Ask Dr. D'Adamo

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Questions About Natural Products

Whey For Diabetics? No Way!

QUESTION

My sister and I are both O type, and she is diabetic. We are wondering if whey protein in morning shakes are a good idea for us. Any advice? Many thanks!

ANSWER

I would not recommend whey products for type O, and especially type O diabetics, since diabetics have shown tendencies towards elevated antibodies to milk proteins. What I would recommend would include:

Fenugreek seeds: 1-2 tsp daily. These can help regulate blood sugars (1)

One handful of standard 'silver dollar' or domestic mushrooms daily. Mushroom can increase insulin-like activity in the body (this is not usable by O secretors, who may instead want to opt for fava beans.) (2)

The bioflavanoid quercetin. Quercetin has shown an ability to block the enzyme aldose reductase, which is responsible for many of the late stage developments, such as neuropathy and eye damage. (3)

1. Pavithran K. Fenugreek in diabetes mellitus. J Assoc Physicians India. 1994 Jul;42(7):584.

2. Gray AM, Flatt PR. Insulin-releasing and insulin-like activity of Agaricus campestris (mushroom). J Endocrinol. 1998 May;157(2):259-66.

3. Nuraliev IN, Avezov GA. The efficacy of quercetin in alloxan diabetes. Eksp Klin Farmakol. 1992 Jan-Feb;55(1):42-4.

The Ask Dr. D'Adamo internet advice column ran from 1996 to 2009, at which time Dr. D'Adamo's teaching and programming responsibilities no longer allowed him to devote time and resources to directly answering visitor questions. However we've recently reorganized this treasure-trove of material and made it again available to his readership. He occasionally posts new entries. These are marked with a NEW tag.

SPOTLIGHT

QUERCETIN PLUS

Quercetin capsules were developed by Dr. Peter J. D'Adamo, author of Eat Right 4 Your Type to give your body the antioxidant support it needs for healthy function.Quercetin has been used for decades to help support a healthy cardiovascular and immune system. Research also supports the findings that Quercetin may support a healthy response to occasional inflammation following sports activity and provide relief from seasonal symptoms.

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