Complications of Diabetes - Other Proposed Natural Treatments

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Complications of Diabetes

Other Proposed Natural Treatments

Related Terms
• Autonomic Neuropathy, Diabetic; Cardiac Autonomic Neuropathy, Diabetic; Cataracts; Cataracts, Diabetic; Diabetes, Complications; Diabetic Neuropathy; Diabetic Retinopathy; Peripheral Neuropathy, Diabetic; Retinopathy, Diabetic
Principal Proposed Natural Treatments
• PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY: Acetyl-L-Carnitine; Evening Primrose Oil (Gamma-linolenic Acid); Lipoic Acid; Vitamin B
• CARDIAC AUTONOMIC NEUROPATHY: Lipoic Acid
Other Proposed Natural Treatments
• CARDIAC AUTONOMIC NEUROPATHY: Vitamin E
• CATARACTS: Bilberry
• FOOT ULCERS Tinospora cordifolia
• IMMUNITY AND INFECTIONS Multivitamin/Multimineral Supplements
• LOWER LEG SWELLING (MICROANGIOPATHY): Oxerutins
• PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY: Fish Oil; Magnet Therapy; Selenium; Vitamin E
• RETINOPATHY: Bilberry; Oligomeric Proanthocyanidins (OPCs)

Other Proposed Natural Treatments

Other Proposed Natural Treatments

A 4-month, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial found that vitamin E at a dose of 600 mg daily might improve symptoms of cardiac autonomic neuropathy.18 Vitamin E as well as selenium have also shown promise for diabetic peripheral neuropathy.10,20 Intriguing evidence from a small study suggests that vitamin E may also help protect people with diabetes from developing damage to their eyes and kidneys.19 However, a large, long-term study failed to find vitamin E effective for preventing kidney damage.21 (Vitamin E also did not help prevent coronary artery disease.)

In a review of 13 randomized trials, researchers found inadequate evidence for the effectiveness of B vitamins for peripheral neuropathies (diabetic or otherwise).41

The supplement inositol has been tried as a treatment for diabetic neuropathy, but the results have been mixed.22,23

In highly preliminary studies, fish oil has shown some promise for diabetic neuropathy,24 but human trials have not been performed.

Diabetes can cause swelling of the ankles and feet by damaging small blood vessels (microangiopathy). A preliminary, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial suggests that oxerutins might be helpful for this condition.25

Weak evidence suggests that the herb bilberry may help prevent eye damage ( cataracts and retinopathy) caused by diabetes.26,27 Pycnogenol, a source of oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPCs), has also shown promise for diabetic retinopathy.28

It has been suggested that vitamin C may also help prevent cataracts in diabetes, based on its relationship to sorbitol. Sorbitol, a sugar-like substance that tends to accumulate in the cells of people with diabetes, may play a role in the development of diabetic cataracts. Vitamin C appears to help reduce sorbitol buildup.29 However, the evidence that vitamin C provides significant benefits by this route is at present indirect and far from conclusive.

Another study suggests that vitamin C might be helpful for reducing blood pressure in people with diabetes.30

The herb Tinospora cordifolia has shown some promise for speeding healing of diabetic foot ulcers.39

Magnetic insoles, a form of magnet therapy, have shown some promise for the treatment of diabetic peripheral neuropathy. A 4-month, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study of 19 people with peripheral neuropathy found a significant reduction in symptoms in people using the insoles as compared to those using placebo insoles.33 This study enrolled people with peripheral neuropathy of various causes; however, reduction in the symptoms of burning, numbness, and tingling were especially marked in those cases of neuropathy associated with diabetes. Another type of magnetic therapy, involving low frequency magnetic pulses generated by an electric current, was no better than a placebo at relieving painful peripheral neuropathy among 61 people who had diabetes for a long time.40

One small double-blind, placebo-controlled study suggests that regular use of multivitamin/multimineral supplements may reduce incidence of infectious illness in people with diabetes.36 Another study failed to find that general nutritional supplementation accelerated healing of diabetic foot ulcers.37
References [ + ]

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2. Elam MB, Hunninghake DB, Davis KB, et al. Effect of niacin on lipid and lipoprotein levels and glycemic control in patients With diabetes and peripheral arterial disease. The ADMIT Study: a randomized trial. JAMA. 2000;284:1263-1270.

