Blood Sugar Control

Do cold water training, cinnamon supplements aid blood sugar control in diabetes?

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Could swimming in cold water and taking cinnamon supplements improve blood sugar control? Image credit: Diego Martin/Stocksy.

  • Diabetes is a condition affecting blood glucose (sugar) levels.
  • Type 1 diabetes occurs when a person’s body stops producing insulin, the hormone that controls blood glucose. In type 2, the body stops responding to insulin.
  • For many people with diabetes, a healthy diet and appropriate exercise can help control blood glucose and minimize the risk of complications, such as heart disease, chronic kidney disease and vision problems.
  • A new study in rats with diabetes has found that a combination of cold-water swimming and cinnamon supplements lowered blood glucose levels.
  • The researchers suggest that this method may help people with diabetes control their blood sugar levels.

Diabetes is a chronic health condition where blood glucose control is impaired. It is major cause of mortality and ill health globally.

In 2021, some 529 million peopleTrusted Source (more than 6% of the global population) were living with diabetes. Of these, 96% had type 2 diabetes, the risk of which is greatly increased by poor diet and high body mass indexTrusted Source.

The prevalence of diabetes is increasing rapidly. Within 20 years, studies predict that there will be more than 700 million people with diabetes worldwide, and by 2050, that number could be as high as 1.3 billionTrusted Source.

Can lifestyle interventions help treat diabetes?

People with type 1 diabetes do not produce insulin, so need to control their blood sugar levels with regular insulin injections or an insulin pump.

However, only some people with type 2 diabetes need additional insulin. For most, changes in diet and exercise, together with medication, are key to managing the condition.

Now, a study in rats with diabetes has found that cold-water swimming, combined with cinnamon supplements, helped regulate blood glucose levels and enhanced insulin sensitivity.

The study appears in Nature Nutrition & DiabetesTrusted Source.

Dr. Ishita Prakash Patel, a board-certified endocrinologist with Texas Diabetes and Endocrinology in Austin, not involved in this study, commented on its findings for Medical News Today, cautioning that: “This was a relatively small study, short duration, using rats. […] Further studies in humans would be useful.”

Do cold swimming and cinnamon aid blood sugar control?

Exercise is known to help with blood glucose control, and studies have suggested that, as well as having other potential health benefits, cold exposure may help with glucose metabolism by increasing peripheral insulin sensitivity, as well as thermogenesisTrusted Source and glucose uptake in muscles.

One small studyTrusted Source found that 10 days of exposure to cold — 14–15 degrees Celsius (°C), or 57–59 degrees Fahrenheit (°F) — increased peripheral insulin sensitivity by around 43% in eight people with type 2 diabetes.

The researchers in this study suggest that this may be because cold exposure increases the mass and activity of brown adipose tissueTrusted Source (brown fat), which is specialized for energy expenditure.

Studies investigating the effects of cinnamon supplementation on blood glucose have shown differing effects. One studyTrusted Source found that 3–6 grams (g) of cinnamon a day had a positive effect on blood glucose levels in healthy adults, keeping them within the normal range.

However, another, in 70 people with type 2 diabetesTrusted Source, found no difference in blood glucose effect between those taking 1g cinnamon supplements daily for 30 or 60 days and those taking placebo.

Dr. Patel explained to Medical News Today:

“Cold adaptation has been shown to improve glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity by stimulating brown fat. Cinnamon supplementation has been noted to increase insulin sensitivity and decrease post-prandial blood sugars through enhanced signaling pathways.”

Rat study investigates use of cinnamon supplements, cold water swimming

In the current study, researchers investigated the effect of cold-water swimming with and without cinnamon supplementation, and cinnamon supplementation alone, on blood glucose in rats with diabetes.

Of the 91 rats, 78 had symptoms consistent with diabetes and 13 did not. The researchers divided them into seven groups of 13, as follows:

  1. healthy controls
  2. controls with diabetes
  3. cold water (5°C/ 41°F) swim training
  4. cold water swim training plus cinnamon supplement (200 milligrams per kilogram [mg/kg] body weight)
  5. warm water (35–36°C/95–97°F) swim training
  6. warm water swim training plus cinnamon supplement (200mg/kg)
  7. cinnamon supplement (200mg/kg) only.

The rats in the swimming groups swam for up to 4 minutes per day in a specially designed swimming tank measuring 100 centimeters (cm) in length, 50 cm in width, and 50 cm in depth.

The researchers took blood and plasma samples from the rats (which were anesthetized) 48 hours after the last training session.

They then analyzed these samples for levels of TBC1D4 and TBC1D1Trusted Source — two proteins that help control skeletal muscle glucose transport. In addition, they assessed HbA1cTrusted Source, to determine average blood glucose levels.

