Shouldn't we be fighting the Free Radicals

Maybe someone with a technical interest can help me on this.

While doing research on Vitamin C, I came across some interesting info on oxidation and diabetes. Research shows that free radicals and oxidative stress play a major role in both the initial cause of diabetes and development of long-term complications.

In view of this, development of effective anti-oxidant therapy must be a major opportunity. But not much seems to be happening on this front. And my question is, why? Studies show that diabetics have low levels of Vitamin C. But no-one in my "medical team" has ever suggested that I take a supplement.

Studies using small nutritional doses (<1000mg)of Vitamin C have produced disappointing results. But use of large amounts of Vitamin C has never been fully investigated.

Is there any reason for this?

[JDRF-Team-dm]

Dear Markie,

Thank you for reaching out to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. I am not a medical professional and am not able to give you medical advice.I have been invovled with JDRF for 15 years and can share what I do know about type 1. Are you type 1 or 2? There are different types of research ongoing for both.

Anything that can advance postive results and prevention of complications is something we agree on.
I am going to give you three websites that shows the upsides and downsides of using higher doses with Vitamin C. Remember, anyone can put anything on a website. I have used the government website without any problem.

clinicaltrials.gov/show/00001870

www.doctoryourself.com/diabetes.html

www.healthwell.com/healthnotes.cfm?contentid=37310006&org=newhope

Please consult with your physician before changing your regimen. You may want check to see if any more comments are posted.

Let us know what you find out.

Thank You,
dm

[galzee]

I just have a quick comment regarding vitamin C.  About 14 years ago, around 1 year after my daughter was diagnosed, we took her to an herbologist/iradologist who said something about vitamin C that stuck me funny.  She said that diabetics cannot absorb vitamin C efficiently.  I didn't know enough about diabetes at that time to ask why, but I wish I did now.  It should be interesting to check out the websites above to see what they have to say.

[Markie]

galzee,

I also read that somewhere. And the thinking goes something like this:

Vitamin C and glucose are very similar molecules. And they both rely on the same transport mechanism for entering the cells. When there is a lot of glucose in the bloodstream, as in a hyperglycemic diabetic, Vitamin C is "out competed". Which is why people with diabetes don't absorb Vitamin C efficiently.

Because Vitamin C performs some important functions, not absorbing it properly can have serious consequences. Vitamin C is used in creating collagen, which maintains the integrity of all the tissues in the body. And, as a powerful anti-oxidant, it repairs oxidation damage. It is thought that lack of Vitamin C in the cells could aggravate the development long term complications of diabetes.

Cheers,

Mark

[dagis]

Think about trying alpha lipoic acid. I've read some academic studies and it seems like it might be a good deal for diabetics

Alpha-Lipoic acid acts as a facilitator to other antioxidants, such as Vitamin E and C, by