Sugar vs. Artificial Sweeteners: Which Is Healthier and Safer?

By Mehmet C. Oz, MD, and Michael F. Roizen, MD

Ever do the sugar-or-sweetener cha-cha-cha at the coffee shop? You know, when you dance between the sugar shaker and the pink, blue, and yellow packets? If this were a cartoon strip, the thought bubble over your head would read, "What’s the more healthful choice? The no-calorie fakes? The full-calorie hard stuff? Help!"

It's like choosing between raising taxes and increasing the national debt. Pick your poison. Okay, neither sugar nor sweeteners are poison if they're eaten in reasonable quantities, but that's our point. There's nothing reasonable about the amount of sugars and syrups in all kinds of foods, from bagels to frozen veggie mixes. The effect of these added sugars? Imagine eating 22 teaspoons of sugar for breakfast every day. That's average for Americans. Canadians average 14 teaspoons of sugar a day.

What that does to your health reads like a dirty laundry list. Research shows it lowers HDL (good) cholesterol and raises bad triglycerides. It also gloms onto proteins that create destructive substances called AGEs (short for advanced glycation end products). These set you up for heart disease, stiff joints, wrinkles, Alzheimer's, diabetes, kidney problems, bone fractures, and vision loss. Phew. (Follow these 4 steps to stop sugar cravings. )

That's why we YOU Docs are on a mission to get added sugars out of healthful foods, such as low-fat yogurt and whole-grain cereals. And that's why if you don't like black coffee (Dr. Mike's choice) or green tea (Dr. Oz's choice), we'd say -- reluctantly -- take the sweetener.

Why reluctantly? It's not that sugar substitutes cause cancer or make hair grow in weird places. In fact, sweeteners have been studied far more than most drugs (there've been at least 100 studies on sucralose/Splenda alone). The problem is that they subtly mess with how you react to food.
Sometimes it's a mind game. For instance, diet sodas can cloud common sense, making you think your no-cal drink "cancels out" the fat calories in burgers and fries.
Sometimes they make you eat more, not less. Because no-cal sweeteners essentially don't register in your brain's satiety center, instead of satisfying a sweet craving they can send you hunting for more sugary snacks . . . and then more sugary snacks. They also train your taste buds to go PING only when they detect intense sweetness.
Sometimes there's something going on no one even understands yet. Recent Texas researchhas linked drinking diet soda to bigger waists -- 70% bigger than in people who didn't touch the stuff."Huh?" That's what we said. More to come on this. But Dr. Mike, who used to drink a daily diet cola (or six), is glad he gave 'em all up over a year ago.

There's also evidence that fake sugars and diet sodas don't help you lose weight, and up your risk of metabolic syndrome, which precedes diabetes, heart disease, and more. So it's hard to be enthusiastic about them.

But if you use reasonable amounts of sugar substitutes (get the scoop on artificial sweeteners here), that's way better than 22 teaspoons of sugar a day. Here's what we recommend the next time you do the sugar-versus-sweetener cha-cha:

If you drink regular soda, diet is a better choice. Every 12-ounce can of the real thing has about 135 calories and 10 teaspoons of sugar (usually in the form of high fructose corn syrup). Drink a can a day and that's 32 pounds of sugar and 49,000 calories a year -- a 16-pound weight gain. Ditch liquid candy!

If you suspect sugar is in something, trust your instincts. Added sugars/syrups lurk in the darnedest places, including in ketchup, peanut butter, crackers, salad dressings, soups, frozen entrees and fruit cups. Check the ingredients list. Sugar's aliases include high-fructose corn syrup, cane sugar, brown sugar, agave nectar, cane crystals, corn sweetener/syrup, dextrose, evaporated cane juice, fructose, fruit juice concentrates, glucose, invert sugar, lactose, maltose, malt syrup, molasses, honey, and sucrose.

If you love dessert, go for Mother Nature's original treat: fruit. Its sugar isn't added, and fruits' vitamins, minerals, and beneficial plant nutrients help protect you from added sugars' aging effects. Nibble an ounce of heart-friendly dark chocolate too, especially with walnuts, oranges, and pears. Yum.

PS Melabic is a combination of the 9 all natural most effective diabetes fighting ingredients. To find out more how they can help you normalize your blood sugar levels and take back your health visit me at Melabic.com

7 Steps to Treating Hypoglycemia

Low blood sugar symptoms need immediate attention. Here's what you should do to handle this potential emergency.

