Alternative
therapies
Alternative
therapies are treatments that are neither widely taught
in medical schools nor widely practiced in hospitals.
Alternative treatments that have been studied to manage
diabetes include acupuncture, biofeedback, guided imagery,
and vitamin and mineral supplementation. The success of
some alternative treatments can be hard to measure. Many
alternative treatments remain either untested or unproven
through traditional scientific studies.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture
is a procedure in that a practitioner inserts needles
into designated points on the skin. Some Western scientists
believe that acupuncture triggers the release of the body's
natural painkillers. Acupuncture has been shown to offer
relief from chronic pain. Acupuncture is sometimes used
by people with neuropathy, the painful nerve damage of
diabetes.
Biofeedback
Biofeedback
is a technique that helps a person become more aware of
and learn to deal with the body's response to pain. This
alternative therapy emphasizes relaxation and stress-reduction
techniques. Guided imagery is a relaxation technique that
some professionals who use biofeedback do. With guided
imagery, a person thinks of peaceful mental images, such
as ocean waves. A person may also include the images of
controlling or curing a chronic disease, such as diabetes.
People using this technique believe their condition can
be eased with these positive images.
Chromium
The benefit
of added chromium for diabetes has been studied and debated
for several years. Several studies report that chromium
supplementation may improve diabetes control. Chromium
is needed to make glucose tolerance factor, which helps
insulin improve its action. Because of insufficient information
on the use of chromium to treat diabetes, no recommendations
for supplementation yet exist.
Magnesium
Although the
relationship between magnesium and diabetes has been studied
for decades, it is not yet fully understood. Studies suggest
that a deficiency in magnesium may worsen the blood sugar
control in type 2 diabetes. Scientists believe that a
deficiency of magnesium interrupts insulin secretion in
the pancreas and increases insulin resistance in the body's
tissues. Evidence suggests that a deficiency of magnesium
may contribute to certain diabetes complications.
Vanadium
Vanadium is
a compound found in tiny amounts in plants and animals.
Early studies showed that vanadium normalized blood glucose
levels in animals with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. A recent
study found that when people with diabetes were given
vanadium, they developed a modest increase in insulin
sensitivity and were able to decrease their insulin requirements.
Currently researchers want to understand how vanadium
works in the body, discover potential side effects, and
establish safe dosages.
