Supplements
of vitamin E may counteract complications in type-2 diabetics linked to
an increased risk of heart disease, says a new study from Italy. Daily
vitamin E supplements (500 International Units) were found to decrease
levels of a protein associated with higher risk of atherosclerosis
(hardening of the arteries) and ultimately cardiovascular disease in
this study with 37 type-2 diabetics, published in the journal Nutrition,
Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases. Type 2 diabetics are known to
be at increased risk of cardiovascular disease, and this has been linked
to a decrease in fibrinolysis – a process whereby the protein fibrin is
broken down in the bloodstream. Fibrin plays an active role in
coagulation of the blood. The decrease is fibrinolysis has been linked
to increased production of plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1
(PAI-1), as is observed in diabetics, as well as cellular adhesion
molecules, including the vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and
the intracellular adhesion molecule (ICAM). The researchers assigned the
24 men and 13 women to receive the daily vitamin E supplements for 10
weeks, and then followed them for a further 20 weeks. At the end of the
study, Vignini and co-workers report that PAI-1 levels decreased by 32
per cent after ten weeks, and returned to approximate baseline levels
after a further 20 weeks without supplementation. Moreover, VCAM-1 and
ICAM levels decreased after 10 weeks, by 12 and 19 per cent,
respectively. In addition, the production of nitric oxide (NO) – a
molecule key for better blood flow – increased by about 50 per cent
after ten weeks of vitamin E supplementation. Nitric oxide (NO) is a
molecule used by the endothelium (cells lining the surface of blood
vessels) to signal surrounding muscle to relax, leading to a reduction
in blood pressure, reduced blood clotting and protection against
myocardial infarction and strokes. Despite the positive results and
implications for type-2 diabetics, the authors sounded a note of
caution, stating that no control arm with a placebo was used, and the
study was not double-blind and randomised. In terms of vitamin E
supplements and heart health for the wider population, a recent study
reported that a higher dose – 3200 International Units – of vitamin E is
needed to reduce oxidative stress in individuals at risk for
cardiovascular disease, and this may be why previous trials using lower
doses failed to show any benefits for the vitamin (Free Radical Biology
and Medicine, doi: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2007.06.019).
Category: Productos
Source: NutraIngredientes