By Dennis Thompson Jr.

Medically reviewed by Lindsey Marcellin, MD, MPH

Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, is a scary side effect of the disease that requires fast treatment. When someone with diabetes begins experiencing low blood sugar symptoms, any delay increases the chance that the hypoglycemia could escalate into a life-threatening illness. Left untreated or not treated promptly,hypoglycemia can result in seizures, coma, permanent damage to the nervous system, and death.

Here are the steps you need to take if your diabetes management plan has failed and you begin to have the low blood sugar symptoms that indicate an episode of hypoglycemia:

1. Recognize the symptoms. The symptoms of hypoglycemia vary from person to person, but anyone taking insulin or diabetes medication should know what they are. Low blood sugar symptoms include:

• Weakness or fatigue
• Cold sweats or clammy skin
• Confusion or fuzzy and unclear thinking
• Dizziness or light-headedness
• Blurred vision
• Hunger
• Nervousness, anger, or irritability
• Headache
• Rapid heartbeat
• Numb or tingling skin
• Difficulty speaking
• Shakiness

2. Make yourself safe. If you or a family member with diabetes begins to have any of these symptoms, take immediate safety precautions. Pull over if you are driving a car. Sit down right away if you are walking down steps. Hypoglycemia could cause you to lose consciousness and cause harm to yourself or others. You want to make sure that doesn't happen.

3. Test your blood glucose levels. In most cases, providing that symptoms are still mild, test to make sure you actually are having a hypoglycemic episode rather than another malady. Use your blood glucose meter to check. A reading of 70 mg/dl or lower means you need to take quick action. If symptoms are too severe to manage the testing or you can’t get to your glucose meter quickly, move on to step 4.

4. Get some carbs into your body. A diabetic undergoing an episode of hypoglycemia needs to bring blood glucose levels up quickly. Fast-acting carbohydrates, especially simple sugars, can accomplish this. If you are taking insulin or diabetes medication as part of a diabetes management plan, you should always have on hand a bit of quick-fix food equal to 15 to 20 grams of sugar or carbohydrates. Some foods that can provide this amount and quickly raise your blood sugar level include:

• 4 or 5 saltine crackers
• 5 or 6 pieces of hard candy
• 2 tablespoons of raisins
• 4 teaspoons of sugar
• 3 or 4 glucose tablets
• 1 serving of glucose gel
• 1/2 cup of fruit juice or regular soda
• 1 cup of milk
• 1 tablespoon of honey or corn syrup

5. Wait, then verify treatment is working. Don't keep eating, as you might over-treat and cause your blood sugar level to go too high. Instead, wait about 15 minutes and then test your blood sugar levelagain with a meter. If it's still too low, then eat another 15 to 20 grams of sugar or carbohydrate. Repeat until your blood sugar level is at 70 mg/dl or higher. Once you've reached that level, eat a more nutritious, carbohydrate-containing snack unless a meal is less than one hour away.

6. If your body doesn't respond, seek medical help. If you haven't responded to the carbs or if you've passed out or had seizures, you probably have a case of severe hypoglycemia and need medical attention. If someone in your family or at your workplace is aware of your condition and has been trained to give emergency glucagon injections (a substance that quickly raises blood sugar levels), they should do so immediately, even before calling 911 to get help. A diabetic treated with glucagon should respond quickly and be able to eat some food within 15 minutes.

7. Take long-term steps. If you have recurring hypoglycemic episodes or even one severe case, talk with your doctor about adjusting your diabetes management plan to better fit your lifestyle. You also should ask to have a glucagon injection prescribed to you, so that a family member or friend can administer it if you pass out or experience a seizure from another severe case of hypoglycemia.

Being prepared and knowing what to do about hypoglycemia is an important part of a good diabetes management plan.

PS Melabic is a combination of the 9 all natural most effective diabetes fighting ingredients. To find out more how they can help you normalize your blood sugar levels and take back your health visit me at Melabic.com

The Importance of Water in Your Diet Plan

One of the most important things you can do for better nutrition and a successful diet is to drink enough water. Learn about water's vital role in your diet and in helping you lose weight.

