Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Antioxidants may help lower diabetes rates

The findings of the study, published in the journal Nutrition, Metabolism & Cardiovascular Diseases supports the view that dietary antioxidants are associated with improved glycemic biomarkers in healthy adults, as well as in diabetic patients. Researchers said recent studies suggested that oxidative stress is related to diabetes, possibly originating through increased free-radical production, with the theory proposed that pancreatic cells are particularly susceptible to reactive oxygen species, due to their low free-radical quenching enzymes. “Thus, by damaging mitochondria, oxidative stress could induce apoptosis of pancreatic beta cells, blunt insulin secretion and dysregulate glucose levels,” they continued.

The scientists also report that total dietary antioxidant capacity has been found to be inversely related to markers of inflammation, suggesting that inflammation and oxidative stress are interrelated. And they explained that the hypothesis that a diet high in antioxidants could be inversely related to the development of diabetes prompted their decision to evaluate the relationship between glycemic indices (glucose, insulin and insulin resistance) and dietary antioxidant intake, in apparently healthy adults as well as in adults with diabetes.

Data from participants consisting of 551 men and 467 women indicated that higher total dietary antioxidant intake was correlated with lower levels of glycemic indices in healthy individuals, as well as in pre-diabetic and diabetic ones.

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