Posted on 06/10/2009 8:34:47 PM PDT by neverdem
WASHINGTON: Harold Hamm Oklahoma Diabetes Center researchers have found a link between taking vitamin C with insulin and stopping blood vessel damage caused by type 1 diabetes.
While neither therapy produced desired results when used alone, the combination of insulin to control blood sugar together with the use of Vitamin C, stopped blood vessel damage caused by the disease in patients with poor glucose control, said researchers.
The findings appear this week in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.
"We had tested this theory on research models, but this is the first time anyone has shown the therapy's effectiveness in people," said Michael Ihnat, Ph.D., principal investigator and a pharmacologist at the OU College of Medicine Department of Cell Biology.
Ihnat said they are now studying the therapy in patients with Type 2 diabetes.
The goal of the work being done by Ihnat and British scientists from the University of Warwick led by Dr. Antonio Ceriello is to find a way to stop the damage to blood vessels that is caused by diabetes. The damage, known as endothelial dysfunction, is associated with most forms of cardiovascular disease such as hypertension, coronary artery disease, chronic heart failure, peripheral artery disease, diabetes and chronic renal failure.
By reducing or stopping the damage, patients with diabetes could avoid some of the painful and fatal consequences of the disease that include heart disease, reduced circulation and amputation, kidney disease and diabetic retinopathy, which can lead to blindness.
Insulin and many other drugs have long been used to control blood sugar, but Ihnat - in an earlier project with scientists in Italy and Hungary - found that cells have a "memory" that causes damage to continue even when blood sugar is controlled. By adding antioxidants like Vitamin C, Ihnat found that cell "memory" disappeared and cell function and oxidation stress were normalized.
"We have speculated that this happens with endothelial dysfunction, but we did not know until now if it was effective in humans. We finally were able to test it and proved it to be true," Ihnat said.
"For patients with diabetes, this means simply getting their glucose under control is not enough. An antioxidant-based therapy combined with glucose control will give patients more of an advantage and lessen the chance of complications with diabetes," the expert added.
While researchers do suggest diabetic patients eat foods and take multivitamins rich in antioxidants like Vitamin C, they warn that additional study is needed.
Endothelial cells are the cells that line the inside of your blood vessels in contact with your blood.
Great news. Now if nerve & other types of damage can just be fixed.
Almost in before the ping!
ping for you
ping for later
Especially the damage to one’s nerves caused by the mother-in-law who cannot keep her mouth shut.....
LMAO
Did they seriously get Type 1 diabetics to halt taking insulin to see how a control group only taking Vitamin C would do?
This would be in comparson to a group only taking insulin and a third group combining both insulin and Vitamin C supplementation?
That approach seems crazy to me.
One aspect of diabetic neuropathy stems from a change in the flexibility of the cell wall in erythrocytes (red blood cells). In diabetes, the red blood cell wall becomes "stiff". That prevents the cell from deforming sufficiently to squeeze through the very narrow capillaries at the tips of the fingers and toes. Over time, the causes oxygen starvation to those areas. Nerve damage and numbness shows up first. In time, the oxygen starved tissue dies. Amputation becomes necessary.
Doctor, heal thyself!
Less treatment, more cure!
Please put me on the ping list. Thanks!
Just last month, researchers said that diabetics shouldn’t take C. At least, not if they exercise. Which they should, according to other studies. I probably missed the one that says they shouldn’t. Or maybe that’s coming out next month.
BOSTON, May 13 (UPI) — Taking antioxidants such as vitamins C and E may nullify the benefit of exercise to reduce the risk of diabetes, U.S. researchers suggest. (snip)”If you are exercising, in part, to reduce diabetes risk, you shouldn’t take vitamin C and E...” http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2009/05/13/Vitamins-C-E-may-block-exercise-benefit/UPI-74541242247627/
Since I don’t have diabetes, I can laugh. Til I think of the people I know who do have it and hang on every word of the grant-chasers. Then this stuff just makes me mad.
Large doses can be very beneficial and even intravenous Vit C in very large doses have saved lives and eased pain.
I am an enthusiastic user and at my age, I have been insured preferred. The last EKG that was taken, the technician asked what I do--that my heart was as better than that of some 28 year olds she has done.
I would recommend researching intravenous Vit C before I would do amputation.
The question is - how much is enough and how do you guard against overdosing?
You should combine NAC (N-Acetyl-Cysteine) and Vitamin C, very powerful, NAC is an amino Acid, take three times as much Vitamin C as NAC on an empty stomach, excellent.
I don't do that and never have because I have never been that ill but I do take 2 grams each am and 2 grams each PM.
Vitamin C can be an amazing pain reliever. If you have an ache or pain, take Vit C until it stops.
Vit C and castor oil have been all I've needed for sciatica. Vit. C helped heal a very sore injured shoulder. I am a firm believer.
Many years ago, I used it to cure my RA and the RA was confirmed more than once with blood tests.
What is the value of the NAC? I can google it.
That kind of damage is irreversible.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.