By Chris Iliades, MD

Medically reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MPH

Want a great diet tip? Drink more water.

Drinking plenty of cold, clear water is essential for your health and, in fact, for your very survival. You can live much longer without food than you can without water. Water is an important part of all body functions and processes, including digestion and elimination. When you’re on a diet, water also acts as a weight-loss aid because it can help you eat less.

"Drinking water is important during weight loss because it provides hydration without unwanted calories. Drinking non-caloric fluids like water before or with a meal can help a dieter feel full sooner," explains Donna Logan, RD, a registered dietitian at the University of Texas Medical School in Houston. “So in addition to not adding calories, drinking water may help replace or avoid unnecessary food calories found in snacks or extra servings at mealtime. Drinking water also helps flush wastes from the body, which is especially important during times of fat metabolism and weight loss."

Water: Drinking Enough to Boost Your Diet

Recommendations from the Food and Nutrition Board are for women to get 91 ounces per day and men 125 ounces from all sources — water, other beverages, and foods with a high water content.

When it comes to water alone, explains Logan, "A general recommendation is to drink eight 8-ounce cups of water per day, for a total of 64 ounces. This is a generalization only, and actual fluid needs are affected by diet, physical activity, body composition, and climate."

For instance, this number goes up if you exercise — a key to successful weight loss — and even more so in hot weather when it’s possible to lose about the equivalent of a quart of water in an hour, according to the American Council on Exercise. You’ll want to drink water before, during, and after every workout.

Don’t wait to feel thirsty to start sipping — that’s a sign that dehydration has already started to occur. You want to drink water throughout the day, on a regular basis.

Water: Four Tips for Getting Your Fill

Here are some easy tricks for getting enough water while dieting:

Use a water tracker. "A water tracker is merely a device which helps you keep track of how much water you drink. A water tracker can provide a graphic record of eight glasses of water which are checked off as they are consumed. For example, drinking a 20-ounce bottle of water would translate into two and a half cups on the tracker. Such trackers are available online or can be easily replicated," explains Logan.

Add water throughout your day. "People can use a variety of methods to help ensure they get enough water. Some carry a 64-ounce container of water and drink throughout the day, with the goal of drinking all the water before they go to bed. Those who spend time away from home may take a portable 16-ounce container, knowing that they need to fill and drink it four times throughout the day. Others associate drinking with routine activities throughout the day, such as drinking fluid at meals, before brushing their teeth, or after feeding the dogs," says Logan.

Get water through food. "Fruits and vegetables, especially those that are fresh and juicy, provide fluid to the diet. Like water, clear soups and broths help dieters feel full for very few calories, contributing to weight loss. However, beware of creamy soups that, while adding fluids, contain many calories. Skim milk, and low-fat and no-added sugar yogurts and puddings also help hydration and nutrition without excessive calories," recommends Logan. Melons and citrus fruits also have a very high water content.

Jazz up your water glass. "Many people find that adding low- or non-caloric flavorings to water, such as a wedge of fruit, helps satisfy their appetite cravings," adds Logan. This is also a very inexpensive way to make your own flavored water.

If you want your diet to work, you need to drink plenty of water. Water can fill you up, decrease your appetite, and help your body get rid of waste from that fat you’re burning. So what are you waiting for? Water is available right now from your tap, and it's free.

PS Melabic is a combination of the 9 all natural most effective diabetes fighting ingredients. To find out more how they can help you normalize your blood sugar levels and take back your health visit me at Melabic.com

Type 2 Diabetes: Can You Eat Sweets?

If you have type 2 diabetes, you can still enjoy holiday treats. Careful carbohydrate counting, a sugar substitute or two, and changes in portion sizes can keep your sweet tooth happy.

By Madeline Vann, MPH 

Medically reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MPH

It's the start of the holiday season, which means lots of candies, cookies, cakes, and other goodies wherever you go. And many people with type 2 diabetes assume that their diagnosis means they must starve their sweet tooth and say no to these seasonal treats. But is that really the case?

Happily, say experts, the answer is no — a careful approach to designing your diabetes diet means you don’t have to kiss sweets goodbye. But to be able to enjoy that pumpkin pie or piece of cake without guilt while keeping your blood sugar levels in check, you need to know:

• What you are eating
• How much you are eating (portion size)
• Carbohydrate, sugar, and calorie contents of everything you consume

After that, do the math. Your decision to go with a natural sugar or a sugar substitute will depend on your overall carbohydrate andcalorie counts as well as your personal taste preference. Carbohydrates are important because they affect your blood sugar control, and many people with diabetes are watching calories in order to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight.

