Antioxidants appear to protect against diabetes

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Antioxidants appear to protect against diabetes

Last Updated: 2004-02-16 14:44:04 -0400 (Reuters Health)

By Alison McCook

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Eating a diet rich in antioxidants, such as

vitamin E, appears to ward off diabetes, new research reports.

A group of Finnish researchers found that people who ate diets that

contained the most vitamin E were 30 percent less likely to develop type

2 diabetes, the most common form of the disease, than people who

consumed the least amount of vitamin E.

People who consumed large amounts of carotenoids, a group of compounds

that produce the red, yellow, and orange colors found in many fruits and

vegetables, were also less likely to develop type 2 diabetes.

Vitamin C intake, in contrast, appeared to exert no effect on diabetes

risk.

Study author Jukka Montonen of the National Public Health Institute in

Helsinki told Reuters Health that more studies are needed before

researchers can recommend that people at risk of type 2 diabetes switch

to an antioxidant-rich diet to ward off the disease.

However, Montonen noted that antioxidants are present in whole grains

and fruits and vegetables, important ingredients for an overall healthy

diet.

" Our findings are in line with the general recommendation to include

plenty of vegetables and fruits in one's daily diet, " the researcher

noted.

Losing any excess weight and staying physically fit are two other

important steps people should take to ward off type 2 diabetes, Montonen

added.

Previous research has shown that vitamin E and other antioxidants may

protect people from type 2 diabetes by mopping up free radicals,

cell-damaging particles that are a byproduct of normal metabolism.

During the current study, Montonen and colleagues followed more than

4,000 people between the ages of 40 and 69 for 23 years, noting what

they ate and who developed type 2 diabetes.

The researchers linked type 2 diabetes risk to a number of different

forms of vitamin E, carotenoids and vitamin C.

During the study follow-up, 164 men and 219 women developed type 2

diabetes.

Although overall intake of vitamin E and carotenoids appeared to reduce

the risk of diabetes, certain forms of those antioxidants showed more of

an inhibiting effect than others.

The researcher added that the complex nature of our diets makes it

difficult to pinpoint whether a single antioxidant can truly reduce the

risk of diabetes, perhaps explaining why vitamin C appeared to offer no

protection from the condition.

" Instead of isolated nutrients, people eat meals mixing different foods,

giving several nutrients a chance to interact. The effect of the complex

overall diet may conceal the effect of single nutrients, " Montonen

explained.

Montonen added that people who ate an antioxidant-rich diet may simply

have had a healthier diet overall, making it hard to determine whether

the protective effect came from antioxidants themselves.

The researcher noted that people who are trying to reduce their risk of

diabetes through diet should stick to fruits, vegetables and other

antioxidant-rich foods, rather than vitamin supplements.

" We do not know the beneficial amount or combination of the

antioxidants. Vitamin supplements should not be recommended for

prevention of type 2 diabetes, " Montonen said.

SOURCE: Diabetes Care, February 2004

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