Cinnamon plus cold water swimming may lower blood sugar

In rats that exercised in warm water and in controls with diabetes, all measures increased, showing that there was no improvement in blood glucose control.

In rats that underwent cold water swim training and received cinnamon supplements, blood glucose levels reduced significantly compared with the other groups.

The researchers propose that this might be “a beneficial alternative exercise method in comparison with traditional approaches for improving glucose indices.”

However, they advise that further research is needed to fully investigate the mechanisms involved.

Could people use these methods?

Dr. Patel noted that, although the current research was conducted in rat models of diabetes, its findings ”could certainly be applicable to humans, as these are benign interventions that can be implemented for patients, even if they have only a marginal effect.”

“Some studies have shown higher levels of cinnamon supplement to have a small effect on blood sugar, and this can be added to the daily diet. In addition, cold water swimming or a cold shower can also be added to the daily routine,” she added.

Although this research suggests cold-water swimming could help people with type 2 diabetes control their blood glucose levels, cold water swimmingTrusted Source does have some risks, as well as potential benefits, so should not be undertaken without medical advice.

Cinnamon supplementation is generally safeTrusted Source, although excessive amounts of coumarin, which is found in cinnamon, can cause dangerous side effects, and it should not be used by people at risk of liver disease.

As with any change to a person’s diet and exercise regime, it is advisable to consult a healthcare professional before starting.

High Blood Sugar Control: Is Moringa Beneficial for People With Diabetes? Check What Nutritionist Says

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High Blood Sugar Management: Moringa Oleifera, commonly known as a drumstick, has both anti-diabetic and anti-hypertensive properties, making it a healthy choice for people with high blood pressure and high blood sugar. 

High Blood Sugar Control: Is Moringa Beneficial for People With Diabetes? Check What Nutritionist Says

High Blood Sugar or diabetes causes a range of health problems and if you have any other existing health issue, diabetes can make it worse. Be it cholesterol or even blood pressure, unchecked diabetes can lead to these complications too, apart from affecting organs. So it’s very important to keep blood glucose levels in check. Diet plays an important role in controlling blood sugar, and apart from medications, you can include certain items in your diet to control diabetes. One such item is Moringa Oleifera, commonly known as a drumstick.

Priya Palan, Dietician, Zen Multispecialty Hospital, Chembur (Mumbai) shares how Moringa can help in controlling diabetes. “Because of its high nutritive value, every part of the tree is used. It attributes numerous bioactive components including vitamins, polyphenols, flavonoids, saponins, isothiocyanates, and tannins which show enormous health benefits,” says Priya Palan.

High Blood Sugar: Impact of Moringa on Diabetes

Palan points out that Moringa can act as an anti-diabetic agent. “It increases insulin activity and improves glucose uptake and utilization. It regulates oxidative stress and reduces blood sugar. Studies have supported the use of Moringa with a positive effect on fasting blood glucose levels, insulin levels, and overall blood glucose control,” she says.

How Moringa Helps in Treating High Blood Pressure

Apart from diabetes, moringa is good for people with high blood pressure too. Moringa consists of quercetin which has anti-hypertensive properties, says Palan. She adds, “It decreases the stress on the heart and helps to stabilize blood pressure. It consists of compounds that help to prevent the thickening of arteries which can cause high blood pressure.” 

How to add Moringa to Daily Diet

The expert points our Moringa powder has an earthy flavor that can be added to a variety of recipes. However, Palan says it is recommended to add small doses as or up to 1tsp daily as overuse of it can have side effects.

• It can be used in smoothies, soups, and sauces
• Can be used as a sprinkle in salad
• Added to humus
• Can be infused with tea and hot water
• Used with other spices to make dry chutneys

Caution: Palan says, “Pregnant women and people on blood thinning medications such as Warfarin must avoid Moringa. Before adding moringa, it’s important to consult a health expert for its use.”

High Blood Sugar Control: 5 Simple Yoga Asanas That can Help Manage Diabetes

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High blood sugar is one of the root causes that can lead to several health issues and impact organs. It’s important to holistically manage diabetes and practising yoga asanas regularly can be very helpful. Here are 5 asanas that are particularly beneficial for people with diabetes.

  • If the body has too little insulin or if it can’t use insulin properly, it leads to high blood sugar or diabetes
  • Yoga asanas can help those with diabetes to maintain their blood glucose levels and lead a healthy life
  • Experts suggest to practise these asanas regularly but one should check with medical experts before starting a new exercise regime

High Blood Sugar Control: 5 Simple Yoga Asanas That can Help Manage Diabetes

Diabetes occurs when glucose or sugar levels in the blood remain elevated. The food we eat gives us glucose and the insulin hormone helps transport this glucose into our cells so they can get energy from it. If the body has too little insulin or if it can’t use insulin properly, it leads to high blood sugar or diabetes.  

