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 .
Short-term oral folic acid supplementation enhances endothelial function in patients with type 2 diabetes.
BACKGROUND Endothelial dysfunction and arterial stiffening are commonly observed in type 2 diabetes . These abnormalities might be secondary to increased plasma concentrations of homocysteine . We sought to determine whether oral folic acid supplementation , by lowering homocysteine levels , enhanced endothelial function and reduced arterial stiffness in type 2 diabetes . METHODS Twenty-six type 2 diabetic patients ( age 56.5 + /- 0.9 years , diabetes duration 5.5 + /- 0.6 years , means + /- SEM ) with no history of cardiovascular disease received 5 mg/d of oral folic acid or placebo for 4 weeks in a double-blind , r and omized controlled , parallel group trial . The following parameters were measured before and after treatment : 1 ) endothelial function ( forearm arterial blood flow during local intra-arterial administration of endothelium-dependent [ acetylcholine 1.5 , 4.5 , and 15 microg/min ] and endothelium-independent [ sodium nitroprusside 1 , 2 , and 4 microg/min ] vasodilators ) ; and 2 ) carotid-radial and carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity . RESULTS Folic acid reduced plasma homocysteine concentrations and enhanced endothelium-dependent vasodilatation during each acetylcholine infusion rate ( mean and 95 % confidence interval post versus pretreatment differences in forearm arterial blood flow ratio between the infused and control arm + 0.19 ( 0.03 - 0.35 ) , P < .01 ; + 0.39 ( 0.02 - 0.81 ) , P < .05 ; and + 0.40 ( 0.09 - 0.89 ) , P < .05 , respectively ) . Endothelium-independent vasodilatation and pulse wave velocity were not affected . No significant changes in forearm arterial blood flow and pulse wave velocity were observed in the placebo group . Multiple regression analysis showed that changes in folic acid , but not homocysteine , concentrations independently described changes in maximal endothelium-dependent vasodilatation . CONCLUSIONS Short-term oral folic acid supplementation significantly enhances endothelial function in type 2 diabetic patients , independent of homocysteine lowering
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 .