3. Montori VM, Farmer A, Wollan PC, et al. Fish oil supplementation in type 2 diabetes: a quantitative systematic review. Diabetes Care. 2000;23:1407-1415.

4. Kagan VE, Shvedova A, Serbinova E, et al. Dihydrolipoic acid—a universal antioxidant both in the membrane and in the aqueous phase. Biochem Pharmacol. 1992;44:1637-1649.

5. Hounsom L, Horrobin DF, Tritschler H, et al. A lipoic acid-gamma linolenic acid conjugate is effective against multiple indices of experimental diabetic neuropathy. Diabetologia. 1998;41:839-843.

6. Cameron NE, Cotter MA, Horrobin DH, et al. Effects of alpha-lipoic acid on neurovascular function in diabetic rats: interaction with essential fatty acids. Diabetologia. 1998;41:390-399.

7. Ziegler D, Hanefeld M, Ruhnau KJ, et al. Treatment of symptomatic diabetic polyneuropathy with the antioxidant alpha-lipoic acid. (ALADIN III Study). ALADIN III Study Group. Diabetes Care. 1999;22:1296-301.

8. Ziegler D, Gries FA. Alpha-lipoic acid in the treatment of diabetic peripheral and cardiac autonomic neuropathy. Diabetes. 1997;46(suppl 2):S62-S66.

9. Ziegler D, Hanefeld M, Ruhnau KJ, et al. Treatment of symptomatic diabetic peripheral neuropathy with the anti-oxidant alpha-lipoic acid. A 3-week multicentre randomized controlled trial (ALADIN Study). Diabetologia. 1995;38:1425-1433.

10. Kahler W, Kuklinski B, Ruhlmann C, et al. Diabetes mellitus—a free radical-associated disease. Results of adjuvant antioxidant supplementation [in German; English abstract]. Z Gesamte Inn Med. 1993;48:223-232.

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12. Ruhnau KJ, Meissnert HP, Finn JR, et al. Effects of 3-week oral treatment with the antioxidant thioctic acid (alpha-lipoic acid) in symptomatic diabetic polyneuropathy. Diabet Med. 1999;16:1040-1043.

13. Stevens EJ, Lockett MJ, Carrington AL, et al. Essential fatty acid treatment prevents nerve ischaemia and associated conduction anomalies in rats with experimental diabetes mellitus. Diabetologia. 1993;36:397-401.

14. Reichert RG. Evening primrose oil and diabetic neuropathy. Q Rev Natr Med. 1995;129-133.

15. Keen H, Payan J, Allawi J, et al. Treatment of diabetic neuropathy with gamma-linolenic acid. The gamma-Linolenic Acid Multicenter Trial Group. Diabetes Care. 1993;16:8-15.

16. Jamal GA, Carmichael H. The effect of gamma-linolenic acid on human diabetic peripheral neuropathy: a double-blind placebo-controlled trial. Diabet Med. 1990;7:319-323.

17. Turpeinen AK, Kuikka JT, Vanninen E, et al. Long-term effect of acetyl-L-carnitine on myocardial 123I-M IBG uptake in patients with diabetes. Clin Auton Res. 2000;10:13-16.

18. Manzella D, Barbieri M, Ragno E, et al. Chronic administration of pharmacologic doses of vitamin E improves the cardiac autonomic nervous system in patients with type 2 diabetes. Am J Clin Nutr. 2001;73:1052-1057.

19. Bursell SE, Clermont AC, Aiello LP, et al. High-dose vitamin E supplementation normalizes retinal blood flow and creatinine clearance in patients with type 1 diabetes. Diabetes Care. 1999;22:1245-1251.

20. Tutuncu NB, Baraktar M, Varli K. Reversal of defective nerve conduction with vitamin E supplementation in type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care. 1998;21:1915-1918.

21. Lonn E, Yusuf S, Hoogwerf B, et al. Effects of vitamin E on cardiovascular and microvascular outcomes in high-risk patients with diabetes: results of the HOPE study and MICRO-HOPE substudy. Diabetes Care. 2002;25:1919-1927.

