Type 2 Diabetes – Do Supplements Affect Your Blood Sugar Levels?

May 7, 2011 by TreadmillsCenter · Leave a Comment 


The Medical Expenditure Panel Survey conducted in 1996 discovered that diabetics are 1.6 times more likely to use complementary anti-diabetic medications compared to their non-diabetic counterparts. In another national survey conducted from 1997 to 1998, it was shown that thirty-five percent of Type 2 diabetics used supplements to treat their condition. ~petua untuk mengandung

With a growing number of diabetic supplement users, there are several questions that keep nagging the minds of the health care professionals and even diabetics themselves:

  • are supplements able to affect blood sugar levels?
  • do supplements taken in conjunction with anti-diabetic medications cause drug interactions?
  • are herbal supplements safe for diabetic conditions

1. Niacin, also called nicotinic acid or nicotinate, is a common form of vitamin B3. The body uses this vitamin in the production of various sex hormones, and stress-related hormones in the adrenal glands, the gland located on the upper part of each kidney. [Furthermore, it has also been shown to have significant uses in many medical conditions such as high cholesterol level, atherosclerosis]… the hardening of the blood vessel walls, and osteoarthritis. [However, there is one problem with the use of niacin by diabetics]. [The University of Maryland Medical Center states that niacin has the ability to raise the blood sugar level resulting in the development of hyperglycemia]. [Hyperglycemia may cause an array of consequences: conditions such as increased frequency and excessive urination (polyuria), and excessive thirst and urge to drink large amounts of fluids to replace the water lost through excessive urination]. ~infertility

However, in worse cases, hyperglycemia may result in dizziness, nausea and vomiting, coma and even death.

2. Aloe is another natural supplement which may be taken for a number of conditions; aloe vera can help relieve indigestion, constipation, bladder infections, itchy skin, psoriasis and ulcerative colitis. However, as mentioned by Medline Plus, aloe supplementation may also cause hypoglycemia or low blood sugar levels. Anyone taking anti-diabetic medications must be extra cautious in the use of aloes since this may cause some additive hypoglycemic effect to their medication resulting in the development of overwhelming hypoglycemia. Symptoms of hypoglycemia include:

  • tremors
  • anxiety, and
  • cold clammy skin

In the worst cases, it may result in coma.

3. [American Ginseng is a herb usually used by both Type 2 diabetics and non-diabetics to help remove stress and boost the immune system]. According to Medline Plus, this herbal supplement may be helpful in lowering blood sugar levels after meals in Type 2 diabetes. However, there is a special precaution with the use of American ginseng: adding this herbal supplement to the usual anti-diabetic medications may lower the blood sugar too much resulting in hypoglycemia. ~ivf

Vitamins and minerals are essential for good health, but in excess some of them can do a lot of damage.

Infertility Women Causes – Understanding Female Infertility

June 20, 2010 by TreadmillsCenter · Leave a Comment 


Infertility Women Causes- The Main Causes Of Fertility Problems In Women

Female ovulation is an essential ingredient of success at conception. Put simply, a woman who cannot produce an egg will have no chance of having a baby. The primary signs of a problem with ovulation are intermittent or absent monthly menstrual periods.

Medical Conditions

PCOS and POI are 2 of the more common issues regarding ovulation. Polycystic ovarian syndrome, a hormonal problem, can affect the normal action of the ovulation process. It is the highest reported cause of infertility among females.

On another note, primary ovarian insuffiency happens when the ovaries stop functioning properly even before a woman reaches 35. POI is often mistaken to be early menopause, which is a different condition. Click here for info about issues related to treatment for pcos.

Other Related Causes

There are other uterine problems that also contribute to infertility.

- Fibroids in the uterus, which are non-cancerous clumps on the uterine walls

- Blocked Fallopian tubes due to ectopic pregnancy surgery, pelvic inflammatory disease or endometriosis

- Physical problems with the uterus

Click here for info about issues related to ovarian problems.

Factors That Increase Infertility Risks

Aside from problems with one’s health, genes and lifestyle factors can also contribute to female infertility. These would include:

- Cigarette smoking & alcohol consumption

- Lousy diet

- Getting older

- Too much physical activity

- Stress at home or workplace

- Being underweight or overweight

- Infections that are sexually transmitted

- Health issues that affect the body’s hormone producing abilities

Infertility Women Causes - The Age Factor

Many American women often do not have children until their 30s and 40s…and a third of the total cases on infertility involve women who are over 35 years old.

Why is Age a Key Factor to Fertility?

