FAQ
1. Who can take Glucerna?
People with diabetes or pre-diabetes who are above 18 years old.
2. Available packaging
3. Why is Glucerna superior to other diabetes-specific formulas?
Glucerna is the most clinically studied diabetes- specific formula, scientifically designed to maintain steady blood glucose. It has been studied for 30 years in over 4,000 patients across over 50 studies. In fact, Glucerna was the first patented diabetes- specific nutritional supplement. Glucerna is the #1 doctor-recommended diabetes- specific nutritional supplement in the US, and it is also the #1 selling diabetes-specific nutritional supplement in the world.†
(† Euromonitor data based on 80 countries covered by Euromonitor in Africa, Middle East, Asia Pacific, Australia, Asia, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Latin America, and North America.)
4. What are the benefits of having slow-release carbohydrates in Glucerna?
A slow-release carbohydrate blend produces a lower blood glucose response compared to higher glycemic carbohydrates. Glucerna contains a blend of carbohydrates, which include modified maltodextrin, sucromalt, fructose, maltitol, glycerine and fructooligosaccaharides (FOS) – these help minimize the peak in blood glucose.
5. Does Glucerna contain artificial sweetener?
No, Glucerna does not contain any artificial sweeteners.
6. Do I need to cut down on any dietary supplements that I am taking?
Individuals with diabetes should consult with a healthcare professional to see how Glucerna products would best fit into their lifestyle. They should be aware of the vitamin and mineral content listed on the labels and discuss their use when combined with other supplements (vitamins and minerals) and daily food intake.
7. Why does Glucerna taste sweet?
The sweet taste of Glucerna is predominantly contributed by fructose. Glucerna contains different types of carbohydrate to provide energy. It is important to note that most of the carbohydrates in Glucerna have a low glycemic index (GI) value, including fructose. Low GI carbohydrates result in a lower rise in blood glucose level compared to high GI carbohydrates.
8. How should patients incorporate Glucerna into their diet?
Glucerna can be used as a meal replacement, partial meal replacement, snack replacement or supplement. Patients should consult their healthcare professional to obtain individualized advice on how Glucerna can be included in their diet, as there are several factors which need to be considered (e.g. patient’s nutritional status, body weight and glycemic control).
9. Why do some patients gain weight/experience high blood sugar after taking Glucerna?
Patients should follow the advice of a healthcare professional on how they should incorporate Glucerna as part of their meal plan, to help optimize their blood glucose control.
10. Should patients stop their diabetes medication after starting Glucerna?
Patients should not stop or adjust their diabetes medication (pills) without consulting their doctor first. For patients on insulin, the dose or timing of insulin may need to be adjusted when starting Glucerna. They should monitor their blood glucose carefully and consult their healthcare professional for guidance on adjusting the dose and/or timing of injections.
11. Can Glucerna be consumed by individuals without diabetes?
Yes, people without diabetes can consume Glucerna it provides complete and balanced nutrition.
12. Is Glucerna suitable for use as a tube-feed?
Yes, Glucerna is suitable for use as a tube-feed. Patients should follow the advice given by a dietitian/healthcare professional for tube-feeding.
13. Is Glucerna recommended for patients with kidney disease?
Glucerna is not designed for patients with kidney disease. Abbott Nutrition has a specialized nutrition product for this purpose, called Nepro. The use of Glucerna for patients with kidney disease would be subjected to the clinical judgment of a healthcare professional.
14. Is Glucerna gluten-free and lactose-free?
Yes, Glucerna is gluten-free and lactose-free^. However, it is not suitable for individuals with galactosemia.
(^ Lactose-free claim is subjected to local regulations.)
15. Have Glucerna products been studied in pregnant women with GDM?
Yes. Specific studies have been completed with Glucerna* in a population of pregnant women with gestational diabetes. Two studies have shown significant improvement in postprandial blood glucose levels when Glucerna was used to replace snacks or regular milk of same calories twice a day.
In addition, one of the studies reported that compared to women in the control group, women in Glucerna intervention group (recommended to consume Glucerna twice a day starting at the time of GDM diagnosis ~26 weeks) had significantly:
- lower HbA1c
- lower incidence of premature rupture of membranes
- lower rate of neonatal pneumonia
- lower infant birth weight (Glucerna group = 3.35kg; Control group = 3.55kg)
(* Studies utilized Glucerna SR (P823). Refer to Annex 1 for key nutrient comparison with Glucerna Triple Care (S434).)
16. If a pregnant woman has been taking maternal supplement (Similac Mom/Mum) and then learns from her physician/ healthcare provider that she has gestational diabetes, would Glucerna be a good choice for her?
Yes. Glucerna is considered suitable for pregnant women with gestational diabetes. Glucerna has been clinically shown in several studies to help with blood glucose control in patients with gestational, type 2 or type 1 diabetes. Given the nutrient differences^ between Glucerna and Similac Mom, the final decision will ultimately rest with the healthcare professional who will assess the pregnant woman’s needs on an individual basis. It is important to consider factors such as the woman’s blood glucose control, energy and nutrient intakes, gestational weight gain, the availability of Glucerna and Similac Mom in the country, etc. If determined by the healthcare professional that Glucerna is an appropriate choice for the pregnant woman with GDM, she may consume up to three servings of Glucerna Triple Care per day as part of a well-balanced diet.
