ZINC AND BLOOD SUGAR
This article is written/contributed by Dr. Robert Selig
Visit his website at backtonaturalhealth.com
Zinc is needed in the production and storage of Insulin with the help of the other cofactors of Mn, Sulfur and 17 different amino acids, which will synthesize and store your insulin in the pancreas. But, let’s not forget we need Ca to stimulate the pancreas to release the insulin, and Mg regulates the Ca as to how much insulin will be released. Hence, the Ca/Mg blood sugar ratio. To release the Ca, the cells need to depolarize via the Na/K pumps to provide the ATP for the K to come in and the Na to come out, hence the importance of the Na/K ratio. The other half of the equation is that the stored form of glucose held in the liver as glycogen will be stimulated by the adrenal hormone cortisol to release the glycogen as glucose, but that process needs the nutrients of Zn, Mg, and B6. Furthermore, we also need to sensitize the cell membranes so that insulin can shuttle the glucose into the cell, for which we need vanadium, B3 and chromium for that job. But, a high glycemic index wastes the chromium. So, Zn is a big player in blood sugar regulation, but it’s always about the mineral system’s balance. The big factors in the breakdown in blood sugar regulation happen because of malfunctioning at these protein channels. The doors to enter and exit the nutrients to create the passageway for glucose to enter the cells. So that means the Glut channels need to be working, and the Na/K pumps and the Ca channels need to be working. Most of our problems are because of the malfunctioning in the channel proteins that prevent nutrients from getting in or getting out for which we call a channelopathy….
More on channelopathy coming soon!
Article written by: Dr. Robert Selig, visit his website Back to Natural Health or follow him on social media @drrobertselig.