Originally published October 27 2005
Doctors believe antioxidants can help treat diabetes
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Dr. Maryam Sadat Farvid of Shaheed Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran led studies that demonstrate the effectiveness of antioxidants in diabetic nephropathy.
Vitamins C and E and mineral supplementation appear to improve glomerular renal function in patients with type 2 diabetes, Iranian researchers report in the October issue of Diabetes Care.
Dr. Maryam Sadat Farvid of Shaheed Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran and colleagues note that studies indicate that antioxidants can be helpful in diabetic nephropathy and there is also evidence that magnesium depletion is associated with microalbuminuria.
To investigate, the researchers assessed the effects of vitamins C and E and magnesium and zinc -- combinations that have synergistic actions -- in 69 patients with type 2 diabetes.
They were randomized to receive vitamin supplementation alone, mineral supplementation alone, both vitamins and minerals, or placebo.
At 3 months, levels of urinary albumin excretion, a marker of glomerular renal function, were reduced in the vitamin and combination groups.
However, there was no significant change in urinary N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase activity, indicating that there was no effect on tubular renal function.
Systolic, diastolic and mean blood pressure fell significantly in the combination group, as did fasting serum glucose levels.
There was also an increase in HDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein A1.
Overall, the researchers conclude that vitamin supplementation and combination vitamin and mineral supplementation improves glomerular but not tubular renal function in such patients.
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