by Dr. Sam Benjamin If you wish to consider nutritional supplements, discuss them first with your doctor - especially because they could interact with your medicines. Dr. Samuel Benjamin - "Dr. Sam" - a medical doctor who integrates traditional medicine with complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) - offers some pros and cons below.

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First, never take any natural supplements if you are pregnant or breastfeeding without your doctor's approval, Dr. Sam cautions.

Take a multivitamin every day.


Other nutritional supplements to consider and discuss with your doctor - according to Dr. Sam - are:

Can decrease blood sugar levels. Taking bitter melon along with diabetes medications might cause your blood sugar to be too low. Monitor your blood sugar closely. The dose of your diabetes medication might need to be changed.


Chromium might help keep blood sugar levels normal by improving the way your body use insulin. Chromium is safe for most adults when used appropriately for six months or less. Side effects can include skin irritation, headaches, dizziness, nausea, mood changes and impaired thinking, judgment, and coordination.

High doses may cause more serious side effects - including blood disorders, liver and kidney damage, and other problems. Don't use chromium polynicotinate and don't take chromium supplements if you are pregnant, have liver or kidney problems, have a mental disorder such as depression, anxiety, or schizophrenia, or have a chromate allergy.

Taking chromium along with insulin might cause your blood sugar to be too low. Monitor your blood sugar closely. The dose of your insulin might need to be changed.

Also, avoid taking chromium and NSAIDs (such as ibuprofen, naproxen, aspirin, and others) at the same time. NSAIDS are anti-inflammatory medications used for decreasing pain and swelling and might increase chromium levels in the body and increase the risk of adverse effects.


Gymnema contains substances that decrease the absorption of sugar from the intestine. Gymnema may also increase the amount of insulin in the body. There isn't enough information to know if gymnema is safe.

Do not use gymnema if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Taking gymnema along with insulin or diabetes medication might cause your blood sugar to be too low. Monitor your blood sugar closely. The dose of your insulin or diabetes medication might need to be changed.


Prickly pear cactus contains fiber and pectin, which can lower blood glucose by decreasing the absorption of sugar in the stomach and intestine. Some researchers think that it might also decrease cholesterol levels, and kill viruses in the body.

Prickly pear cactus can cause mild diarrhea, nausea, increased amount and frequency of stool, bloating, and headache. Do not take prickly pear cactus if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Taking prickly pear cactus along with chlorpropamide (Diabinese) might cause your blood sugar to go too low.

Monitor your blood sugar closely. The dose of your chlorpropamide might need to be changed.


The grocery-store spice, cinnamon, might lower blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes. Cinnamon also contains a chemical which might have activity against bacteria and fungi. Cinnamon is safe when used in amounts commonly found in foods and in medicinal doses.

When applied to the skin in high concentrations, cinnamon can cause skin irritation and allergic skin reactions. Cinnamon also might decrease blood sugar.

Do not take cinnamon in amounts greater than those typically found in food if you have diabetes, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are allergic to cinnamon. Cinnamon might decrease blood sugar, and since diabetes medications are also used to lower blood sugar, taking cinnamon along with diabetes medications might cause your blood sugar to go too low.

Monitor your blood sugar closely. The dose of your diabetes medication might need to be changed.


Banaba seems to lower blood glucose in people with type 2 diabetes, according to very preliminary research. It might help the body use insulin more efficiently. Banaba seems to be safe for most people when taken by mouth on a short-term basis. The long-term safety is unknown.

Do not take banaba if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Taking banaba along with diabetes medications might cause your blood sugar to go too low.

Monitor your blood sugar closely. The dose of your diabetes medication might need to be changed.


Alpha-lipoic acid is a vitamin-like chemical called an antioxidant. Yeast, liver, kidney, spinach, broccoli, and potatoes are good sources of alpha-lipoic acid. It is also made in the laboratory for use as medicine.

Alpha-lipoic acid seems to help prevent certain kinds of cell damage in the body, and also restores vitamin levels such as vitamin E and vitamin C. It may lower blood glucose (blood sugar levels) as well as offer some protection from the damages of diabetes over the long run.

There is some scientific evidence that alpha-lipoic acid might be safe for most adults. People taking alpha-lipoic acid by mouth might get a rash. People at risk for thiamine deficiency should take a thiamine supplement. Diabetics should be careful to check their blood sugar levels because alpha-lipoic acid might lower blood sugar.

Do not use alpha-lipoic acid if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, use alcohol excessively, have thiamine deficiency or thyroid disease.

Alpha-lipoic acid is an antioxidant and there's some concern that antioxidants might decrease the effectiveness of some cancer medications. But it is too soon to know if this interaction occurs.