CLINICAL STUDIES
DIABETES MELLITUS
MAGNESIUM
REVIEW ARTICLE-(A,G,K,M,N,R)
1. Not only is magnesium deficiency the most common disturbance in mineral metabolism observed in insulin-dependent diabetes, but low magnesium levels are associated with both the acute metabolic and late chronic complications.
2. Essential for glucose homeostasis, magnesium is a co-factor in glucose transport and regulates energy production on liver mitochondria.
3. Magnesium also functions in the release of insulin and the maintenance of pancreatic beta cells.
VANADIUM
"Nutritional Factors that Can Favorably Influence the Glucose/Insulin System: Vanadium," Verma, Subodh, Ph.D., et al, Journal of the American College of Nutrition,1998;17(1):11-18.
SUMMARY: There is a considerable amount of in vitro and in vivo evidence which demonstrates the potent insulin-mimetic actions of vanadium. Long-term vanadium treatment causes marked and sustained decreases in plasma glucose, triglycerides and cholesterol. Vanadium compounds have antihypertensive effects due to their ability to counter insulin resistance and attenuate hyperinsulinemia. Recent clinical trials with vanadium have shown positive effects. It is noted that the total body stores of vanadium are about 100 ug and the average daily intake of vanadium is less than 50 ug daily.
MANGANESE
Levels in diabetics are one-half those of normals (Kosenko LG. Klin Med 42:113, 1964).
Deficiency can lead to glucose intolerance which can be reversed by supplementation. (Baly D et al. Effect of manganese deficiency on insulin binding, and glucose tolerance and metabolism. J Nutr 120:1075-9,1990).
BITTER MELON
Review Article: Unripe fruit, seeds and aerial parts of Bitter Melon have been used in various parts of the world to treat diabetes. In small clinical trials, administration of the fruit juice or seed powder caused a reduction in fasting blood glucose and improved glucose tolerance in normal and diabetic animals and humans. (Ramon A Lau C. Anti-diabetic properties and phytochemistry of Momordica charantia (Bitter Melon). Phytomed 2(4):349-62,1996).
GYMNEMA SYLVESTRE
The leaves of gymnema sylvestre which grows in the forests of central and southern India, have been employed as an adjunct in Aryuvedic Medicine for many centuries.
Experimental Control Study: Gymnema Sylvestre 400 mg. daily was administered to 27 pts.with insulin dependent diabetes. Insulin requirements came down by almost 50 per cent with fasting blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin and glycosylated plasma protein levels.
(Shanmugasundarum ERB et al. Use of Gymnema sylvestre leaf extract in the control of glucose-dependent diabetes mellitus. J Ethnopharmacol 30:265-79,1990).
PRICKLE-PEAR CACTUS
The stem of the prickle-pear cactus (nopal) has a long folk-use in Mexico in the treatment of diabetes.
Experimental Double-blind study. 16 Type II diabetic pts. taking 500 gm of broiled nopal stems experienced a mean reduction of glucose (17%) and insulin (50%) levels after 180 minutes compared to placebo. (Frati-Munari AC et al. Hypoglycemic effect of Opuntia streptacantha Lemaire in NIDDM. Diabetes Care 11:36-6,1988).
CINNAMON
Cinnamon may improve cellular absorption of insulin. The Agricultural Research Service has filed a patent on methylhydroxy chalcone polymer (MHCP), which has been shown to increase glucose metabolism by about 20 fold in a test tube assay. MHCP and other active compounds in cinnamon may be effective in people.
"Diabetes, Blood Sugar, and Cinnamon", Nutrition Week, October 13;2000;30(39):7/ARS Food and Nutrition Briefs, October 2000.
INFLAMMATION-Arthritis, Sports injury, Muscular inflammation
Bioflavonoids (Quercitin)-
Inhibits the lipoxygenase pathway of arachidonic acid metabolism...(also produces anti-inflammatory proglastins (Bauman J et al. Proglastins 20(4):627-37,1980).
Proteolytic Enzymes
Administration may speed healing of sports injuries.
Experimental Double-blind Study: 64 college football players randomly received 10 pills daily containing a concentrated proteolytic enzyme mixture or placebo. The experimental gp. sustained fewer time-loss injuries and were able to return to performance sooner than the control group. (Cichoke AJ, Marty L. The use of proteolytic enzymes with soft tissue athletic injuries. Am Chiropractor, October 1981, pg. 32).
Boswellia Serrata
Boswellia serrata, a large branching tree native to India. Dosage should be 200 to 400 mg. per day, 2-3 times daily. The gum resin of Boswellia typically contains 30 per cent Boswellic Acids.
Review Article: Boswellic Acids demonstrated dose-related anti-inflammatory activity in edema in rats and mice, arthritis in rabbits, and gouty arthritis in dogs. (Singh GB, Singh S. Anti-inflammatory actions of Boswellic acids Phytomedicine 3(1):81-5, 1996.
Bromelain
Bromelain refers to a mixture of sulfur containing proteolytic enzymes or proteases obtained from the stem of the pineapple plant.
The standard dosage (1800-2000m.c.u.) is 125 to 450 mg. 3 times daily.
Review Article: Bromelain was introduced as a medicinal agent in 1957, and since that time over 400 scientific papers on its therapeutic applications have appeared. Bromelain has been reported in these studies to exert a wide variety of beneficial effects, including reducing inflammation in cases of arthritis, sports injury or trauma and preventing swelling after trauma or surgery. (Taussig S, Batki. Bromelain and its clinical application. An update. J Ethnopharmacol 22:191-203, 1988).
Ginger
In Vitro Experimental Study
The rhizomes of ginger contain potent inhibitors against proglastins (associated with inflammation). Gingerols are identified as the active compounds.
(Kiuchi F, Iwakami S Shibuya M, et al. Inibition of proglastins by gingerols. Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo)40(2):387-91,1992).
The following statement has not been evaluated by the FDA and should be considered for educational purposes only. Of approximately 75 Elderly Mexicans in the Rio Grand Valley (Texas) that I used ginger for arthritis for 100 per cent reported good to excellent results.- David Bauman ND