Minerals | Units | S434 per serving (237 mL) | S348 per serving (177 mL) |
---|---|---|---|
Sodim | mg | 211 | 113 |
Potassium | mg | 370 | 419 |
Chloride | mg | 313 | 254 |
Calcium | mg | 168 | 500 |
Phosphorus | mg | 168 | 476 |
Magnesium | mg | 59 | 108 |
Iron | mg | 1.4 | 6.1 |
Zinc | mg | 2.4 | 10.0 |
Manganese | mg | 0.78 | 0.6 |
Copper | mg | 167 | 0.5 |
Iodine | mg | 38 | 10.5 |
Selenium | mg | 16 | 32 |
Chromium | mg | 40 | 30.0 |
Molybdenum | mg | 26 | N.A |
(^ Refer to Annex 2 for key nutrient comparison between Glucerna Triple Care (S434) and Similac Mom (S348).)
17. If a woman has gestational diabetes and is taking Sim Mom (Maternal Supplement), can she take Glucerna in addition to Sim Mom (Maternal Supplement)?
A pregnant woman with GDM who is currently taking Similac Mom (Maternal Supplement) can consume Glucerna as part of a healthy diet to help meet the increased energy and nutrient requirements during pregnancy. The pregnant woman should consult with the healthcare professionals to see how Similac Mom and/or Glucerna can be incorporated into her diet. It is important to highlight that the total energy intake of the women with GDM should be within the energy requirement for appropriate weight gain during pregnancy.
18. How should Glucerna be used by women with GDM as a supplement, a snack between meals or as meal replacement?
It is recommended that women with GDM consume Glucerna as a supplement or a snack. Glucerna can also be consumed either with or between meals or before bedtime. If the pregnant woman would like to use Glucerna as a meal supplement, she should consult the healthcare professionals to ensure she meets her daily energy requirement and has appropriate weight gain during pregnancy.
19. For women with GDM, should they use Glucerna during pregnancy and then switch to Sim Mom (Maternal Supplement) during lactation?
For women with GDM, they can use Glucerna during pregnancy and then switch to Similac Mom during lactation if they wish, especially if their diabetes has resolved after the baby is born. The decision on whether to switch to Similac Mom (Maternal Supplement) during lactation needs to be evaluated on an individual level. Women with GDM are encouraged to consult a healthcare professional for guidance.
20. Should the mom stop taking regular milk?
A pregnant woman with GDM who is currently taking regular milk can consume Glucerna as a supplement in addition to her regular milk or as a replacement of her regular milk. She should consult with a healthcare professional to see how Glucerna can be incorporated into her diet to ensure she meets her daily energy and nutrient requirements.
21. What is the reason for recommending no more than 3 daily servings of Glucerna Triple Care for a woman with GDM?
The main reason for not exceeding the recommended daily servings of Glucerna Triple Care is the lack of a recommendation for chromium during pregnancy. Chromium is safe in reasonable amounts and is found in a variety of fruits, vegetables, protein-rich foods and whole grains. There is no tolerable upper limit for chromium, nor are there human studies involving the safety of chromium supplementation in pregnant women. In order to promote the health of the Mom and her baby, the recommendations for the number of servings of Glucerna is conservative for moms with GDM. Due to the chromium content for Glucerna Triple Care, no more than three servings per day is recommended.
22. Glucerna is higher in calories than Similac Mum (Maternal Supplement). Will it cause excessive weight gain in women with GDM who may already be overweight?
The energy content of the products is as follows: Glucerna Triple Care: 226 kcal per 237 mL serving; Similac Mom: 129 kcal per 177 mL serving. The energy requirement increases during pregnancy,
e.g. an additional 300 kcal per day during the second trimester and an additional 450 kcal per day during the third trimester.#
It is important for women with GDM to consult their healthcare professionals on specific goals and to ensure their energy intake is within the energy requirement in order to prevent excessive weight gain while meeting the recommended gestational weight gain for each stage of pregnancy.
(# Energy requirement recommendation may vary between countries.)
23. Are there additional nutrients that should be supplemented to help meet the requirements of a woman with GDM who is taking Glucerna?
Pregnant women with GDM should be aware of the vitamin and mineral content listed on the Glucerna label, and discuss with a healthcare professional about whether it is necessary to have extra supplementation (in addition to Glucerna and food intake) to help meet her daily requirements.
24. Can Glucerna be consumed by a pregnant woman who has either type 1 or type 2 diabetes?
Yes, pregnant women who have existing type 1 or type 2 diabetes can consume Glucerna. They should consult their healthcare provider to obtain his or her recommendation.
25. What is myo-inositol? What is the level of myo-inositol present in the new Glucerna formula?
Myo-inositol is the most common form of inositol, which is abundant in fresh fruits, vegetables, seeds and nuts (Croze et al, 2013).