22. Salway JG, Finnegan JA, Barnett D, et al. Effect of myo-inositol on peripheral-nerve function in diabetes. Lancet. 1978;2:1282-1284.

23. Gregersen G, Bertelsen B, Harbo H, et al. Oral supplementation of myoinositol: effects on peripheral nerve function in human diabetics and on the concentration in plasma, erythrocytes, urine and muscle tissue in human diabetics and normals. Acta Neurol Scand. 1983;67:164-172.

24. Gerbi A, Maixent JM, Ansaldi JL, et al. Fish oil supplementation prevents diabetes-induced nerve conduction velocity and neuroanatomical changes in rats. J Nutr. 1999;129:207-213.

25. Incandela L, Cesarone MR, DeSanctis MT, et al. Treatment of diabetic microangiopathy and edema with HR (Paroven, Venoruton; 0-(beta-hydroxyethyl)-rutosides): a prospective, placebo-controlled, randomized study. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol Ther. 2002;7(suppl 1):S11-S15.

26. Bravetti G. Preventive medical treatment of senile cataract with vitamin E and Vaccinium myrtillus anthocyanosides: clinical evaluation. Ann Ottalmol Clin Ocul. 1989;115:109-116.

27. Scharrer A, Ober M. Anthocyanosides in the treatment of retinopathies [translated from German]. Klin Monatsbl Augenheilkd. 1981;178:386-389.

28. Schonlau F, Rohdewald P. Pycnogenol for diabetic retinopathy. A review. Int Ophthalmol. 2001;24:161-171.

29. Will JC, Byers T. Does diabetes mellitus increase the requirement for vitamin C? Nutr Rev. 1996;54:193-202.

30. Mullan BA, Young IS, Fee H, et al. Ascorbic acid reduces blood pressure and arterial stiffness in type 2 diabetes. Hypertension. 2002;40:804-809.

31. Ajiboye R, Harding JJ. The non-enzymic glycosylation of bovine lens proteins by glucosamine and its inhibition by aspirin, ibuprofen and glutathione. Exp Eye Res. 1989;49:31-41.

32. Ametov AS, Barinov A, Dyck PJ, et al. The sensory symptoms of diabetic polyneuropathy are improved with alpha-lipoic acid: the SYDNEY trial. Diabetes Care. 2003;26:770-776.

33. Weintraub M. Magnetic bio-stimulation in painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy: a novel intervention-a randomized, double-placebo crossover study. Am J Pain Manag. 1999;9:8-17.

34. Sima AA, Calvani M, Mehra M, et al. Acetyl-L-carnitine improves pain, nerve regeneration, and vibratory perception in patients with chronic diabetic neuropathy: an analysis of two randomized placebo-controlled trials. Diabetes Care. 2004;28:89-94.

35. Negrisanu G, Rosu M, Bolte B, et al. Effects of 3-month treatment with the antioxidant alpha-lipoic acid in diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Rom J Intern Med. 2004;37:297-306.

36. Barringer TA, Kirk JK, Santaniello AC, et al. Effect of a multivitamin and mineral supplement on infection and quality of life. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Ann Intern Med. 2003;138:365-371.

37. Eneroth M, Larsson J, Oscarsson C, et al. Nutritional supplementation for diabetic foot ulcers: the first RCT. J Wound Care. 2004;13:230-234

38. Ziegler D, Ametov A, Barinov A, et al. Oral treatment with {alpha}-lipoic acid improves symptomatic diabetic polyneuropathy: The SYDNEY 2 trial. Diabetes Care. 2006;29:2365-2370.

39. Purandare H, Supe A. Immunomodulatory role of Tinospora cordifolia as an adjuvant in surgical treatment of diabetic foot ulcers: a prospective randomized controlled study. Indian J Med Sci. 2007;61:347-355.

40. Wrobel MP, Szymborska-Kajanek A, Wystrychowski G, et al. Impact of low frequency pulsed magnetic fields on pain intensity, quality of life and sleep disturbances in patients with painful diabetic polyneuropathy. Diabetes Metab. 2008 Jun 25.

41. Ang CD, Alviar MJ, Dans AL, et al. Vitamin B for treating peripheral neuropathy. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2008;CD004573.

Last reviewed November 2008 by EBSCO CAM Review Board
Last Updated: 11/21/2008

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