When you think of diabetes, either type 1 or 2, the possibility of complications with your eyes, heart and kidneys probably come to mind. But no one ever gives a thought to their lungs being affected by blood sugar abnormalities. However the unfortunate truth is, unstable blood sugar can do a number on your lungs.
Diabetes (diagnosed or not) spawns a ton of oxidative stress throughout your body. Lung tissue gets affected by poor blood sugar dysregulation and all the free radicals killing the innocent cells just trying to ‘breathe’ if you know what I mean.
Fragile capillaries become damaged
Lung tissue has an extensive network of blood vessels especially the tiniest ones called capillaries. Capillaries allow blood cells carrying oxygen to march through their vessel walls, but slowly, only one cell at a time, kind of like soldiers marching one by one behind each other.
Capillaries are the most fragile because they’re so thin. Your lungs are also made up of large amounts of connective tissue. Capillaries get destroyed when excessive glucose molecules attach to them and cause stiffening, so then they can’t bend anymore due to the formation of AGE or “Advanced Glycation End” products.
A lot of inflammatory cytokines form too. It’s the same case in your eyes, heart, kidneys and nerves, that’s why diabetic complications occur.
Swelling and scar tissue builds up in your lungs
This leads to swelling and scar tissue which builds up in the air-pockets and airways of your lung tissue. The capillary tissues fill up with inflammatory cells and fibrin. This process depletes your antioxidants like glutathione and SOD.
More problems if you have a SNP that slows production of either of those! It gets harder to breathe, you’re tired and you develop shortness of breath with little or no exertion.
Forget about exercising now. To make matters worse your new sedentary state causes weight gain and that taxes your heart, increasing cardiovascular complications from diabetes to boot.
But the good news is that it can apparently be addressed, if only partially.
3 supplement combo improved lung health
In a July 2015 study, researchers tested the lung health of type 2 diabetic rodents demonstrating that if they gave the critters some chromium, zinc, and leucine, the animals’ lung health improved, a lot!
They tried the nutrients separately and in combination. In all scenarios, the antioxidant status improved and lung inflammation reduced. In some cases it diminished entirely.
Chromium, zinc, and leucine didn’t just reduce blood sugar, they also protected those fragile capillaries and connective tissue from the cytokine storm, while improving antioxidant status. In other words, nutrients that reduce complications of diabetes are as important as those that reduce blood sugar.
In November 2015, new research focused on type 1 diabetes and mineral status. Scientists measured blood levels of chromium, zinc, and magnesium and they were reduced in all participants.
Mineral combo reduces diabetes complications
In fact, the most poorly controlled diabetics seemed to have the worst deficiencies. The research confirms that chromium, zinc, and magnesium may be useful for people seeking to reduce complications.
So many of you are focused on the blood sugar number, and you only judge your success by the numbers shown on the glucose machine. But I’m warning you that it’s more important to focus on capillaries, connective tissue and inflammation chemicals.
We know certain herbs and minerals support healthy nerves, capillaries, eyes, kidneys and airways. This reduces complications. If you’re taking a supplement but not seeing the numbers go down, it may still be working. You’d never even realize it if you’re just evaluating your progress with a blood glucose machine.
In addition to writing a syndicated column on health which reaches 20 million people each week, Suzy is the author of a number of books on natural health.
You may have seen Suzy on The Dr. OZ Show (6 different appearances), The View, The Doctors, Good Morning America Health and hundreds of morning shows. Quotes from Suzy, as well as her articles, have also appeared in major publications including Woman’s Day, Reader’s Digest, OK Magazine!, First for Women, Fitness, Natural Health and Better Homes & Garden and dozens more.
Read more from Suzy at suzyCohen.com
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