Question 1: What are the active nutrients extracted from the InSea2® brown seaweed?
Answer: InSea2® is a concentrated extract from two brown seaweeds harvested in the Canadian Maritimes: Ascophyllum nodosum (aka Kelp) and Fucus vesiculosus (aka Bladderwrack). InSea2® contains a healthy range of polyphenols, polysaccharides, fibres, amino acids, vitamins and minerals such as iodine. The key nutrients in InSea2® are a type of polyphenols specific to brown seaweeds called phlorotannins. These phlorotannins are responsible for inhibiting alpha amylase and alpha glucosidase.
Question 2: I am just wondering in case alpha amylase and alpha glucosidase enzymes are blocked/slowed down, what happens to unbroken starch/sugar? Does it get eliminated through bowel?
Answer: InSea2® reduces the activity of alpha amylase and alpha glucosidase during digestion which slows the absorption of carbohydrates and sugar. They will eventually be absorbed, but spread out over a longer period of time, which will not cause a glucose spike and the related insulin spike. These spikes are the cause of glycemic health issues.
Question 3: Studies have shown that there are 3 things that can reduce the glycemic index of a food; protein, fat, and fibre. I wonder what the results be if they were tested in the same form as InSea2®?
Answer: Glycemic index of foods are indeed influenced by their overall composition. In our short-term trials, we tested the action of InSea2® against more “simple” foods like bread and sugary drinks. However, in our long-term trials, InSea2® was used in a real-life situation with people eating various foods with more or less of these compounds; we were able to see the improvement to glycemic health even in this context.
Question 4: Why do the directions advise to not take more than more than two capsules, twice daily?
Answer: Clinical studies have been done with InSea2® at various doses. Two 250 mg capsules of InSea2® are shown to effectively reduce the glycemic index of a carb or sugar heavy meal. In studies with prediabetics and diabetics, InSea2® has been shown to be effective at improving glycemic health at a dose of one capsule with each meal (three capsules per day). The approval by Health Canada is limited to the tests that have been conducted at the highest dose. In one trial we used a dose of 4 capsules per day (1000 mg of InSea2®) without any safety concern. As this was the highest dose tested in our clinical trials, this was also the highest dose approved by Health Canada.
Question 5: How can InSea2® benefit Keto dieters?
Answer: InSea2®helps to reduce the glycemic effects of carbohydrate and sugar intake. Keto dieters are attempting to reduce carb intake by food choices. Eating a Keto diet is not always easy. By taking InSea2®, it will assist customers from getting the benefits of a Keto diet even when they are not 100% in compliance. Also, InSea2® is a very powerful antioxidant, which can be beneficial to Keto dieters who may not eat enough fruit.
Question 6: Are there any side effects to InSea2®?
Answer: InSea2® has been very well tolerated and safe in clinical studies. The Health Canada cautions on the label mention to discontinue use and consult a health care practitioner if you experience symptoms of hypoglycemia including feelings of anxiety, dizziness, tremor, sweating, nausea, or headache. These symptoms are only expected when people use injected insulin with InSea2® and comes from using higher than needed doses of insulin. Otherwise, all clinical trials and commercial use of InSea2® (145 million doses world-wide) have pointed to the absence of side effects including those affecting the gastrointestinal system.
Question 7: Does InSea2® have any interactions with medications or supplements?
Answer: There are no specific interactions with other medications or supplements. InSea2® has been used safely in clinical studies with diabetic patients that were taking multiple medications, including metformin. If one is already taking a supplement with iodine, they may want to make sure their total iodine intake is not over the recommended amount. Four capsules of InSea2® contains 300 mcg of iodine; the maximum daily iodine for
supplementation according to Health Canada is 800 mcg for adults).
Question 8: Can the product be used in conjunction with digestive enzymes?
Answer: InSea2® is safe to take with digestive enzymes, but because it inhibits alpha amylase and alpha glucosidase activity, it would not make sense to take InSea2® together with a digestive enzyme containing those specific enzymes.
Question 9: Are certain carbohydrates more problematic than other types of carbohydrates?
Answer: The best way to understand the glycemic impact of various foods containing carbohydrates is to look at their ranking on the glycemic index. See chart below:
Glycemic Index of Foods: The glycemic index rates foods on a scale between 0-100, depending on their impact on blood sugar levels. Foods that contain no carbs are not given a GI rating.
