Glycerin question

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SaraMV

Member Since 2022
I just bought Taz a turmeric supplement, and it has Glycerin in it. Is glycerin a no-no for diabetics? I'm finding conflicting things on Google.
 
I just did a search of academic articles about this and there is surprising little information on the subject. Seems like an easy enough study to do. A 2004 article from the American diabetes association says "the effect of glycerin on blood glucose levels is unknown" Another study concluded that a dose of 1700mg/kg of body weight elicited an 8% increase in BG levels. It seems the answer is "yeah, a little but nowhere close to sugar" So if it's just a couple drops or something you're probably fine. If it's something like a whole ml, I'd wait to give it close to the nadir and then test and watch closely. I'm also a noob around here so maybe someone else will have a better answer for you.
 
I just did a search of academic articles about this and there is surprising little information on the subject. Seems like an easy enough study to do. A 2004 article from the American diabetes association says "the effect of glycerin on blood glucose levels is unknown" Another study concluded that a dose of 1700mg/kg of body weight elicited an 8% increase in BG levels. It seems the answer is "yeah, a little but nowhere close to sugar" So if it's just a couple drops or something you're probably fine. If it's something like a whole ml, I'd wait to give it close to the nadir and then test and watch closely. I'm also a noob around here so maybe someone else will have a better answer for you.
I tasted it before giving it to him, and I was quite shocked by how sweet it is. He's supposed to get 1 ml twice a day. I read articles that said that it isn't processed in our bodies the same way sugar is, therefore it doesn't raise glucose. But then other articles said it definately does. I don't think I want to chance it with him. It was a $50 bottle too. :banghead:
 
Yes, it's a polyol "sugar alcohol" artifical sweetner like Maltitol, sorbitol, xylitol, erythritol, and isomalt. According to this shady looking website glycerin has a glycemic index of 5 whereas dextrose and glucose is 100. So it effects BG something like 20 times less than sugar. I haven't done an extensive search but I can't find an academic source listing the glycemic index of glycerin, but I've seen several websites that put it at about 5. The FDA lists it as a carbohydrate and it has a similar caloric density as sugar without effecting BG in the same way. A search of FDMB shows many posts where people use glycerin suppositories on their kitties. So I think the answer is, it definitely can raise BG, but only very slightly (20 times less than sugar would)
 
I remembered this from a human diabetic who baked with artificial sweeteners and let her dog lick all the bowls clean.
I Googled "artificial sweeteners poisonous to cats" and this was in the drop-down list
The dangers of allowing pets to consume xylitol (a sugar substitute) is also becoming more widely known – and for good reason. Xylitol, which is commonly found in sugar-free candy, baked goods, gum, and other products, can lead to a life-threatening drop in blood sugar and kidney failure in dogs
 
I remembered this from a human diabetic who baked with artificial sweeteners and let her dog lick all the bowls clean.
I Googled "artificial sweeteners poisonous to cats" and this was in the drop-down list
The dangers of allowing pets to consume xylitol (a sugar substitute) is also becoming more widely known – and for good reason. Xylitol, which is commonly found in sugar-free candy, baked goods, gum, and other products, can lead to a life-threatening drop in blood sugar and kidney failure in dogs
That's good to Kazmir about xylitol. Thank you
 
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