Re: Diabetic neuropathy

 I read your recommendation to take chromium polynicotinate when dealing with diabetic problems. I can't find it where I live as a separate supplement but I found the product from New Roots called Blood Sugar which contains chromium polynicotinate along with other minerals and herbs that regulate sugar level. Some of these I haven't heard of and would like to know your opinion of what you think about this product for neurpathy.

Here are the specifications:

The New Roots’ Blood Sugar Balance formula contains:

pterocarpus marsupium 5% (dragons blood) 15:1 p.e. 125 mg = 1875 mg
gymnema sylvestre 25% 4:1 p.e. 100 mg = 400 mg
bilberry 25% 100:1 p.e. 80 mg = 8000 mg
grapeseed extract 95% 5000:1 p.e. 30 mg = 185,000 mg
ginkgo biloba 24% 6% 50:1 p.e. 30 mg = 1500 mg
fenugreek 50% 4:1 p.e. 12.5 mg = 50 mg
bitter melon 5% 15:1 p.e. 12.5 mg = 187.5 mg
bhuiamla 5% 7:1 p.e. 12.5 mg = 87.5 mg
indian gooseberry 20% 5:1 p.e. 12.5 mg = 62.5mg
tinospora 10% 10:1 p.e. 12.5 mg = 125 mg
cinnamon extract 10% 14:1 p.e. 12.5 mg = 175 mg
banaba extract 1% 8:1 p.e. 12.5 mg = 100 mg
holy basil 10% 8:1 p.e. 12.5 mg = 100 mg
dandelion extract 3% 10:1 p.e. 12.5 mg = 125 mg
ginger extract 5% 20:1 p.e. 10 mg = 200 mg
quercitin 75 mg
alpha lipoic acid 50 mg
garlic odourless 10,000 allicin/gm 12.5 mg
vanadyl sulphate 7.5 mg
chromium polynicotinate 150 mcg

There are some good herbs and minerals in the formula, but there are some issues I have. First of all they are not listing the parts used with some of the herbs.  Bilberry for example.  The fruits and the leaves have different functions, the leaves being for diabetes.  But they do not state if they are using the fruit or leaves.  Same for dandelion, which each part of the plant has different functions.  

I am not a big fan of ginger either since it is an antacid and I am big believer in maintaining stomach acid.

I don't care for alpha lipoic acid either, but at least it is in small amounts.

The other thing that bothers me though is that they are not being clear of what is being used in the formulas.  First they list a percentage of the extract then a concentration.  Problem is that herbs are not measured this way.  Percentages are used for standardized extracts and concentrates are listed in ratios such as 4:1, 10:1, 200:1, etc.  There is a big difference between standardized extracts and concentrates.  They really need to clean up their label and specify what part of the plants they are using and whether they are standardized or concentrated extracts.

In addition, they should have had an acidified magnesium in there, which is essential for blood sugar regulation and helping to prevent insulin damage.

As far as diabetic neuropathy goes the only thing this is going to do is to help lower the blood sugar.  But it is not providing the building blocks for myelin, which are lecithin and fatty acids.  B₁₂ is also important for myelin formation.