Apart from your diet and medicines, practising yoga can go a long way in managing your diabetes. Himalayan Siddhaa Akshar, founder, Akshar Yoga Institutions, Himalaya Yoga Ashrama, World Yoga Organisation, shares, “Yoga asanas stretch the internal organs with a range of twisting poses. As a result, blood flow increases and the organs receive more oxygen, which enhances their functionality. The endocrine system performs better as a result.”

High Blood Sugar: Here are some Yoga Asanas to practise if you have diabetes

Yoga expert Himalayan Siddhaa Akshar lists the following Yoga asanas for diabetes:

1) Marjariasana (Cat-Cow Pose) 

Urdhva Mukhi Marjari Asana

Kneel down with your knees under your hips and your palms under your shoulders. Breathe deeply, arch your back, and look upward.

Urdhava-Mukhi-Asana

Adho Mukhi Marjari Asana

Breathe out, arch your back, and tuck your chin into your chest. Fix your attention on your navel.

adho-mukhi-marijasana

2) Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend)

The first thing to do is to extend your legs forward. When doing this, make sure your knees are slightly bent. Lift your arms up while maintaining a straight spine. Start bending forward at the hips as you exhale, placing your upper body on your lower body. Put your fingertips everywhere you can reach, such as your big toes.

Word of caution:  Practitioners who are pregnant, have sliding discs, suffer from sciatica, have asthma, or have an ulcer shouldn’t perform Paschimottanasana.

Paschimottanasana

3) Ado Mukha Svanasana (Downward Dog)

Begin by getting down on all fours and placing your knees underneath your hips and your palms beneath your shoulders. Extend the elbows and knees while raising the hips. Apply pressure to your palms while opening your shoulder blades. Try to plant your heels firmly on the ground. Keep your focus on your big toes. 

Word of caution: Avoid doing this position if you have diarrhoea or carpal tunnel syndrome. Avoid holding this position if you are pregnant or close to becoming pregnant. Avoid this asana if you move slowly, have high blood pressure, have a headache, or have a recent or persistent arm, hip, shoulder, or back injury.

Adho-mukha-svanasana

4) Balasana (Child’s Pose)

Kneel on the mat while sitting upright on your heels. Exhale while bringing your arms up above your head and bending your upper body forward. Put your forehead on the ground while supporting your pelvis on your heels. Ensure that your back is not arched.

Balasana

5) Mandukasana (Frog Pose)

As you sit in Vajrasana, extend your arms in front of you. As you ball your fist, your remaining four fingers should be positioned above your thumbs. Bend your arms at the elbows and put your balled-up fists over your navel. You should have your upper body bowed and above your bottom body. Looking forward while extending your neck.

Word of caution: Pregnant ladies should avoid performing this pose. If a person has ankle pain or injury or has just undergone ligament surgery, they should avoid this position. If one has ulcer issues, this stance must be avoided. If you have knee or back issues, kindly refrain from performing this pose.

Hold each position for three sets of 30 seconds. Practise each of these positions deliberately, take your time, and focus on your breathing while you hold each one.

Mandukasana

Better Blood Sugar Control in Teens May Limit Diabetes-Related Brain Damage

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Summary: Better glucose control can improve brain structure and function in young people with Type 1 diabetes.

Source: Nemours

Tight control of blood sugar in teens with Type 1 diabetes may help reduce the disease’s damaging effects on the brain, effects which have been shown even in younger children, according to a study published online today in Nature Communications.

The findings indicate that better glucose control can actually improve brain structure and function in youth with Type 1 diabetes, bringing them closer to their peers without diabetes, investigators said.

This proof-of-concept pilot study – the most detailed to date on this topic – was jointly led by investigators from Nemours Children’s Health, Jacksonville and Stanford University School of Medicine.

“These results offer hope that harm to the developing brain from Type 1 diabetes might be reversible with rigorous glucose control,” said the paper’s senior author, and co-principal investigator, pediatric endocrinologist Nelly Mauras, MD, of Nemours Children’s Health Jacksonville and professor of pediatrics at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine.

“Use of an automated hybrid closed-loop system–an insulin delivery system linked to a continuous glucose monitor–was associated with better blood glucose concentrations, which translated in our study to quantifiable differences in brain structure and cognition.”

The study was conducted through the five-center Diabetes Research in Children Network (DirecNet). Funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), DirecNet has longitudinally followed a cohort of children with and without diabetes for nearly eight years. DirecNet studies have added to evidence that children and teens with diabetes undergo detrimental changes in the brain – with effects including below-normal IQ – and that these differences are linked to high blood sugars.