Natural Sugars

Natural sugars are those that come from plant or animal sources. For example, sugar comes from sugar cane, beet sugar comes from beet roots, and honey is made by honeybees. Other types of natural sugars include:

• Maple syrup or sugar
• Agave
• Turbinado sugar

All these sugars contain carbohydrate and calories — and they all can affect your blood sugar levels. Another sweetener, high-fructose corn syrup, is classified by some as a "natural" sugar because it is made from corn, but it is highly processed to give it a longer shelf life.

Occasionally you will find natural sugars in products, but they may have names that are unfamiliar to you. If you are reading labels (and you should be!) sugars often appear in the ingredient list with names ending in -ose. When you see a list including sucrose or fructose, you know you are looking at added sugar.

Sugar also occurs naturally in certain foods, such as fruit and even milk. The key is to know your numbers — count the carbs and calories.

According to Amy Kranick, a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator with the adult diabetes program at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn, there are two sweet treats you should always avoid: fruit juice (even without added sugars) and regular sodas. These both have too much sugar per serving. Instead, try a piece of whole fruit or a diet drink.

The only naturally occurring source of sweetness that doesn’t contain calories or carbohydrates is commonly called stevia or rebiana. This is a sweetener from the leaves of the stevia plant, a plant native to Central and South America. Sold in packets under the brand name Truvia, stevia has been shown to have little to no impact on blood sugar levels, which makes it a good sugar substitute for people with diabetes.

Sugar Substitutes

Many people living with diabetes find that sugar substitutes, man-made sweeteners with no calories or carbohydrates, give them the sweet flavor they crave without spiking blood sugar or adding pounds. At the same time, it’s easy to become concerned over the use of sugar substitutes, as they are not “natural” and therefore could be harmful to someone’s health.

Sugar substitutes include sucralose (Splenda), saccharin (Sweet ’n’Low), and aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal).

You may not need to worry about the long-term impact of consuming a reasonable amount of sugar substitutes, however.

“Really, with any of the artificial sweeteners, there’s no scientific evidence to say they have a negative effect,” says Kranick. However, she does recommend moderation in all things, even sugar substitutes, so don’t go overboard.

For people with type 2 diabetes, it’s important to know that “sugar substitutes do not elevate your blood sugar,” adds Kranick. That’s why people with diabetes are advised to switch from regular soda to diet soda, for example.

Kranick offers a word of caution for those who use sugar substitutes for baking. Some sugar substitute products designed for baking are a blend of white or brown sugar and the sugar substitute. Pay close attention to the product labeling so you have an accurate assessment of the carbohydrates and calories in the food you are preparing. Additionally, bakers need to remember that flours also add to the carbohydrate count.

The bottom line for people with diabetes who would like to keep the sweet in their diet is this: Do your research so that you know how many carbs are in the foods you like and experiment a bit to find the flavor of sugar substitute that you like best. Living with diabetes does not mean giving up the sweetness in your life.

PS Melabic is a combination of the 9 all natural most effective diabetes fighting ingredients. To find out more how they can help you normalize your blood sugar levels and take back your health visit me at Melabic.com

Are You Pooping Wrong?

By worldwide standards, Americans are in the toilet on elimination practices.

By Jaimie Dalessio, Everyday Health Staff Writer

Our ancestors did it. People in Asia, Africa, and some parts of Europe still do it. So how did we Westerners end up deviating from the best way to go No. 2?

Blame it on toilets as we know them. Thrones, they have been called. Turns out we should squat, not sit.

In a 2003 study, 28 healthy people volunteered to time themselves doing their business in three alternate positions: sitting on a standard toilet, sitting on a low toilet, and squatting. They not only recorded how long it took them, but also how much effort it took. Squatting, the study concluded, takes less time and effort.

"There is definitely some physiologic sense to squatting," says gastroenterologist Anish Sheth, MD, co-author of the books What's Your Poo Telling You? and What's My Pee Telling Me? "Simply put, it straightens out the colon."

