As the threat from Covid recedes, it's time to refocus on the other global pandemic: diabetes. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 37.3 million people have diabetes in the United States alone. More worrisome, 96 million Americans aged 18 years or older are now prediabetic-an astonishing 38.0% of the adult US population. Roughly half of American adults are now diabetic or will be diabetic in their lifetime, assuming no medical intervention and/or a change in lifestyle. And we know how hard habits are to break.

Yet one prominent diabetes expert says that both diabetics and prediabetic Americans are missing out on treatments that may be as close as their bathroom cabinet: vitamins. "Diabetes medication is a multibillion dollar industry; there are now more than eighty diabetic medications in the marketplace today," says Dr. Ahmet Ergin, author of The Ultimate Diabetes Book and founder of SugarMDs. "But there must be some other defense other than just keeping blood sugar levels normal with prescription drugs." 

Ergin, an endocrinologist and a diabetes education specialist whose YouTube channel (also under the SugarMD moniker) has grown to nearly 400,000 subscribers, considers himself at war with diabetes. The disease, he says, can induce a host of debilitating conditions, from blindness in the retina and renal failure in the kidneys to vascular disease and nerve discomfort. In the worst-case scenario, diabetes can even result in amputation and cognitive decline, including dementia and Alzheimer's. But the good news, he says, is that six over-the-counter vitamins can do the average person a world of good, and maybe even reverse the effects of this far too common disease.

Benfotiamine

First on Ergin's list is Benfotiamine, a fat soluble form of Vitamin B-1 that he refers to as a "hidden gem" because it has been prescribed in Europe to fight the effects of diabetes for decades. "Benfotiamine has emerged as a critical nutrient for those seeking to avoid the potential fatal effects of high blood-sugar levels," he says. "Better yet, it is inexpensive and readily available as a dietary supplement." 

Benfotiamine works by blocking the biochemical pathways through which high blood sugar levels damage cells, including in nerves, kidneys, the eyes, blood vessels and the heart. Ergin says that Benfotiamine's multifaceted properties make it a "must-have supplement" for people with high blood sugar levels. 

"It is better known a chemical cousin of thiamine, which aids the metabolism of glucose, but Benfotiamine efficiently converts potentially toxic byproducts into harmless compounds," he observes. "In European clinical trials it has been shown to relieve polyneuropathy, most notably a reduction in pain. It is simply one of the most effective and under-utilized treatments out there." That's essential, he says, because diabeteic neuropathy is not relieved by traditional pain relievers. 

Alpha-Lipoic Acid

Another vitamin on Ergin's list is alpha-lipoic acid, which is used not only in the treatment of diabetes but for Lyme disease, kidney failure, HIV, and other prominent ailments. Diabetes can cause nerve damage by inducing oxidative stress, and alpha-lipoic acid, he says, brings what he calls "a very potent antioxidant effect."  As with Benfotiamine, recent European clinical trials have demonstrated a significant reduction in neuropathy pain among patients who took just 400 milligrams daily of the vitamin for only several weeks. "Alpha-lipoic acid is also helpful for multiple symptoms in metabolic disorders," Ergin says.

B6 & B12

B vitamins in general are well-known for their ability to promote normal nervous system functioning, and Ergin says that they can be particularly beneficial in treating neuropathy. B6, for example, protects the covering on nerve endings and is available as a supplement or can be ingested through eating seafood, dairy, meat and even poultry. But, Ergin cautions, it would be difficult to get enough B vitamins just by eating unless you were prepared for weight gain, something that is inadvisable for most diabetic and pre-diabetic people.

According to WebMD, Vitamin B12 is known for aiding the creation of DNA, nourishing the brain and nervous system, and assisting with the formation of healthy red blood cells. As an added benefit, B12 has been shown to increase serotonin levels; serotonin is known as the "feel good" hormone and is widely associated with fighting depression. A lack of energy can feed the sedentary lifestyle that in turn fuels diabetes, says Ergin.

Vitamin D

Another common vitamin that has shown promise fighting the effects of diabetes is literally available just outside of everyone's front door. "Vitamin D has shown a positive effect on neuropathic pain," Ergin says. "It helps with regeneration, i.e. recovery of nerve function, after surgery or peripheral nerve injuries, as well as myelination. Most diabetics are vitamin deficient and they don't even know it."

To get enough Vitamin D, he says, most of us would either have to eat salmon four times a week or lay down on the beach for hours each day. "Better to take a supplement to get what you need," Ergin advises.

Acetyl-L-Carnitine

A final recommendation is acetyl-l-carnitine, an amino acid that alleviates nerve pain and increases energy levels. According to Ergin, it has shown efficacy in alleviating cancer- and chemotherapy-related fatigue. "Like Vitamin D, acetyl-l-carnitine also occurs naturally in food," he says, "but we recommend taking a supplement instead in order to avoid weight gain as well as the real possibility of simply not getting enough on a regular basis." 

To ensure correct potency and purity, Ergin's SugarMD has developed a line of vitamin and herbal treatments which are available on its website and include all six diabetes stoppers. Despite the billions spent on pharmaceuticals every year, Ergin says that diabetes treatment is not complete or holistic without using the treatments that nature provides. "When you are at war," he says, "you need all of the help you can muster."