Positive Health Online

Abstract

RUHE and MCDONALD, Department of Nutrition, University of California, Davis 95616-8669, USA, reviewed (44 references) literature on the frequency, causal factors and treatment, including the possible role of dietary antioxidants, of type II diabetes (non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, NIDDM).

Background

The incidence of NIDDM worldwide continues to increase. In 1997, there were 143 million cases of diabetes, and the World Health Organization (WHO) has predicted that this will double by 2025 to around 300 million . Economically developed nations have the highest incidence of NIDDM. In the USA, approximately 6.5% of the population (17 million individuals) are estimated to have diagnosed or undiagnosed diabetes. Obesity and physical inactivity are the most important contributory factors in the development of NIDDM. Cardiovascular disease, caused by degenerative processes occurring on macro- and microvascular levels, is the major cause of death and disability/disease severity in individuals with NIDDM. Evidence suggests that it should be possible to prevent 65-75% of cases of diabetes developing, at least among Caucasians, if such individuals stayed below their ideal weight, and current management of NIDDM is therefore mainly aimed at weight reduction . However, this approach has achieved, at best, only modest success . Some research suggests that dietary antioxidants may be able to help slow the progression of NIDDM, which may be an alternative or adjunctive approach to treatment until a definitive cure for the disease is uncovered. The findings of a number of experimental studies indicate that dietary supplementation with vitamin E and lipoic acid can reduce the effects of the oxidative damage that occurs in NIDDM as a result of disturbed glucose metabolism .

Methodology

Results

Conclusion

References

Ruhe RC, McDonald RB. Use of antioxidant nutrients in the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes. Journal of the American College of Nutrition 20 (5 Suppl): 363S-9S; discussion: 381S-3S. Oct 2001.

Comment

It seems incredible that these researchers can't even imagine that diet, i.e. what individuals eat, rather than just weight control, could possibly play a role in the development of type II diabetes. Could it possibly be that people are consuming too much sugar, alcohol, trans fatty acids and other junk foods, which, over several decades, overload the exquisitely balanced insulin hormonal system, leading to insulin resistance, or Syndrome X? All that they seem to be able to postulate is that weight reduction and physical activity, and possibly antioxidant supplementation might do the trick until a cure is developed.