When we're standing, the colon (where waste is stored) gets pushed up against the puborecatlis muscle, which keeps fecal continence until it's time to hit the bathroom. Sitting down only partially relaxes that muscle. Squatting fully relaxes it, essentially straightening out the colon. That, in turn, eases the elimination pooping process.

Experts have argued that digestive illnesses like colitis, constipation, and hemorrhoids stem from all the sitting and straining people do on the toilet. Studies have shown, for example, that the more time you spend in the bathroom, specifically reading, the more likely you are to develop hemorrhoids, or swollen blood vessels in and around the anus. Some doctors even recommend patients try squatting to deal with their colon issues.

Squatting toilets are used throughout the world today. In Asia, public restrooms might offer two stalls with Western porcelain flush toilets, and two stalls with squat toilets in which the user plants their feet over an opening in the floor and squats. "Turkish" toilets can be found elsewhere, including Japan, Russia, and France.

While Sheth doesn't now advise his patients to try squatting, "I probably should," he says. "I guess until now there wasn't a safe way."

Sheth was referring to SquattyPotty, a product released last fall that looks like a step stool. Users place their feet on it while sitting on the toilet, enabling a 35-degree angle squat.

PS Melabic is a combination of the 9 all natural most effective diabetes fighting ingredients. To find out more how they can help you normalize your blood sugar levels and take back your health visit me at Melabic.com

The Truth About Soy

Is soy a disease-preventing miracle food or a dangerous health threat disguised as diet-friendly protein? Here are both sides of the story, and why there's no clear picture of soy's health pros and cons.

By Annie Hauser, Senior Editor

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced in 1999 that diets including daily soy resulted in a significantly reduced risk of heart disease, the No. 1 cause of death in the United States, then and now.

With the announcement, soy officially became a darling of the health-food world and a cornerstone of American diets.

Fast-forward 13 years, and soy products are still widely seen as healthy alternatives to their animal counterparts. Soy protein saturates supermarket shelves — sneaking into everything from cereal to protein bars to crackers to frozen meals and even surprising places like some brands of canned tuna — not to mention the more recognizable forms of soy, including edamame, tofu, soy milk, soy cheeses, and soy meats.

But as soy's popularity wages on, some notable nutritionists and doctors now warn against consuming soy in any form, including the processed and packaged foods that contain types of soy protein.

Isoflavones: Soy's Potentially Dangerous Compound

The reason is soy's isoflavones, a naturally occurring plant compound that is present is all forms of soy, including organic soy, which is a type of phytoestrogen. Phytoestrogen is produced by plants and is slightly different from the estrogen hormone produced by the human body. But in excess, it can create some of the devastating effects of estrogen overload in both men and women. Although soy isn't the only source of isoflavones in the modern diet (all legumes have them), soy is the most concentrated, says Amy Gross MPH, RD, CDN of the NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York City. To make things more confusing, while isoflavones harm some people, they have been found to be beneficial in others. 

"There are different theories as to why these things may affect us differently, or exacerbate one thing and improve another in our bodies," Gross says. "It could potentially bind to estrogen receptors in different cells in our body. It could act similarly to estrogen or take over where estrogen would usually take over when looking at that receptor itself that would be on that individual cell. There is a lot of research that tells different stories."

Soy's Health Benefits and Risks: Why the Jury Is Out

"Soy is very heavily marketed as a healthy food," says Kaayla Daniel, PhD, a nutritionist and author of the book The Dark Side of Soy, "but the fact is, we've got hundreds of studies that link soy consumption to malnutrition, ADHD, immune system, reproductive health problems, digestive disorders, certain types of cancers, and more." It is also important to note that non-genetically modified soy and organic soy has been linked to these health conditions as well, Daniel says. Israel and Germany have issued warnings against the consumption of soy foods for young children and infants. New Zealand also warns that soy formula for infants should only be used as a last resort. To date, these three countries are the only ones to come out forcefully against soy consumption.

Still, some studies indicates that soy in moderation, particularly tempeh, miso, and other soy sources with relatively low levels of isoflavones, can be beneficial — though many of these pro-soy studies have been funded by soy lobbying groups, such as the Soybean Board.

Here's a look at some of the conditions soy can affect. 