Dr. Mauras and the DirecNet investigators recruited 42 adolescents, aged 14 to 17 years, diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes before the age of eight who were receiving insulin therapy. The teens were randomized to one of two groups – one using a hybrid closed-loop insulin delivery system and the other receiving standard diabetes care.

The researchers conducted cognitive assessments and multi-modal brain imaging with all participants before and after the six-month study period.

A hybrid closed-loop insulin delivery system, used properly and continuously, can increase the amount of time when blood sugar is in a healthy range. It particularly helps stabilize blood sugar during sleep, when detection and treatment of early signs of hypoglycemia are more difficult.

The system uses a closed glucose monitor (CGM) to measure blood sugar every five minutes through a sensor under the skin. The CGM connects wirelessly to an insulin pump that adjusts the amount of insulin based on the latest CGM reading.

Participants using the closed-loop glucose control system showed significantly greater improvement than the standard care group in key brain metrics indicative of normal adolescent brain development – in other words, their results were closer to those of teens without diabetes.

The closed-loop group also showed higher cognitive (IQ) outcomes and functional brain activity, more in line with normal adolescent brain development.

“We have known for some time that better control of blood glucose levels in persons with Type 1 diabetes can prevent or reduce damage to a number of biological systems (for example, kidney, eyes, nerves, blood vessels).

This shows a brain
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease, in which the body’s immune system mistakenly destroys insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Its causes are not fully understood, and currently no cure exists. Image is in the public domain

“Our new research joins with other studies to highlight that better control of blood glucose levels in children with Type 1 diabetes can potentially reduce injury to the maturing brain and lead to measurable improvements in brain development and function as well,” said lead author and co-principal investigator, Allan Reiss, MD, the Howard C. Robbins Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and a professor of radiology at Stanford.

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease, in which the body’s immune system mistakenly destroys insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Its causes are not fully understood, and currently no cure exists.

An estimated 244,000 children and adolescents in the U.S. have this condition, which can cause sometimes serious health problems that develop quickly or that show up later in life.

This study builds on previous research showing that strict blood sugar control leads to lower rates of diabetes complications such as blindness, kidney failure, and amputations.

Funding: This research was supported by grants from the NIH Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (Grant 5R01-HD-078463) and a grant from the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Other investigators at Nemours participated in the project (Larry Fox, MD, Allison Cato, PhD, Keisha Bird DNP and Kim Englert, RN). Researchers at Stanford University (Bruce Buckingham, MD), Washington University in St. Louis (Neil White, MD), the University of Iowa (Eva Tsalikian, MD), Yale University (Stuart Weinzimer, MD) and the Jaeb Center for Health Research (John Lum) also contributed to the project.

A Pilot randomized trial to examine effects of a hybrid closed-loop insulin delivery system on neurodevelopmental and cognitive outcomes in adolescents with type 1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is associated with lower scores on tests of cognitive and neuropsychological function and alterations in brain structure and function in children.

This proof-of-concept pilot study (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT03428932) examined whether MRI-derived indices of brain development and function and standardized IQ scores in adolescents with T1D could be improved with better diabetes control using a hybrid closed-loop insulin delivery system.

Eligibility criteria for participation in the study included age between 14 and 17 years and a diagnosis of T1D before 8 years of age. Randomization to either a hybrid closed-loop or standard diabetes care group was performed after pre-qualification, consent, enrollment, and collection of medical background information.

Of 46 participants assessed for eligibility, 44 met criteria and were randomized. Two randomized participants failed to complete baseline assessments and were excluded from final analyses.

Participant data were collected across five academic medical centers in the United States.

Research staff scoring the cognitive assessments as well as those processing imaging data were blinded to group status though participants and their families were not. Forty-two adolescents, 21 per group, underwent cognitive assessment and multi-modal brain imaging before and after the six month study duration. HbA1c and sensor glucose downloads were obtained quarterly.

Primary outcomes included metrics of gray matter (total and regional volumes, cortical surface area and thickness), white matter volume, and fractional anisotropy. Estimated power to detect the predicted treatment effect was 0.83 with two-tailed, α = 0.05.

Adolescents in the hybrid closed-loop group showed significantly greater improvement in several primary outcomes indicative of neurotypical development during adolescence compared to the standard care group including cortical surface area, regional gray volumes, and fractional anisotropy.

The two groups were not significantly different on total gray and white matter volumes or cortical thickness. The hybrid closed loop group also showed higher Perceptual Reasoning Index IQ scores and functional brain activity more indicative of neurotypical development relative to the standard care group (both secondary outcomes). No adverse effects associated with study participation were observed.

These results suggest that alterations to the developing brain in T1D might be preventable or reversible with rigorous glucose control. Long term research in this area is needed.