Niacinamide Before Blood Draw?

[dfspcc20]

For someone with "high" fasting blood sugar (104-105), would taking a little bit of niacinamide before the blood draw help lower blood sugar (without affecting other labs too much)?

This would be for the medical exam as part of getting Evidence of Insurability for life insurance.

I think Ray has mentioned that blood sugar levels at the higher end of "normal" being optimal, but I'm not sure how much nit-picking insurance companies would do with things like that.

 

[dfspcc20]

Bump.
Also, *not* thinking of taking niacinamide internally while fasting, but rather on the skin (which still makes me very hungry, so I'm assuming it's still lowering blood sugar and cortisol).

 

[stsfut]

I wonder if consuming some plain gelatin before the draw could have this affect. Or some protein to try get an insulin surge.

 

[aguilaroja]

For someone with "high" fasting blood sugar (104-105), would taking a little bit of niacinamide before the blood draw help lower blood sugar (without affecting other labs too much)?
This would be for the medical exam as part of getting Evidence of Insurability for life insurance.

It is difficult to know the extended “reasoning” behind these screenings, which probably relate to actuarial calculations that insurance companies have no incentive to reveal. I have friends, even with insurance industry connections, who were not able to get substantial information. Keeping values within reference ranges is cautious and preferred when practical.

I suppose the most reliable thing would be to get access to a fingerstick glucose monitor and test out the response to niacinamide.

Subjectively, things that notably seem to reduce my blood sugar have been oral thiamine, and–when I am low–oral magnesium. I observed this both by apparent symptoms and their rapid relief when taking a little juice or sugar. I do not advocate hypoglycemia as a lifestyle.

High-dose thiamine supplementation improves glucose tolerance in hyperglycemic individuals: a randomized, double-blind cross-over trial. - PubMed - NCBI
“Supplementation with high-dose thiamine may prevent deterioration in fasting glucose and insulin, and improve glucose tolerance in patients with hyperglycemia.”
[dose used: 100 mg 3 times per day]

Effect of magnesium supplementation on insulin resistance in humans: A systematic review. - PubMed - NCBI
“Regarding the effect of the intervention on glycemic control, most of the included trials found an improved fasting glucose and IR index. Moreover, few studies investigated the influence of magnesium on fasting insulin or percentage of HbA1c.”

The impact of thiamine supplementation on blood pressure, serum lipids and C-reactive protein in individuals with hyperglycemia: a randomised, doub... - PubMed - NCBI
“High dose thiamine supplementation may have beneficial effects on the blood pressure of individuals with hyperglycemia at early stages”

 

[dfspcc20]

@aguilaroja Thanks for the insight. My cholesterol is also "high" (a whopping 220), so I wonder where that'd put me in the actuarial tables (though I'm relatively young, lean, don't smoke or drink).

I'll look into buying a fingerstick glucose monitor.

 

[aguilaroja]

@aguilaroja ...My cholesterol is also "high" (a whopping 220), so I wonder where that'd put me in the actuarial tables (though I'm relatively young, lean, don't smoke or drink)...

Respectfully, I have heard direct reports about total cholesterol results shifting men into higher life insurance rates. For that possibility, a brief measure to quickly boost thyroid or liver function might help. To preview, there used to be occasional free screenings at pharmacies, paralleling the cheap at-home cholesterol finger stick tests.

Again, due to lack of transparent reasoning, it is a guess about insurance company standards. It is another landscape of nonsense hard to navigate.

 

[dfspcc20]

Respectfully, I have heard direct reports about total cholesterol results shifting men into higher life insurance rates. For that possibility, a brief measure to quickly boost thyroid or liver function might help. To preview, there used to be occasional free screenings at pharmacies, paralleling the cheap at-home cholesterol finger stick tests.

Again, due to lack of transparent reasoning, it is a guess about insurance company standards. It is another landscape of nonsense hard to navigate.

Donating blood usually includes a total cholesterol check free of charge. If I do end up getting a blood draw for EOI, I'll try to make sure it's done mid- to late-summer (if I get that option).