• Thyroid function. Hypothyroidism is often cited as the greatest risk of soy consumption: Just 30 grams of soybeans a day for 30 days produced thyroid issues in healthy adult men and women, a landmark study at Aichi Medical University in Japan found. "Soy is one of the many factors that puts the thyroid at risk," Daniel says, "and we know from many studies that just one glass of soy milk per day is sufficient to cause thyroid problems." 

• Allergies. The cause of itching, inflammation, hives, and even deadly anaphylaxis, soy is one of the top eight allergens in the food supply, the FDA reports. Because of these concerns and rising rates of soy allergies, the FDA began requiring food producers to print a "Contains: Soy" label on any food with any type of soy. "Because there's soy in just about everything that’s processed, people with soy allergies are really going to have to prepare foods from scratch — a blessing in disguise for overall health," Daniel says.

• Reproductive risks. Several studies, including one recently conducted at the University of Geneva Medical School, have linked the isoflavones in soy to a decreased sperm count and sexual side effects in mice. Soy-and-mice studies are numerous and controversial because critics argue that mice studies do not have a direct human application and that the mice studied are given much more concentrated doses of soy than any human would eat. "It’s true that mice and humans are different, but if soy adversely affect animals, it’s obvious that there’s going to be some effect on humans as well," Daniel counters.

• Cancer risk. Cancer and soy is one of the most hot-button health issues today. Some studies, including one that tracked almost 100,000 California women for eight years, have found that soy consumption decreases risk for ovarian or breast cancers. A second study that tracked 64,000 Japanese women for 15 years linked soybean curd, specifically tofu, consumption to a decreased mortality rate from ovarian cancer.
  
  On the flip side, multiple studies have linked soy consumption to breast cancer recurrence, meaning if a woman already has breast cancer, it's likely to come back if she eats a soy-heavy diet. Mark Messina, MD, who is an advisor to the U.S. Soybean Board, says studies have linked soy consumption to a decreased risk of prostate cancer, however a recent Swedish study concluded the opposite.

• Heart health and weight management. If there's one thing those on both sides of the soy debate can agree on, it's that soy products are an excellent source of lean protein. "If you’re choosing soy instead of a higher fat meat source as your protein, you will have less calories and less saturated fat, so it will be more of a heart-healthy choice," Gross says. "If you're doing it correctly, eating lower-calorie soy products instead of animal products could help with managing your weight." Studies have also found that regular soy consumption can lower bad LDL cholesterol.

• Menopause. In some women, soy's isoflavones improve symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes. In others, soy only exacerbates symptoms, Daniel says."That’s why we need to respect soy as actually being a powerful medicine that is sometimes appropriate and many times not appropriate," she explains. Unfortunately, the only real way to know how it will affect you is to try it, Daniel says, because there's no test to determine soy's affect on individuals.

Should You Eat Soy?

Soy, like all foods, has pros and cons, so like all foods, the take-home message is to consume it in moderation. Gross recommends eating one to two servings a day, max, as part of a balanced diet, which includes plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low- or nonfat dairy, and other sources of lean protein.  Because soy often hides in processed foods under aliases such as "textured vegetable protein," it's important to read nutrition labels on anything you buy to make sure it doesn't have hidden soy along with other ingredients.

"Soy is in so many things you might not expect," Daniel warns. "Just about everything that comes in a package. If you’re eating a lot of processed and packaged foods, you're also eating additives and flavorings, high-fructose corn syrup, and who knows what else, so it's not just the soy that's the problem in those products."

Instead, Daniel and Gross both recommend preparing whole foods at home that you can make from scratch, and avoiding processed foods whenever possible for overall health.

"I think that it’s entirely appropriate to include soy in your diet," Gross says. "But I wouldn’t have it be everything that you’re eating. We need a variety of foods, and if you're focusing on one food, you might be missing out."

PS Melabic is a combination of the 9 all natural most effective diabetes fighting ingredients. To find out more how they can help you normalize your blood sugar levels and take back your health visit me at Melabic.com

Can I Give Blood, Even Though I Have Diabetes?

Ask Dr. Asqual Getaneh

Q: I am 42 years old, and I have diabetes. Can I donate blood or become an organ donor? 

— Annette, New Jersey

A: How wonderful it is that you are thinking about donating blood or an organ. It is a constant struggle for the blood banks and transplant centers to maintain an adequate supply.