Myo-inositol is involved in many cellular functions, notably the intercellular insulin pathway (Croze et al, 2013).
It shares identical properties with insulin and its deficiency has been associated with insulin resistance and diabetes complications. (Antonowski et al., 2019; Dinicola et al., 2017)
26. What is the role of oat fiber in the new Glucerna formulation?
New Glucerna contains insoluble oat fiber, which is generally not digested by intestinal bacteria (Green, 2001). As insoluble fiber binds water and adds to the bulk of the stool (Kapadia et al., 1995), which distends the colon, increases motility and helps produce larger/softer stools that are easier to pass. In addition, because insoluble fiber absorbs water, it can help prolong transit time (Green, 2001). Several recent reviews have consistently demonstrated the beneficial effect of dietary fiber consumption on blood glucose control and the management and prevention of diabetes (Gowd et al., 2019; Jovanovski et al., 2019; Muller et al., 2018; Reynolds et al., 2019; Weickert et al., 2018; Wu et al., 2020). The effects of soluble and insoluble fibers on metabolic health are shown in Figure 3. Dietary fibers as emerging nutritional factors against diabetes: focus on the involvement of gut microbiota (Gowd et al., 2019).
27. What does high quality protein mean?
New Glucerna contains calcium caseinate, milk protein concentrate and soy protein, which are high quality proteins. Protein quality is measured as a combination of the protein content and digestibility to satisfy daily protein requirement (Schaafsma et al., 2000). Table 6 shows the quality ranking of different types of protein (Agarwal et al., 2015).
28. What is the country of origin for proteins in the new Glucerna?
New Glucerna uses calcium caseinate from New Zealand, milk protein concentrate from Ireland, and the soy protein comes from US.
29. What are the benefits of using new Glucerna formula in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM)?
New Glucerna provides complete and balanced nutrition and is scientifically designed with advanced carbohydrate system and heart healthy lipid blend to help support blood glucose management and meet nutritional needs of women with GDM. Compared to Glucerna Triple Care^ new Glucerna* contains –
4x higher myo-inositol
35% higher folic acid
56% higher iron
Previous studies have consistently demonstrated that myo-inositol improved glycemic control in women with GDM (D’Anna et al., 2018; Guo et al., 2018; Zheng et al., 2015). Furthermore, folic acid and iron requirements increase during pregnancy, and higher fortification of these nutrients can help meet the nutrient demands during pregnancy.
*Refers to new Glucerna Vanilla Powder Y495, New Glucerna Wheat Powder Y524.
^Refers to Glucerna Triple Care Vanilla Powder S434.
30. Is there clinical evidence available to demonstrate the effect of enhanced Vitamin D levels of new Glucerna formula on immunity?
Vitamin D is a nutrient that helps support immunity. It helps activate immune cells and regulates their function. New Glucerna formula* contains 2.5x higher Vitamin D levels than Glucerna Triple Care^ to help support immune function.
*Refers to new Glucerna Vanilla Powder Y495, New Glucerna Wheat Powder Y524.
^Refers to Glucerna Triple Care Vanila Powder S434.
31. Is the product suitable for vegetarians?
The new Glucerna contains dairy protein (calcium caseinate and milk protein concentrate) and vitamin D3 from lanolin.
New Glucerna is suitable for vegetarians, except vegans (people who do not eat dairy protein) or people who do not accept that vitamin D3 from lanolin is a vegetarian source.
32. Have the dosage recommendations changed for the use of new Glucerna among individuals in the community?
There is no change in the recommended dosage for the new Glucerna from the current formulation.
Community-dwelling patients may consume 1-3 servings per day of new Glucerna, depending on their individual characteristics, such as BMI, glycemic control and nutritional needs.
Patients should seek the health professional guidance to set glycemic control and weight management targets.
33. Is the new Glucerna formula halal-certified?
Yes, new Glucerna is halal-certified.
34. Can new Glucerna be used for Enteral and Parenteral feeding?
New Glucerna is designed for oral supplementation and tube feeding only, and therefore cannot be used for parenteral feeding.
35. Is new Glucerna safe for pre-diabetes patients?
Yes, new Glucerna is scientifically designed to help support blood glucose management and meet the nutritional needs of individuals with pre-diabetes.
36. Can new Glucerna be prescribed to children or teenagers?
Consumption of new Glucerna powder formulations in the pediatric population (children ages 1-13 years) is not recommended due to the following reasons:
Several vitamins and minerals exceed the Tolerable Upper Limit (UL), or do not meet the Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) for the target age group.
The sweetener content of new Glucerna powder formulations has the potential to cause gastrointestinal side effects in children.
For adolescents ages 14-17 years, please seek the guidance from a HCP.
37. The difference between New formula and old formula or is there any changes in efficacy of new formula?
The new Glucerna is an upgrade of the existing Glucerna, which includes added micronutrients with enhanced carbohydrate and fiber blends to support nutritional needs and blood glucose management.