- A woman’s ovaries weaken thru time affecting their capacity to release eggs

- Generally speaking, an older female will produce less eggs than when she was young

- The eggs of an older woman are less healthy

- Health problems that may interfere with fertility creep up as the woman gets older

- Older women have a higher rate of miscarrieag

Click here for info about issues related to complex ovarian cysts.

Drugs To Stimulate Fertility

These drugs are often prescribed for women who have fertility problems.

- Clomiphene citrate: Often recommended for women with PCOS and hormonal related malfunctions. You might know it by the brand Clomid, which is taken orally.

- Human menopausal gonadotropin: hMG is an injection used to stimulate the ovaries directly so that egg formation occurs. Popular names include Pergonal and Repronex.

- Gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog: Gn-RH is a medication often prescribed for women who don’t ovulate regularly. It works on the pituitary gland to dictate when ovulation happens. It may purchased as a nasal spray or as an injectable.

- Follicle stimulating hormone: The FSH is also an injectable and acts on the ovaries to encourage ovulation. Popular brands are Gonal-F and Follistim.

- Metformin: Metformin is prescribed for women with either insulin resistance or PCOS. This medication, which is often taken with FSH or clomiphene, can help balance and regulate the male hormones in the female body and eventually assist women in the ovulation process.

- Bromocriptine: Prolactin is a type of hormone that helps mammary glands increase its milk production. Medium to high levels of prolactin may affect ovulation and cause it to stop. Bromocriptine acts directly on prolactin, slowing it down, so that ovulation can occur.

Multiple Birth Risk

While majority of fertility medications truly succeed at helping a woman conceive, they also more likely lead to the development of multiple fetuses. Women who carry more than one fetus are prone to more pregnancy problems than those who carry just one. More than one fetus in the womb increases the risk for premature birth…and an infant who’s been born premature has the greater chance of developing problems with health as he or she grows up.

Fertility drugs can also cause ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, a medical condition which has life threatening implications.

Due to the increased risks to health and the rising expense related to assisted reproductive therapies, alternative routes have become popular to combat infertility. These remedies cover a vast range from natural healing therapies which are meant to help the body repair itself. Some of the more widely used types of alternative treatments include nutrition-based therapies, Chinese medicine, and acupuncture.

Using The Ovacue Fertility Monitor To Predict Ovulation Cycles

June 19, 2010 by TreadmillsCenter · Leave a Comment 


Thousands of women decide to track their ovulation cycles every year. The majority of these women choose to track their cycles in an attempt to get pregnant. There are many women who track their ovulation cycle as they do not want to use other forms of birth control.

There are today many methods available which enable a woman to track her ovulation cycle. Some women use the internet websites that provide monthly calendars based on the individual woman’s last menstrual cycle. These website are often free and easy to use. With the projected calendars, although they are pretty accurate, they are of course not fail proof.

One other way of tracking ovulation cycles is with the use of a monitor. There are several companies that produce these ovulation monitors. They can be purchased in pharmacies, many grocery stores, and even online. These kind of monitors, nevertheless, are certainly not free. The prices vary depending on the quality and functions that each individual style provides.

One of the most popular products on the market is the Ovacue fertility monitor. Most people are able to purchase the Ovacue fertiity monitor online or through retail outlets. This fertility monitor is one of the most popular products because it is very easy to use. It takes samples of the user’s saliva as opposed to other products that require urine testing. The good thing with this product when used correctly, it has been clinically tested and proven to be up to 98% accurate.

The Ovacue fertility monitor is considered one of the leading monitors on the market due to its high quality. This monitor can estimate the ovulation cycle of the user up to seven days before they actually begin ovulation. This product comes with a handheld device which projects the user’s cycle on a calendar which they can then read. The product is intended to be used daily and tracks the changes of electrolytes in the individual’s saliva. In addition, it includes a vaginal tester which can be used throughout the actual forecasted ovulation time period to affirm the person is actually ovulating.

This fertility monitor is very siccessful as it can track the person cycle over a four month time frame. This lets the device predict ovulation more accurately because most women’s monthly cycles are not always the same.

This particular fertility monitor may also continue to keep track of the ovulation cycles once the 4 months have expired. The monitor is able to do this when the user utilizes the software that is available with the monitor. The software will enable a female to track the ovulation cycle throughout their lifetime.

The Ovacue fertility monitor retails for some where around $250 to $350 price range. This would then depend on two things, if the individual chose to use the vaginal sensor or chose not to use it. The vaginal sensor is not needed, however it aids in given more exact readings. Customers who wish to use the software will also have to pay a minimal fee for the software including a small monthly charge. However for women who want the best results in determining their ovulation cycles these features are well worth the additional cost.

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