The answer to your question is not the same for both organ and blood donation, so I will first address blood donation. Yes, you can donate blood, if you meet the following criteria:

• Your sugar level is controlled.
• You are in good health.
• Your blood pressure is below 180/100.
• You are not anemic (low red blood cells).

The blood banks usually check for donor eligibility through a series of other questions and tests, so keep in mind that you might still be disqualified. For example, if you have received bovine (beef) insulin since 1980, you may not be eligible to donate. That's because some bovine insulin was made from cattle in the United Kingdom and might carry Creutzfeldt-Jakob (or "mad cow") disease.

If you are eligible to donate, make sure you have an adequate meal, drink extra fluids to replace the volume being removed, and stay away from caffeinated beverages on the day of your donation. Around that date, it's important to eat iron-rich foods (such as spinach, kale, and lean red meat). And as always, stay away from fatty foods, which might affect some of the tests done to determine eligibility.

Regarding organ donation, let me give you some general information. There are various organs and tissues in the human body that can be transplanted to save lives or cure illnesses. The heart, lungs, kidneys, pancreas, liver, and intestines can be donated. Besides organs, we can donate tissues such as skin, cartilage, tendons, corneas, veins, and heart valves.

The donation of an organ can be life saving for many people in need, and tissue transplantation can give them a chance to see, walk, or otherwise have a second chance at life. One can be a living donor or donate after death. Live donors, for example, can give a kidney or a part of their liver. Diabetics are excluded from being living donors, though. Here's why: Diabetes impacts the kidneys, the pancreas, and other organs, and the procedure exposes the donor to surgical risks. However, you are eligible to donate your organs after death. This is because each organ is evaluated on a case-by-case basis and many parts of the body not affected by diabetes can be used to sustain life.

PS Melabic is a combination of the 9 all natural most effective diabetes fighting ingredients. To find out more how they can help you normalize your blood sugar levels and take back your health visit me at Melabic.com

Ask Dr. Asqual Getaneh

Can I Give Blood, Even Though I Have Diabetes?

Q: I am 42 years old, and I have diabetes. Can I donate blood or become an organ donor?

— Annette, New Jersey

A: 

How wonderful it is that you are thinking about donating blood or an organ. It is a constant struggle for the blood banks and transplant centers to maintain an adequate supply.
The answer to your question is not the same for both organ and blood donation, so I will first address blood donation. Yes, you can donate blood, if you meet the following criteria:

• Your sugar level is controlled.
• You are in good health.
• Your blood pressure is below 180/100.
• You are not anemic (low red blood cells).

The blood banks usually check for donor eligibility through a series of other questions and tests, so keep in mind that you might still be disqualified. For example, if you have received bovine (beef) insulin since 1980, you may not be eligible to donate. That's because some bovine insulin was made from cattle in the United Kingdom and might carry Creutzfeldt-Jakob (or "mad cow") disease.

If you are eligible to donate, make sure you have an adequate meal, drink extra fluids to replace the volume being removed, and stay away from caffeinated beverages on the day of your donation. Around that date, it's important to eat iron-rich foods (such as spinach, kale, and lean red meat). And as always, stay away from fatty foods, which might affect some of the tests done to determine eligibility.

Regarding organ donation, let me give you some general information. There are various organs and tissues in the human body that can be transplanted to save lives or cure illnesses. The heart, lungs, kidneys, pancreas, liver, and intestines can be donated. Besides organs, we can donate tissues such as skin, cartilage, tendons, corneas, veins, and heart valves.

The donation of an organ can be life saving for many people in need, and tissue transplantation can give them a chance to see, walk, or otherwise have a second chance at life. One can be a living donor or donate after death. Live donors, for example, can give a kidney or a part of their liver. Diabetics are excluded from being living donors, though. Here's why: Diabetes impacts the kidneys, the pancreas, and other organs, and the procedure exposes the donor to surgical risks. However, you are eligible to donate your organs after death. This is because each organ is evaluated on a case-by-case basis and many parts of the body not affected by diabetes can be used to sustain life.

Diabetes expert Asqual Getaneh, MD, answers your frequently asked questions on diabetes symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, diet, medications, and management. Dr. Getaneh is an assistant clinical professor of medicine at Columbia University in New York, where she specializes in diabetes and obesity. About Dr. Getaneh.