Supplements for gestational diabetes Original paper

Gestational diabetes is an impairment in insulin sensitivity during pregnancy. Various nutrients may help improve insulin sensitivity; they have been studied in the context of gestational diabetes and other instances of insulin resistance.

This was a network meta-analysis of 13 randomized controlled trials. Those trials included a total of 754 women with gestational diabetes. Those trials used various doses of fish oil, vitamin D, magnesium, zinc, or probiotics. Those trials measured fasting glucose, insulin, or insulin resistance.

Fish oil, vitamin D, zinc, and probiotics taken during pregnancy lowered fasting glucose, insulin, and insulin resistance, with vitamin D having the largest effect. Magnesium lowered fasting blood glucose. This research is very preliminary and based on a small number of trials for each supplement.

There were only between two and four studies for each effect measured, so more research is needed for claims to be made in this population. However, all the supplements listed are known to improve insulin sensitivity in other populations. While this doesn’t mean that the effect is guaranteed to be the same in women with gestational diabetes, it’s certainly supporting evidence.