Blood glucose

[Lou Ann]

Hi Tex,
This might be a question for you since you wrote the book about the pancreas, but any input from anyone else is surely welcome.
My confusion again is running deep lol. Long story short, I was drinking beer 4 to 6 days a week ...naturally it puts me into a flare up, so I stopped...I am on 40 days so far. Intestines are feeling much better without the poison, but my sugar is going up. I have been arguing with my pcp for a few years now because he says I’m pre diabetic and wants me on meds. (Januvia) ....I read the side effects and said no thanks!!!! If the side effects are all about pancreas problems I’ll pass. My confusion is when I read about blood sugar on line, it says stopping the booze should level me out and lower the numbers....instead my body on alcohol gives me better numbers than when I stop...my morning reading has gone from 100 up to 140/150.... why are my numbers going up instead of being normal?? I did do my own blood work last week and my fasting was 139 and my A1c was 5.8.....in February I was at fasting 102 and A1c 6.2 so the A1c came down? Is that A1c even medicine worthy? I thought 7.0 was when meds might be considered. This has me concerned and extremely confused !! The last thing I want is diabetes, but these numbers make no sense to me. Why am I opposite of everything I am reading? Any input at all would be greatly appreciated! I’m sorry if that’s confusing.
Thanks
Lou Ann

[tex]

Hi Lou Ann,

Rising blood sugar is, of course, the result of increasing insulin resistance. The very first thing (the only thing) that comes to mind when someone mentions rising blood sugar (or increasing insulin resistance) is chronic magnesium deficiency. Have your doctor check your red blood cell (RBC) magnesium level. Even if the result is within the normal range, increase your magnesium intake, anyway, because the listed normal range is too low. These incorrect test ranges are one reason why so many people are developing diabetes these days. For the reason why, please read the reference at the link below. Taking magnesium should prevent your prediabetic condition from turning into diabetes. You still have time to turn the situation around, but without any action on your part to correct this problem, you will surely eventually develop diabetes.

https://drcarolyndean.com/2014/05/magne ... lood-test/

If you have any doubts about what I am saying, please read my book on magnesium. Here's a quote from pages 4–5:

Magnesium deficiency is associated with the development of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.
Takaya, Higashino, and Kobayashi (2004) showed that both hypertension and type 2 diabetes involve low magnesium levels in the cells of the body.4 In that research article, Takaya, Higashino, and Kobayashi (2004) concluded that because magnesium is necessary in order for the body to be able to use glucose properly, and magnesium is also used for insulin signaling, a deficiency of magnesium in the cells may alter the availability of glucose and thereby contribute to the development of insulin resistance.

In other words, magnesium and insulin are co-dependent.
Not only is magnesium deficiency associated with hypertension, but if the availability or either one (magnesium or insulin) is less than adequate, there is a much grater risk of developing diabetes or a condition known as pre-diabetes. Insulin is responsible for transporting nutrients out of the bloodstream to locations in the cells of the body where they can either be used immediately or stored for future use. A magnesium deficiency can not only cause insulin resistance (in the cells of the body), but it can cause reduced insulin production by the pancreas. And this in turn has a reciprocal effect — when the availability and effectiveness of insulin is compromised, extra magnesium in the blood cannot be properly stored, so most of it may be wasted, instead (Sircus, 2009).5

Obviously, this can become a self-perpetuating process. Once it starts, it can rather quickly lead to a condition that predisposes to diabetes. And once someone is caught in this spiral, it becomes more and more difficult for that individual to absorb magnesium, which makes the situation progressively worse.

Even stronger evidence of the association between magnesium deficiency and diabetes has been found by other researchers. Research published by Hruby et al. (2014) showed that people who have higher magnesium intake levels have a significantly lower risk of developing insulin resistance or progressing from a prediabetic condition to diabetes.6 According to the study, people who had the highest magnesium intake had only about half the risk (53 %) of developing compromised metabolic function or diabetes when compared with those who had the lowest magnesium intake. Acting promptly on this information can be life-changing for those who have been told by their physicians that their blood test results indicate that they are at a stage known as prediabetes.

