Question:
I just saw in a recent issue of Prevention Magazine a study performed
concerning diabetes and vitamin E. The study was very small (36 people) but
the result was that blood glucose levels fell significantly for those
people taking 800IU of vitamin E a day. Do you have any evidence of this
and if so how many IU's of vitamin E are suggested for a child weighing
about 20 kg? The same issue also had an article concerning different
plants that aid in diabetes control some being onion, kidney beans, bottle
gourd, and one called nopal cactus. It mentions that in some third world
countries these are actually used to treat diabetes. Do you have any
information on the efficacy of these?
Answer:
There are studies which are providing us with some information on
nontraditional supplementation of vitamins to aid in diabetes management.
The June 1997 issue of Nutrition and the MD provides a summary of the
vitamin E and C information you refer to. It appears that there is some
validity in supplementation; however, no one gives levels of
supplementation for children. The effect of onion, kidney beans, and
cactus is unknown to me, however, I have been asked recently about them.
The above mentioned article contains several references for the studies
which I have not had time to look at.
JM
Original posting 27 Nov 97
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