HbA1c

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Scientific Information on HbA1c

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The Human Effect Matrix looks at human studies (excluding animal/petri-dish studies) to tell you what what supplements affect HbA1c

Grade	Level of Evidence
A	Robust research conducted with repeated double blind clinical trials
B	Multiple studies where at least two are double-blind and placebo controlled
C	Single double blind study or multiple cohort studies
D	Uncontrolled or observational studies only

Level of Evidence	Supplement	Magnitude of Effect Size	Scientific Consensus	Comments
A	Fish Oil		50% See all 10 studies	Although the majority of evidence suggests absolutely no influence on HbA1c, reductions have been reported and a lone case has noted a clinically irrelevant increase of... show HbA1c (secondary to the increase in glucose). Practically, there is unlikely to be any large changes
B	Coenzyme Q10	Minor	33% See all 3 studies	There may be an effect on HbA1c, but it appears unreliable and not overly potent.
B	Berberine	Strong	100% See 2 studies	The reduction of HbA1c associated with berberine, according to a meta-analysis of diabetics using 1,000-1,500mg berberine daily, was −0.72% (95% CI −0.97 to −0.47)... show more than placebo. This reduction appears to be one of the more significant reductions associated with dietary supplements.
B	Psyllium	Minor	100% See study	Reduction seen in HbA1c was not overly remarkable
B	Conjugated Linoleic Acid		100% See all 3 studies	No significant reduction (or increase) in HbA1c levels following CLA supplementation
B	Magnesium	Minor	33% See all 3 studies	More evidence than not suggest no significant effect on HbA1c levels, but one study suggests a decent decrease with the other two studies trending towards a decrease. There... show may be a role for magnesium in reducing HbA1c levels to a minor degree
C	Alpha-Lipoic Acid	Minor	50% See all 3 studies	There appears to be a slight reducing effect on HbA1c
C	Vitamin D		100% See 2 studies	The decrease in HbA1c is statistically insignificant and very small in magnitude, likely not a concern.
C	Vitamin C		100% See study	No significant influence of Vitamin C supplementation on HbA1c levels
C	Panax Ginseng	Minor	50% See 2 studies	A possible reduction in HbA1c, but small in magnitude and unreliably seen
C	Spirulina	Notable	50% See 2 studies	Lone study noted a decrease from 9% to 8% with 2g spirulina, which is somewhat notable but requires more evidence to establish this.
C	Gynostemma Pentaphyllum	Notable	100% See 2 studies	Preliminary evidence in diabetics suggest potent HbA1c reducing effects (6g of the root reducing HbA1c by 2% over a few months)
C	Benfotiamine		100% See 2 studies	Two studies in diabetics have failed to find an influence of benfotiamine on HbA1c
C	Olive leaf extract	Minor	100% See study	A minor decrease in HbA1c has been noted with olive leaf consumption
C	Stevia		100% See study	No significant influence on HbA1c serum levels has been detected
C	Salacia Reticulata	Minor	100% See study	A decrease in HbA1c has been noted in diabetics given a tea of Salacia for months, but the decrease was minor in magnitude and outperformed by Glibenclamide
C	Royal Jelly		100% See study	No significant alterations in HbA1c levels following Royal Jelly ingestion for 6 months
C	Arginine		0% See 2 studies
D	Aronia Melanocarpa	Minor	100% See study	Requires more studies before conclusions can be made, appears to simply be exerting anti-oxidant effects.
D	Yerba Mate	Minor	100% See study	A decrease in HbA1c levels has been detected in type II diabetics consuming Mate tea, although not to a remarkable degree
D	Sulbutiamine		100% See study	No significant influence of sulbutiamine on HbA1c
D	Salvia hispanica		100% See study	No significant influence on HbA1c levels of diabetics given chia seeds
D	Vanadium	Minor	100% See 2 studies	A decrease in HbA1c has been noted with vanadium supplementation
D	Tetradecyl Thioacetic Acid		100% See study	No significant alterations in HbA1c concentrations
D	Safflower Oil	Minor	100% See study	A slight decrease in HbA1c has been noted with safflower despite no alterations in any other diabetic biomarker

References

Wax B, et al. Acute L-arginine alpha ketoglutarate supplementation fails to improve muscular performance in resistance trained and untrained men. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. (2012)
Collier SR, Casey DP, Kanaley JA. Growth hormone responses to varying doses of oral arginine. Growth Horm IGF Res. (2005)
Bode-Böger SM, et al. L-arginine-induced vasodilation in healthy humans: pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic relationship. Br J Clin Pharmacol. (1998)
Marcell TJ, et al. Oral arginine does not stimulate basal or augment exercise-induced GH secretion in either young or old adults. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. (1999)
Isidori A, Lo Monaco A, Cappa M. A study of growth hormone release in man after oral administration of amino acids. Curr Med Res Opin. (1981)
Wilson AM, et al. L-arginine supplementation in peripheral arterial disease: no benefit and possible harm. Circulation. (2007)
Böger RH, et al. Restoring vascular nitric oxide formation by L-arginine improves the symptoms of intermittent claudication in patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease. J Am Coll Cardiol. (1998)
Liu TH, et al. No effect of short-term arginine supplementation on nitric oxide production, metabolism and performance in intermittent exercise in athletes. J Nutr Biochem. (2009)
Abel T, et al. Influence of chronic supplementation of arginine aspartate in endurance athletes on performance and substrate metabolism - a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Int J Sports Med. (2005)
Fahs CA, Heffernan KS, Fernhall B. Hemodynamic and vascular response to resistance exercise with L-arginine. Med Sci Sports Exerc. (2009)
Lucotti P, et al. Beneficial effects of a long-term oral L-arginine treatment added to a hypocaloric diet and exercise training program in obese, insulin-resistant type 2 diabetic patients. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. (2006)
Jabłecka A, et al. The effect of oral L-arginine supplementation on fasting glucose, HbA1c, nitric oxide and total antioxidant status in diabetic patients with atherosclerotic peripheral arterial disease of lower extremities. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. (2012)
Monti LD, et al. Effect of a long-term oral l-arginine supplementation on glucose metabolism: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Diabetes Obes Metab. (2012)

(Users who contributed to this page include KurtisFrank, Efrum, Sol)

Table of Contents

Summary (All Essential Benefits/Effects/Facts & Information)

In Progress

Human Effect Matrix

Scientific Support & Reference Citations

References