-insulin dependent diabetes. With diabetes type 2 the muscles, liver, and fat tissue develop insulin resistance. To compensate for this insulin resistance there is an increase of insulin production by the beta cells (If you want to refresh your memory check out my former blog). However in the long run, the beta cells start to “burn out” and less insulin is actually made. Basically the high blood sugar of diabetes occurs due to a combination of insulin resistance and reduced insulin production. (1) Now if you remember way back when we talked about type 1 diabetes this might sound familiar however in type 1 there is no insulin produced unlike in type 2 where it is still being produced.
ICYMI:THE PHYSIOLOGY OF DIABETES>>READ NOW!
The symptoms of diabetes type 2 are going to sound very familiar to last week since prediabetes is basically prediabetes type 2. To start with there is high blood sugar. Blood tests for type 2 diabetes include an A1C of greater than or equal to 6.5. A consistent reading of fasting blood sugar over 126 can indicate a need to have your A1C checked. Please see the attached chart for the WHO criteria. (2)
WHO diabetes diagnostic criteria
| Condition | 2-hour glucose | Fasting glucose | HbA1c | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit | mmol/L | mg/dL | mmol/L | mg/dL | mmol/mol | DCCT % |
| Normal | < 7.8 | < 140 | < 6.1 | < 110 | < 42 | < 6.0 |
| Impaired fasting glycaemia | < 7.8 | < 140 | 6.1–7.0 | 110–125 | 42–46 | 6.0–6.4 |
| Impaired glucose tolerance | ≥ 7.8 | ≥ 140 | < 7.0 | < 126 | 42–46 | 6.0–6.4 |
| Diabetes mellitus | ≥ 11.1 | ≥ 200 | ≥ 7.0 | ≥ 126 | ≥ 48 | ≥ 6. |
COMMON SYMPTOMS
Common symptoms that are easily noticed include increased thirst, frequent urination, and an increase in hunger with weight loss rather than weight gain. Other symptoms can include blurry vision, fatigue and recurrent infections. Peripheral neuropathy can also develop as well as a loss of taste. Lastly there may be itchiness. (3)
RISK FACTORS
The most important risk factor for diabetes type 2 is lifestyle and genetics. Excess body fat is associated with 30% of type 2 diabetes in those of Chinese and Japanese descent, 60-80% of those of European and African descent and 100% of Pima Indians and Pacific Islanders. (4) In addition to obesity a lack of physical activity, stress and poor sleep patterns are also risk factors. Smoking is also a risk factor for diabetes. (5) Poor diet is also such a huge risk factor that I can’t stress it enough! So many studies show that sugar sweetened drinks are a risk factor for type 2 diabetes. I’d like to say yes fruit juice is a sugar sweetened beverage and nope mixing it with water doesn’t reduce the effect of the sugar. (6) A diet high in white foods such as white rice appears to also increase risk of type 2 diabetes. Additionally saturated fats and Trans fats can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. (7) While it appears that up to 72% of type 2 diabetes is inherited it is a complex set of more than 36 genes that contributes to the risk of diabetes. Much more research is needed on this topic. (8) Other medical conditions that increase the risk of type 2 diabetes include a history of gestational diabetes, acromegaly, Cushing’s disease, hyperthyroidism, Pheochromocytoma, eating disorders and certain cancers. (9) Lastly certain medications such as Glucocorticoids , thiazides, beta blockers, atypical Antipsychotics and statins can also increase diabetes risk. (10)
SUPPLEMENTS
There are many supplements that can help with managing type 2 diabetes!
DIABETICS SHOULD KNOW THIS SUPPLEMENT – INVITE HEALTH PODCAST, EPISODE 558>>LISTEN NOW!
Next week is the interesting topic of Metabolic syndrome!
SOURCES