A new study shows that taking dietary supplements can benefit people with diabetes.

That's good news, because diabetes is the fifth-leading cause of death in the U.S. It also raises the risk of other diseases, including heart disease, blindness and kidney failure.

Diabetes is a disease in which the body either does not produce or use insulin properly. There are 20.8 million children and adults with diabetes in the population and another 6.2 million are unaware that they have the disease.

Overall, the study found that successfully controlling diabetes is complex, but supplement use, together with other healthy behaviors, can be beneficial. Here are some specific study findings:

• Use of dietary supplements by the general population is significantly associated with reporting oneself to be in better health than a year ago.

• People with diabetes report significantly worse health than people who are not diabetic.

• About 34 percent of people with diabetes take dietary supplements.

• Diabetic supplement users report being in better health than diabetics who do not use supplements.

• Diabetic supplement users are more likely to engage in protective health behaviors. This is important, since there is no cure for diabetes, only lifelong management to keep blood glucose within normal range and to prevent long-term complications.

• Diabetic supplement users are more likely to use chromium, zinc, calcium, folate and omega-3 fatty acids than non-supplement users. Many may take specific supplements because of a perceived role in reducing the relative risk of type 2 diabetes, lowering blood glucose levels and improving neuropathic symptoms.

• Diabetic supplement users are more likely to eat healthier and less likely to be heavy drinkers of alcohol.

Successfully controlling diabetes is complex, but supplement use, together with other healthy behaviors, can be beneficial.

Because no other disease is more closely related to nutrition, the Dietary Supplement Information Bureau (www.supplementinfo.org) commissioned a study of dietary supplement use among people with diabetes. The study sought to find out if dietary supplements are associated with better health among the general population and to find out how it affects people with diabetes.