The review of trials identifies positive effects of these nutrients on various outcome measures relating to insulin resistance and cardiovascular factors .
A majority of the trials found a positive effect of chromium on fasting plasma glucose .
Isoflavones were found to have a positive effect on insulin resistance and cardiovascular outcome measures , but only when combined with soy proteins .
Vitamin E is reported to reduce oxidative stress at levels of 200 mg day(-1 ) or more
The role of nutritional supplementation is of increasing interest with regard to ocular disease .
R and omised controlled trials have demonstrated the effectiveness of supplementation for age-related macular degeneration , and formulations are now being developed for use by people with diabetes and diabetic retinopathy .
The aim of this review was to synthesis e the evidence for use of nutritional supplementation in type 2 diabetes .
The potential role of alpha-lipoic acid , chromium , folic acid , isoflavones , magnesium , Pycnogenol , selenium , vitamin C , vitamin E , and zinc in the treatment of type 2 diabetes is discussed .
Supplementation with mixed tocopherols increases serum and blood cell gamma-tocopherol but does not alter biomarkers of platelet activation in subjects with type 2 diabetes.
BACKGROUND Some studies have shown potential benefit of vitamin E on platelet function , but several clinical trials failed to show improved cardiovascular outcome with alpha-tocopherol supplementation . Gamma-tocopherol , a major dietary form of vitamin E , may have protective properties different from those of alpha-tocopherol . OBJECTIVE We compared the effects of supplementation with alpha-tocopherol ( 500 mg ) and a gamma-tocopherol-rich compound ( 500 mg , containing 60 % gamma-tocopherol ) on serum and cellular tocopherol concentrations , urinary tocopherol metabolite excretion , and in vivo platelet activation in subjects with type 2 diabetes . DESIGN Fifty-eight subjects were r and omly assigned to receive either 500 mg alpha-tocopherol/d , 500 mg mixed tocopherols/d , or matching placebo .  Serum , erythrocyte , and platelet tocopherol and urinary metabolite concentrations were measured at baseline and after the 6-wk intervention . Soluble CD40 lig and , urinary 11-dehydro-thromboxane B2 , serum thromboxane B2 , soluble P-selectin , and von Willebr and factor were measured as biomarkers of in vivo platelet activation . RESULTS Serum alpha-tocopherol increased with both tocopherol treatments . Serum and cellular gamma-tocopherol increased 4-fold ( P < 0.001 ) in the mixed tocopherol group , whereas red blood cell gamma-tocopherol decreased significantly after alpha-tocopherol supplementation . Excretion of alpha-carboxyethyl-hydroxychroman increased significantly after supplementation with alpha-tocopherol and mixed tocopherols . Excretion of gamma-carboxyethyl-hydroxychroman increased significantly after supplementation with mixed tocopherols and after that with alpha-tocopherol , which may reflect the displacement of gamma-tocopherol by alpha-tocopherol due to incorporation of the latter into lipoproteins in the liver . Neither treatment had any significant effect on markers of platelet activation . CONCLUSIONS Supplementation with alpha-tocopherol decreased red blood cell gamma-tocopherol , whereas mixed tocopherols increased both serum alpha-tocopherol and serum and cellular gamma-tocopherol . Changes in serum tocopherol closely reflect changes in cellular concentrations of tocopherols after supplementation
The review of trials identifies positive effects of these nutrients on various outcome measures relating to insulin resistance and cardiovascular factors .
A majority of the trials found a positive effect of chromium on fasting plasma glucose .
Isoflavones were found to have a positive effect on insulin resistance and cardiovascular outcome measures , but only when combined with soy proteins .
Vitamin E is reported to reduce oxidative stress at levels of 200 mg day(-1 ) or more
The role of nutritional supplementation is of increasing interest with regard to ocular disease .
R and omised controlled trials have demonstrated the effectiveness of supplementation for age-related macular degeneration , and formulations are now being developed for use by people with diabetes and diabetic retinopathy .
The aim of this review was to synthesis e the evidence for use of nutritional supplementation in type 2 diabetes .
The potential role of alpha-lipoic acid , chromium , folic acid , isoflavones , magnesium , Pycnogenol , selenium , vitamin C , vitamin E , and zinc in the treatment of type 2 diabetes is discussed .