Hi. I decided that I would try taking a cinnamon supplement, but the only one I could find was: http://www.drugstore.com/qxp218233_3...t_capsules.htm (Nature's Bounty Cinnamon 2000 Plus Chromium Capsules) Does anyone know how I can figure out if this is ok to take with my medications?- is there some website I can use to check interections?
(The thing I am worried about is the Chromium- I don't really know what that is or what it does, so I don't know what it interacts with.) Is it better to try to find the pure Cinnamon? If so what kind is the best- or does it not matter? I feel so clueless.

Cinnamon is a rather weak supplement for glucose control.

Chromium is much stronger, and some doctors even suggest it to their patients. There are two basic types, Chromium picolinate and Chromium polynicotinate. The latter is considered better.

The studies on cinnamon are conflicting, and if any effect is seen it required high doses.

If you Google "Cinnamon glucose" you'll find some articles.

Also R-lipoic acid will lower blood glucose some. It is also good for the PN, as well.

Hmm... so it sounds like the stuff with the Chromium is better. The bottle suggests taking 2 pills a day, this seems like a lot, what is considered a high dose... I of course (I always get the wrong one) have the Chromium picolinate- is this one bad?

I have read the info about cinnamon and Blood Sugar, and i figure it can't hurt. But the chromium I don't know about drug interactions... and I am not sure if there is some way to check it against all my drugs.

R-lipoic acid? is this some kind of supplement?

I guess you don't read all the posts at PN? We talk about r-lipoic all the time. It is the new improved version of alpha lipoic acid, which is used for PN, and has been for years.

Here is a link to a drug checker:
http://www.drugdigest.org/wps/portal...zdGVwL2luZGV4/

This article as has information:
http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/chromium-000294.htm
with some interaction information

You will want to keep your doctor in the loop, to see if your blood sugar goes down enough to change your metformin doses.

Chromium picolinate is not "bad", the other is just a little better.

Hm... I try to read everything, but there is a lot here. And it is hard to remember everything. I have recently been trying to make a list of things that might be helpful, and this is now going on it: alpha lipoic acid. (or it's more recent conterpart). Thanks for the links. I'm off to do some checking.

It seems like the Chromium might just lower blood sugar a little. Which is ok. I'll ask the Dr. when I see him. I couldn't find any other interactions.