How to Control Your Blood Sugar Without Drugs

How is your blood sugar? According to the CDC, 115 million American adults have prediabetes, a condition in which blood sugar is elevated but doesn’t reach the threshold for a diagnosis of diabetes (125 mg/dl or higher). Although prediabetes increases your risk for heart disease and stroke as well as diabetes, the progression is not inevitable. It is possible to control your blood sugar without drugs, using attention to diet, exercise and stress management. Even people with type 2 diabetes may find some nondrug strategies useful, even if they don’t fully replace the need for medications.

Could Astaxanthin Help Manage Blood Sugar Without Drugs?

Q. My wife found an ad for astaxanthin and its “miraculous” benefit to lower A1C in diabetics. When searching for more information, I found nothing about blood sugar. I did find warnings about interactions with blood thinners (Plavix) and blood pressure meds (lisinopril), which I’m on, but no research on A1C.

The exception is the manufacturer’s website, which brags about lowering A1C to under 6 within 30 to 60 days. I’m skeptical.

My doctor prescribed metformin and glipizide and insists I must stay on them. I would love to discontinue due to concerns about kidney damage.

After reading your column about berberine, I started taking it. My blood sugar went too low when I took two per day. I cut back to one per day and it helps without causing low blood sugar.

A. Astaxanthin is an interesting reddish carotenoid derived from algae. This marine compound has antioxidant activity that might be helpful for people with diabetes. However, most of the research so far has been done in animals (Marine Drugs, July 9, 2020).

A meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials concluded that astaxanthin can raise beneficial HDL cholesterol and lower C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation (Pharmacological Research, Nov. 2020). However, these 14 studies showed no evidence of benefit for fasting blood sugar or HbA1c. You may need to stick with your current regimen, especially since you are taking drugs that might interact badly with astaxanthin.

Some people take astaxanthin to reduce their likelihood of sunburn. We wrote more about this supplement here, but it doesn’t seem to meet your needs at this time.

Controlling Your Blood Sugar Without Drugs

Q. I am not a pill person. I do not like taking drugs or even supplements. My doctor has told me I am prediabetic and I need to get my cholesterol under control. Do you have any recommendations how I might be able to do this through my diet?

Change Your Diet:

A. You can make a lot of progress on both fronts by cutting back on sugar and simple carbs and eating lots of non-starchy veggies. You want foods that are low in glycemic load. Adding cinnamon to your coffee grounds, drinking fenugreek tea and using a salad dressing with mustard and vinegar at most meals will also help.

You can learn how to prepare these foods and a number of others (cholesterol-controlling oatmeal, lentil nut loaf and wheat berry salad, for example) in our book, Recipes & Remedies From The People’s Pharmacy.

Pick Up the Pace:

Physical activity can make a significant difference when you want to control your blood sugar without drugs (Journal of Clinical Medical Research, May 2018). Experts recommend half an hour of moving around (walking, running, gardening, dancing, playing tennis or basketball, etc.) at least five days a week. Find something you love and figure out how to fit it into your schedule so you can stick with it. This can help get cholesterol under control and reduce the risk of premature death as well (American Heart Journal, April 2018).

Reduce Your Stress:

Psychological stress and anxiety can contribute to poor blood sugar control. These psychological factors also influence cardiovascular health (Journal of Women’s Health, May 2018). Checking in with friends, listening to music, connecting with your faith community, spending time in nature or finding other ways that work for you to dispel stress can help your health overall.

You can learn more about nondrug approaches to reversing prediabetes in our Guide to Managing Diabetes.