Here are the references from that quote:

4.Takaya, J., Higashino, H., & Kobayashi, Y. (2004). Intracellular magnesium and insulin resistance. Magnesium Research, 17(2), 126-136. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15319146

5.Sircus, M. (2009, December 8). The Insulin Magnesium Story [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://drsircus.com/medicine/magnesium/ ... um-story-2

6.Hruby, A., Meigs, J. B., O’Donnell, C. J., Jacques, P. F., & McKeown, N. M. (2014). Higher Magnesium Intake Reduces Risk of Impaired Glucose and Insulin Metabolism and Progression From Prediabetes to Diabetes in Middle-Aged Americans. Diabetes Care, 37(2), 419-427. Retrieved from http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/37/2/419

My guess is, after you began reacting, you developed a magnesium deficiency, or it became worse (because MC depletes magnesium).

You might also want to read the book to gain a better understanding of all the things that magnesium does for us to keep us healthy. It's called Why Magnesium is the Key to Long-Term Health. You can find it on Amazon (and probably at most other booksellers), or I'll send you a copy if you can't find it.

Tex

[Lou Ann]

Thank you Tex!
I have zero doubt in what you say....I did have my RBC done last year and it was in the normal range. I also have been slacking on my magnesium intake so I will bump it up. The part that made no sense to me was why it is normal when I was drinking beer, but goes up every time I stop. I assume it’s the way my body processes sugar? Like in my mind I’m not pre diabetic when I drink but when I stop I am.... It’s just weird that guaranteed 2-3 weeks after I cut out all alcohol it creeps back up.
I plan on really getting it all together....diabetes is something I do not want. And I really don’t want meds shoved in my face for it either if I don’t really need them.
Thanks stein!
Lou Ann

[Lou Ann]

Thanks again*

[tex]

As a prediabetic, you may be experiencing a limited version of the delayed-effect hypoglycemia described in the article at the following link. This would explain why your blood glucose level might appear to be normal (or even low) when consuming alcohol the night before the blood draw. But that's a misleading effect.

The Effect of Evening Alcohol Consumption on Next-Morning Glucose Control in Type 1 Diabetes

You're very welcome.

Tex

[Jwags]

I have been diabetic for 12 1/2 years. I am fairly thin 109 pounds and I used to be extremely active before all my medical issues. For years I struggled with high bgs. I actually asked my PCP to put me on Metformin. When I was going through chemo my blood sugars rose again so my Endo added Januvia. I have had no side effects at all. Last year they added glimeride so I can actually eat more carbs. For almost 10 years before cancer I did a paleo low carb diet. During chemo I had to add calories so I wouldn’t lose weight. Now with MC I have had to cut out so many foods. Do ‘t Be afraid of meds. high blood sugars will do damage to all of your organs. I developed small blood vessel leaks in my eyes when my HbA1 c was 6.4

[JFR]

Check out these doctors on low carb eating and diabetes.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=da1vvig ... e=youtu.be Dr Sarah Halberg

https://www.amazon.com/Diabetes-Code-Pr ... 1771642653 Dr Jason Fung

https://www.amazon.com/Dr-Bernsteins-Di ... 160&sr=1-1 Dr Richard Bernstein

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgMizC6sQ6w Dr Eric Westman

[Lou Ann]

Thank you all for your input....I appreciate it very much!
I’ve seen Dr. Westmans videos but not the others so I will check them out.
I have one doctor who has been trying to put me on meds for a couple years now and another one telling me my numbers do not require medication yet and it is all fixable/ preventable with lifestyle changes.
I am absolutely not against meds if needed, I just think these doctors don’t listen and throw pills at you these days because it’s the easy thing to do.
I personally am anti pills these days because long story short my daughter got caught up in the epidemic of pills...is 11 months sober now, but what doctors did to her is mind boggling. Instead of listening and helping the poor girl she came out of 5 minute appointments with pill pills and more pills that were absolutely not needed. It was a long torturous road for all involved to go thru all of that so when my doctors mutter the word pill, I Will research and ask none I can for advise before I swallow a pill I may not need. But like I said I’m not totally opposed to it if needed.

Jwags, I’m sorry you’ve been thru so many medical issues....I hope you are doing well now!

Thanks again
Lou Ann