Guest guest Posted June 8, 2005 Report Share Posted June 8, 2005 " HSI - Jenny Thompson " <HSIResearch HSI e-Alert - Knowledge is Health Wed, 08 Jun 2005 07:30:00 -0400 HSI e-Alert - Knowledge is Health Health Sciences Institute e-Alert **************************************************** June 08, 2005 Dear Reader, More than half of all diabetics may never have heard of diabetic neuropathy. If you happen to be diabetic (either type 1 or type 2), or if you have reason to believe that you may have a pre-diabetic condition, diabetic neuropathy is something you need to be knowledgeable about. And you need this knowledge right now, not later, because this condition can severely impact your health in a number of ways. What's worse, according to research commissioned by the American Diabetes Association (ADA), is that many doctors may be missing the diagnosis of neuropathy. And it's safe to say that fewer still know about an antioxidant supplement that may be able to address the problem. ----------- Frayed nerve fibers ----------- In diabetes, glucose levels often fluctuate and run too high. Over time, this creates trace chemicals that cause oxidative stress to nerve cells, degeneration of nerve fibers, and eventually the painful symptoms of diabetic neuropathy, also known as peripheral neuropathy. What are some of the symptoms to watch for? Numbness in the extremities, prickly or burning pains, tightness of the skin, hypersensitivity to touch, impaired coordination, balance problems, difficulty climbing stairs or difficulty getting up from a sitting position, urinary urgency, erectile dysfunction, acid reflux and lightheadedness. The numbness that typically accompanies neuropathy can be particularly problematic because minor injuries may go unnoticed, turning into health problems that are not minor at all. ----------- Recognizing symptoms ----------- The ADA research was conducted by a team lead by Aaron I. Vinik, M.D., of the Strelitz Diabetes Research Institute in Virginia. In an interview with Reuters Health, Dr. Vinik said that not only are most diabetics unaware of neuropathy, but three out of four may also have symptoms that go undiagnosed by their doctors. The Vinik team interviewed more than 8,000 diabetics to assess their knowledge of neuropathy and experience with diagnosis. The results: * More than 55 percent said they had never heard of neuropathy * About 70 percent said they had recently experienced symptoms * Among those who told their doctors about their symptoms, about one out of seven said their doctors had not explained that diabetes might be the trigger Dr. Vinik's recommendation: If you have diabetes and have experienced any symptoms of neuropathy, talk to your doctor right away and ask specific questions about this condition. ----------- Dramatic rescue ----------- If your doctor believes you may have neuropathy, I hope he's also aware of an antioxidant that we've written about many times at HSI: alpha lipoic acid (ALA). ALA has been shown to help regulate glucose levels by protecting cell membranes and blood lipids against oxidative damage. But research also indicates that it may be useful in addressing neuropathy. In 2003, Mayo Clinic researchers examined the effects of ALA on 120 patients (with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes) who also had diabetic neuropathy. Subjects were divided into two groups; one group received 600 mg of ALA in intravenous daily doses for 14 days, and the other group received a placebo. Progress was determined by testing nerve conduction, sensation and nervous system function. As reported in Diabetes Care, the researchers concluded that ALA " significantly and rapidly " reduced both the severity and frequency of diabetic neuropathy symptoms. Mayo Clinic neurologist, Peter Dyck, M.D., added that even at the high dosage level used in the study (not available intravenously in the U.S.) there were no known complications. ----------- M is for the many things... ----------- ALA has been in use since the late 50's (primarily in Germany), and, like other antioxidant nutrients, it may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer and other age-related degenerative diseases. But ALA also does something that no other antioxidant is known to do. It has the unique capacity to actually recycle vitamins C and E from their molecular building blocks. This is why ALA is sometimes called the " mother antioxidant. " One of the factors to consider when supplementing with ALA is that it is quickly metabolized and cleared from the liver. As a result, a supplement will only cause a relatively brief rise in blood levels of ALA. Several studies have concluded that significant benefits can result from an intake of 50 mg per day. But whatever your dosage, it's best to take lower amounts throughout the day, rather than all at once. And one more note: Research shows that ALA may lower blood-sugar levels in normal, or non-diabetic, subjects as well as in those with diabetes. Our current understanding of how ALA affects blood sugar suggests that it should not be used by those with very low blood sugar, as it could further decrease blood glucose. In any case, you should discuss ALA use with your doctor before adding it to your daily regimen. **************************************************** ....and another thing Not concerned about your health? How about your beauty? Last week the Milk Development Council (MDC) of the UK launched a new advertising campaign designed to encourage teenage girls to drink more milk. Marketing research shows that three out of four of young ladies in the UK are consuming less than three portions of dairy products per day. Problem is, these girls are apparently not at all swayed by the health benefits of milk. They can hardly comprehend that they'll someday turn 50, so concerns about the health of their bones during post-menopausal years is the furthest thing from their minds. The solution? Appeal to their vanity. The new campaign emphasizes how milk can make your skin, teeth and hair more attractive. (I'm going to curb my usual rant about health problems associated with commercial milk intake. But if you're in the mood for a rant, see the e-Alert " The Milkman Cometh " 12/22/04.) MDC executives believe that teen girls represent such a potentially lucrative niche of their market that they've devoted £3 million to this two-year " Naturally Beautiful " campaign. And here's the best part: the European Commission has pitched in a grant worth 2.1 million euros to support the campaign. That means that taxpayers in France, Germany, Italy, etc. are helping to foot the bill to appeal to the vanity of teenage girls in the UK. We're used to this type of nonsense all the time in the U.S. I'm just sorry to see it becoming a worldwide phenomenon. To Your Good Health, Jenny Thompson Health Sciences Institute **************************************************** Tap into the minds of other health-conscious readers like yourself at the new HSI health forum: http://www.healthiertalk.com Sources: " More Diabetics Unaware of Serious Complication " Alison McCook, Reuters Health, 5/13/05, reutershealth.com " The Sensory Symptoms of Diabetic Polyneuropathy Are Improved With A-Lipoic Acid " Diabetes Care 26:770-776, 2003, Care.diabetesjournals.org " Dairy Helps You Look Good, Claims New Campaign " NutraIngredients.com, 5/31/05, nutraingredients.com ******************** Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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