Glycemic Rating Examples:
| Low: 55 or less (Choose Most Often) |
Apples, grapes, cashews, peaches, non-starchy vegetables, brown rice, sour-dough bread, popcorn, peas, berries, oranges, mangos, plums, prunes, almond milk, yogurt, beans, sweet potatoes, quinoa, bananas (unripe), green vegetables |
| Medium: 56–69 (Choose Less Often) |
Raisins, pineapples, sugar, bananas (ripe), brown rice, rye bread, oats, corn, beets*, cherries, figs, kiwi |
| High: 70 or above (Choose Least Often) |
Bread, naan, cereals, white rice, rice cakes, carrots*, soda crackers, pretzels, bananas (overripe), watermelons, rice milk, potatoes (baked, mashed, boiled, instant), cornflakes |
A balanced diet should contain more low glycemic index foods and avoid high glycemic index foods. Using InSea2® effectively helps to convert foods with a high GI into foods having a low GI.
Question 10: Can Glycemic Control be taken as a preventative if one is not prediabetic?
Answer: Absolutely. Insulin sensitivity lessens over time if one is continually spiking their glucose levels with high carb or high sugar meals. Once insulin sensitivity is reduced, more insulin must be produced to lower blood sugar, which may become ineffective over time. Diabetes, by definition, is a condition where the body is unable to produce enough insulin or use it properly in managing blood sugar levels. Using Glycemic Control helps reduce the spike in glucose after a meal as well as the amount of insulin needed to manage this glucose spike. Over time, constant use of InSea2® will help maintain glycemic status in healthy persons but can also contribute to improve glycemic health in prediabetic subjects.
Question 11: Can Glycemic Control be taken long term?
Answer: As per Health Canada, our label notes to consult a health care practitioner for use beyond three months. Note that this recommendation was prior to the six-month studies on prediabetic and diabetic populations that show excellent safety and efficacy throughout the longer period. It should be noted that cultures around the world eat seaweeds on a daily, long-term basis with good health results.
Question 12: How does anyone know if they are “prediabetic”?
Answer: Prediabetics have blood sugar levels that are higher than normal, but not yet in diabetic range. Your health care practitioner can determine your blood sugar levels by testing your blood. One of the challenges of prediabetes is that does not commonly have any signs or symptoms. One noted sign of prediabetes is darkened skin on certain parts of the body (neck, armpits, elbows, knees and knuckles).
Question 13: Does Glycemic Control help with cholesterol as well?
Answer: There is not much evidence for cholesterol reduction properties for InSea2®. Its action has been more targeted on slowing carb and sugar absorption. The apple polyphenols in Certified Naturals™ AppleSlim® formula have more evidence for cholesterol reduction, making the two supplements an excellent tandem.
Question 14: Does Glycemic Control also slow small intestinal transit time or does it inhibit the enzymes without affecting transit time?
Answer: Glycemic Control inhibits enzymes which slows the absorption of carbs and sugars but does not affect the transit time of digested foods. InSea2® contains only a small amount of fibre and therefore does not affect transit time, like fibre-rich foods may. Using Glycemic Control with a fibre-rich diet may have supplemental benefits to reduce glycemic response even further.
Question 15: Is InSea2® safe with other diabetic medication like metformin and insulin?
Answer: In a study conducted on diabetic patients, InSea2® was taken safely in conjunction with metformin and other drugs. When using injected insulin, customers should monitor their blood glucose more frequently to ensure they are not using higher than needed amounts of insulin.
Question 16: Would you recommend Glycemic Control for someone with fatty liver?
Answer: Absolutely. By reducing the amount of carbs and sugars that are absorbed by the body and ultimately stored in the liver, Glycemic Control can be helpful and help mimic a low carb/low sugar diet. In clinical studies, we see that lowering carb intake can improve liver health within two weeks.
Question 17: Would one have to stay on the Glycemic Control product for life?
Answer: As InSea2® affects enzymatic activity, it will not continue to reduce glycemic index of foods if it is not being taken. The benefits of InSea2® supplementation would not disappear immediately, but if carbs and sugars continue to be consumed without InSea2®, there would be a regression in glycemic status unless the individual changed their diet.
Read the article about Glycemic Control.
