Why doctors do not test chromium levels for diabetes

[rosege]

Why do Doctors not test for chromium deficiency in diabetic patients?  For 27 years my mother was treated for diabetes by pills.  In her early eighties, her doctor began increasing the dosage in an effort to help regulate her increasing blood sugars.  Due to her memory declining and thereby forgetting to eat after taking the medicine, we discontinued her pills and began monitoring her blood sugars and diet to attempt keeping her in a reasonable blood glucose range.  With these changes, we managed to keep her sugar between 140 and 180 on average.  About a year later we added a product made by Nutrition 21 of chromium, biotin, and magnesium which immediately began bringing her sugar levels to normal.  Over the next three years, her blood work results were at or within the normal range. The doctor eventually ceased her bloodwork every four months and began including it only as a part of her annual checkup work.  When we began this regimen, I attempted to have him take the time and read the pamplet about the Nutrition 21 get his feedback on the product.  He declined.  What I do not understand is why not only my mother's but most other physicians as well, diagnose thousands of people every year with diabetes, yet I do not hear where any of them associate or test for this possible cause.  Is there some particular reason doctors fail to test for appropriate nutrient levels as a root cause of diabetes before they they begin their lifelong treatments of the symptoms?

[allmymarbles]

My husband has lowered his blood sugar levels by taking ashwagandha. (There are no side effects.) His medications have been reduced as a result. We are now looking into other recommended ayurvedic treatments to see if we can get him off medication altogether. Everything is herbal.

A note about ashwagandha. It regulates insulin. that is, if it is high it lowers it, and if it is low, it raises it. It has the same effect on cortisol and I am taking it for high cortisol.

[reddal]

Doctors usually don't tell everything you need to know for many political reasons. My experience with doctors have never been good. The choice of drugs to prescribe to patients is mostly based on doctors' business deals with pharmacy industry. Any cheap solution for cure, however promising, will be abandoned at first sight because that will be a loss of profits to the more expensive solutions.

There are many deseases that can be prevented and reversed simply by normalizing blood sugar. Sadly, even the ADA (american diabetes assoc) sets a misleading guideline on "what normal glucose level is". ADA even sets a food pyramid which will only worsen diabetic patients.

My advice is: test, test, test. Use your chromium supplement in moderation and check its effect on the BS. For example, you can consume certain meals for a period of time and check the bs everytine (before and after meal). Then on a different period of time, consume the same meals with chromium supplement and see how meals and bs during each period compare.

[Rachel_R]

"I would like to hear back from a doctor’s point of view if possible."

This is not the forum to be seeking a doctors opinion.

[rosege]

I failed to realize readers may consider the content of my previous story (which I now regret sharing) without seeking the advice of a physician, which absolutely should never be done.  Let me add more clearly that my mother’s doctor was fully aware of the added supplement even though he agreed the same with the previous commentor-There is not enough scientific evidence to support a lack of chromium as one of the underlying causes of some Type II diabetes cases.

Please be aware, by forgetting to eat, 911 had to be called on several occasions.  Low sugars are deadly.  Our particular situation forced us to seek alternatives by diet and later adding this particular supplement.  Glucose levels were monitored 3-5 times a day from home.  The physician, fully aware of every change made, continued to fully monitor her through blood work for the next three years, every four months.  He now checks it once a year.
  
I would be interested in reading further evidence about the previous comment, “If Diabetic Type II, Chromium has the potential to block insulin causing blood sugar levels to rise.”  I didn’t see this anywhere in the referenced source provided.  In all of my research I've never come across this, so please comment back on the source(s) that provide support to this claim.

The reliability of the website sited in the response, is confusing if not questionable.  It refers in one sentence to the difficulties of accurately measuring chromium levels, and then turns around and states, “In general, however, individuals with Type II Diabetes have low blood levels of chromium.”  This is very ambiguous, and borderlines contradicting.  In addition, there’s an inference to readers that Type II Diabetics are tested for chromium levels.  So, where is this information coming from if doctors do not test for chromium?  

I’m still seeking an answer, but maybe I’m asking the wrong question.  Is there a reason doctors do not test nor acknowledge chromium when running diagnostics tests for Type II Diabetes or are we, as patients, not asking the right questions?  I would like to hear back from a doctor’s point of view if possible.

[Dot.Calm]

The following is a brief on Chromium and is not intended to agree or disagree with the poster. I'm glad to read that Chromium has done wonders for her mother.

Although I edited the material to a minimum, I apologize in advance for its lengthiness. Follow this link for the full version
http://www.drugdigest.org/DD/DVH/HerbsTake/0,3927,4036|Chromium%2BPicolinate,00.html

The following information is not intended to replace the advice of your physician, pharmacist, or other healthcare professional. It is not meant to indicate that the use of the product is safe, appropriate, or effective for you.

Small amounts of chromium are necessary for the body to function normally. Studies are underway to evaluate chromium's possible reducing effects on blood sugar and cholesterol levels. However, not enough is currently known about its potential effects to for these or other conditions.

Risks
High levels of chromium may worsen kidney, liver, or mental conditions. Individuals with sensitivities to leather may also be sensitive to chromium, which is used in the leather-tanning process. If Diabetic Type II, Chromium has the potential to block insulin causing blood sugar levels to rise.

Side Effects
You should talk to your healthcare provider about the potential dangers of chromium picolinate before taking the supplement. For example, taking the supplement without your healthcare provider's supervision may be dangerous if you have diabetes, liver disease, or any kind of mental illness. Warnings and precautions with chromium picolinate also extend to women who are pregnant or breastfeeding and to people with certain allergies.

Very high doses of supplemental chromium may result in kidney damage or liver failure. Other side effects from chromium supplements may include headache and mood or sleep disturbances.

See this link for USDA recommended dosage levels for infants and adults along with information on interactions of chromium with other drugs, herbs, and supplements and foods.



  

[rosege]

ps...she is now 90 years old and is also off all blood pressure medicine as well.  The only thing she is suffering from is loss of her short term memory; we are looking into similar solutions for this as well.