With a focus on maintaining healthy blood sugar through lifestyle changes, is there still a need for healthy blood sugar supplements? The answer to that question is a resounding “yes.”
Issues with Blood Sugar Health
According to the ADA (American Diabetes Association), healthy blood sugar should be in the range of 80 to 130 mg/dL., before a meal and less than 180 mg/dL., two hours after the start of a meal. Individuals with diabetes must check their blood sugar several times throughout the day: upon waking, before consuming any food or beverages, before a meal, two hours after a meal, and at bedtime. Some individuals may need to check their levels more often, depending on their doctor’s advice.
Consumers are turning to more natural products and supplements, under the care of their physician, to maintain healthy blood sugar levels. There is also a growing number of Americans who want to treat any issue before it develops into a diabetes diagnosis. Because of this, the glucose management market is growing.
Jay Wilkins, ND, and founder of Bionox, in South Carolina, noted other blood-sugar related issues that can also be improved with supplements. “Millions of Americans suffer from blood sugar challenges,” said Wilkins. “From high blood sugar, low blood sugar, dysglycemia, Syndrome X, insulin resistance and ‘Diabesity,’ to name but a few.”
High and low blood sugar levels are self-explanatory, but what about these other terms?
Dysglycemia is the abnormality of blood sugar levels—an example would be an individual whose blood sugar levels ping pong from too high to too low. Syndrome X refers to a group of risk factors that frequently cause pre-diabetes while insulin resistance is the body’s inability to process insulin. The term “diabesity” refers to the relationship between obesity and a later-life diabetes diagnosis.
Wilkins stated that all of these blood sugar challenges can benefit from supplementation created specifically to help with these issues.
Today’s Blood Sugar Products Market
“The market for blood sugar supplements is excellent,” according to Wilkins. “People struggling with keeping their blood sugar balanced are looking for healthy nutrients and herbs to help them win the battle.” He believes that the outlook for these products in the marketplace is strong in the future as well. “The demand will no doubt increase as more and more people are being diagnosed.”
National statistics support this. With our less active lifestyles and increased cravings for processed foods, the disease is on the rise in the United States. More than 34.2 million Americans have diabetes and 1.5 million more are diagnosed each year, according to statistics from the ADA. Americans over the age of 65 have a high percentage of diabetes with 26.8 percent of seniors being diabetic, either diagnosed or undiagnosed. Additionally, prediabetes affected 88 million Americans age 18 and older in 2015 said statistics by the ADA.
That number is likely higher now. Healthy blood sugar products can play an important role in the treatment of or prevention of diabetes. Like any supplements though, consumers need to work with their physician or medical professionals to make sure the products they choose don’t interfere with any medications they may be taking.
In the U.S. alone, nearly half of the population falls into one of the two categories: normal blood sugar or pre-diabetic/diabetic, noted Rob Brewster, president of Ingredients by Nature located in California. “Supplements with chromium, cinnamon and berberine are widely recognized and purchased, but there is a need for more innovative natural solutions that can help with blood sugar levels more effectively,” Brewster said. He noted that citrus bioflavonoids are a good option that provides benefits to support blood sugar management. It also helps other health concerns related to blood glucose levels.
Richard Cecere, store manager at Country Life Natural Foods in Georgia, stated, “The current market for blood sugar supplements is trending upward, as more and more people are having diabetic and pre-diabetic issues due to poor diet and lifestyle.” Because of this and due to shortages, the store has expanded its selection of blood sugar-regulating supplements over the past year. With that being the case, Cecere noted, “COVID-19 has not dramatically impacted this category for our store.”
Types of Blood Sugar Products – New and Tried & True
Glenn MacEachern, executive director of product development for Life Extension noted that its product, Glycemic Guard, a strong glucose management product. “Our best-in-class blend of Delphinol maqui berry extract & Clovinol clove extract helps the body maintain already-healthy blood sugar levels,” said MacEachern. “Especially after meals when unhealthy glucose spikes can occur.”
Bionox produces a blood sugar support product called Ultimate Blood Sugar Support. It utilizes ingredients such as biotin, Vanadyl Sulfate which according to Bionox, “has an insulin-like effect in the body, stimulating glucose uptake and its oxidation in the cells,” and alpha lipoic acid, among other ingredients.
“We recently developed a new lemon flavonoid blend, Eriomin, that addresses multiple interrelated challenges that arise from heightened blood sugar levels,” said Brewster of Ingredients by Nature’s newest products. “Our goal was to have an ingredient that could deliver a potent solution to the cyclical nature of insulin resistance, oxidative stress and inflammation that further increase blood glucose.”
New Ingredients in Blood Sugar Products
Strong clinical data support the effectiveness of both Delphinol maqui berry extract & Clovinol clove extract, said MacEachern. Both affect glucose metabolism, how the body processes sugars from foods eaten.
Similarly, “lemon flavonoids like eriocitrin improve antioxidant activity, decrease inflammatory cytokine production, and increase insulin sensitivity,” said Brewster. “By helping in all three areas, the research has shown that these lemon flavonoids are able to deliver a powerful and efficacious way to increase glucose tolerance and support the body’s efforts to reverse prediabetes in a short amount of time,” Brewster explained.
