Health Hotline Magazine | September 2019

MULTIVITAMINS IMPROVE METABOLIC MARKERS IN DIABETICS

Diabetes is a growing problem worldwide and results in the body’s inability to regulate blood sugar. As a result, many diabetics have higher levels of oxidative stress and lipid dysregulation. High levels of oxidative stress are thought to complicate the development of diabetes over time by increasing the amounts of free radicals in the body, while lipid dysregulation results in decreased HDL cholesterol with increased triglycerides and LDL cholesterol. Combined oxidative stress and lipid dysregulation can increase the risk factors associated with diabetes, such as cardiovascular disease. A recent study investigated the effects of a daily multivitamin in 300 Sudanese patients with type-2 diabetes. Participants in the study received either a placebo or a multivitamin which contained the recommended daily allowance of vitamins and minerals. At the end of the study blood samples were taken that measured vitamins A, E, C and zinc in addition to other metabolic markers such as HDL, triglycerides, and fasting blood glucose. Those participants taking the multivitamin had significant increases in vitamin A, E, and zinc as well as improvements in several metabolic markers, including triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, and fasting blood glucose. The results of this study showed that multivitamin intake increases the amounts of vitamins and minerals in the body which may improve metabolic markers of health. The researchers concluded that improvements made in diabetics taking multivitamins may minimize the complications related to diabetes.

results included

significant decreases in total

cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL cholesterol

PALEOLITHIC DIET IMPROVES CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTORS In recent years, adherence to a paleolithic diet (PD) has gained popularity and is considered to be a healthy dietary lifestyle, stemming from observations that our hunter-gatherer ancestors were generally lean and free of chronic disease. This is mostly attributed to their diet, which prioritized consumption of meat, fish, eggs, fruits, vegetables, roots, and nuts, while excluding dairy and grains. Their diets were also void of modern-day processed foods, high in added sugar, salt, and damaged fats. A 2019 meta-analysis conducted by researchers at Tehran University of Medical Sciences sought to find whether adherence to a PD demonstrates favorable effects on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. Primary outcomes included improvements in risk factors such as lipid profile, blood pressure, weight, and inflammatory markers. In total, eight human randomized controlled trials with a total of 266 subjects were included in the analysis. Paleolithic diet interventions ranged anywhere from 14 days to two years. Adherence to a PD resulted in significant decreases in weight, waist circumference, BMI, and body fat percentage. Additionally, both systolic and diastolic blood pressure were significantly reduced. Some of the most profound results of the study included changes in various blood markers most commonly associated with increased risk for CVD. This included significant decreases in total cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL cholesterol, with significant increases in HDL cholesterol. Moreover, measures of C-reactive protein, a well-known inflammatory marker, were also significantly reduced. Authors of the study concluded that these results provide support for the use of the PD in improving cardiovascular disease risk factors.

multivitamin intake increases the amounts of vitamins and minerals in the body which may improve metabolic markers of health

References available upon request.