Merchandising Ideas for Retailers
MacEachern shared these merchandising ideas for busy retailers:
• Retailers might consider placing this product in the structure-function section (Healthy Blood Sugar/Glucose Management).
• Reaching out to the retailers’ sales manager for in-store training for staff and customers can still happen via Zoom or in-person.
• Life Extension also offers a vide via YouTube on Glycemic Guard which can be shared with share with staff and customers (https://rb.gy/ucvzxv).
Additionally, Life Extension offers flyers, trifolds and in-house expertise for retailers’ needs.
Wilkins said he believes that merchandising healthy blood sugar products alongside supplements that support cardiovascular health—such as those purported to reduce blood pressure, clean arteries and lower cholesterol—would be a wise choice as these go along with blood sugar issues.
Bionox offers both brochures and sales sheets to retailers. The company also provides samples upon request and is staffed and able to answer any questions about its products. Cecere noted that information brochures and pamphlets are “very helpful to our customers,” as they often answer questions or point out benefits that might not be obvious to the shopper immediately. They also provide the customers with tangible information to take with them and refer to later, unlike information online that disappears with a quick swipe of the screen or click of a button.
Studies and Trends: Diabetes, Prediabetes, and the Effectiveness of Blood Sugar Products
Brewster pointed to a study by the National Center for Biotechnology Innovation (NCBI), “Diabetes 2030: Insights from Yesterday, Today and Future Trends,” by Dr. William R. Rowley, which states that the forecast for diabetes in the U.S. is on an upward trend.
“In short, diabetes will remain a major health crisis in America, in spite of medical advances and prevention efforts. The prevalence of diabetes (type 2 diabetes and type 1 diabetes) will increase by 54 percent to more than 54.9 million Americans between 2015 and 2030 …” The study goes on to state, “… annual deaths attributed to diabetes will climb by 38 percent to 385,800; and total annual medical and societal costs related to diabetes will increase 53 percent to more than $622 billion by 2030.”
With the increased swing upward in diabetes and prediabetes diagnosis and treatment, the need for healthy blood sugar supplements is also likely to increase. New research and studies being conducted are likely to result in trends both in ingredients for healthy blood sugar promotion and ingredients discovered.
“Ingredient suppliers who have committed to this category have done quality studies in both diabetic and healthy people,” said MacEachern. “They have displayed some quality formulas that can lower both appropriate short-term and long-term blood glucose measurements.” One trend he noted is the discussion around the control of post-meal glucose spikes. Both glucose tolerance and healthy insulin sensitivity decrease with age, MacEachern explained. This can lead to a blood sugar spike after eating. “Providing supplements that help control your glucose levels after meals can profoundly affect how the body processes sugars from foods we eat.”
MacEachern noted, “In one study, Delphinol consumption profoundly affected post-prandial (after eating) glucose and insulin levels. In another study, Clovinol helped to promote already-healthy blood glucose levels in as few as 12 days.”
Simplicity in dosing is also an important trend and one that MacEachern believes is growing. “Another key advantage in developing supplements for glucose management is to increase compliance. So, providing once-daily dosing would be very important,” he stated. “The more complicated it is to take a supplement there is a higher potential to reduce compliance, leading consumers to feel the product is not effective.”
What Is the Future of Blood Sugar Products?
The future of healthy blood sugar products is positive in the U.S., however the prevalence of traditional treatment and prescription medication for diabetes and prediabetes may contribute to a slower growth rate than many expect, MacEachern noted. “The potential for the glucose management market is large but current supplement sales and growth in this area are small. Most people don’t know if they are prediabetic or for that matter diabetic prior to being diagnosed by a physician.”
Statistics by the ADA support this. In 2018, 34.2 million Americans, or 10.5 percent of the population, had diabetes, the organization stated. Nearly 1.6 million Americans had type 1 diabetes, including about 187,000 children and adolescents. Of the 34.2 million adults with diabetes, 26.8 million were diagnosed, and 7.3 million were undiagnosed.
Therefore, the number of Americans likely to be prediabetic or diabetic and unaware is significant. However, MacEachern explained that at the time they are diagnosed, most individuals are prescribed an inexpensive medication immediately, as opposed to dietary and lifestyle modification choices. Because of this he believes, “The blood sugar supplement market will likely remain small relative to the size of the diabetic and prediabetic market.”
Of course, other factors contribute to a person’s health and the prevention or treatment of diabetes. The National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) notes, “Nutrition and physical activity are important parts of a healthy lifestyle for people with diabetes.” Eating well and being physically active can help individuals to maintain blood glucose levels, blood pressure, and cholesterol and prevent or delay diabetes problems.
While the need for healthy blood sugar products is likely to increase, manufacturers and retailers need to make the benefits of these options clear and simple for consumers. “I’m very excited about the results we have seen using properly combined and dosed nutrients for blood sugar issues,” said Wilkins. That optimism is well-founded in today’s marketplace. VR
For More Information:
Bionox, https://bionoxusa.com/
Ingredients by Nature, http://ingredientsbynature.com/
Life Extension, www.lifeextension.com
