vitamine E and neuropathy
Reversal of defective nerve conduction with vitamin E
supplementation in type 2 diabetes: a preliminary
study.
Tutuncu NB, Bayraktar M, Varli K. Diabetes Care
1998;21:1915-1918.
OBJECTIVE: The present study has examined the effect
of vitamin E, the principal modulator of free radical
activity, on electrophysiological parameters in
patients with diabetic peripheral sensorimotor
polyneuropathy, matched for duration of disease and
metabolic control. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A
total of 21 subjects with type 2 diabetes were
enrolled in this double-blind randomized
placebo-controlled study (vitamin E, 11 patients;
placebo, 10 patients). Patients were randomly assigned
to receive either 900 mg vitamin E or placebo for 6
months. The average dietary vitamin E consumption of
the subjects was similar during the study. The main
outcome measure was the electrophysiological tests
assessing nerve conduction. Fasting plasma glucose,
HbA1, postprandial plasma glucose, and
electrophysiological parameters in the basal state and
after 6 months of treatment were studied. RESULTS:
Glycemic indexes did not show any significant changes
during the study, whereas nerve conduction improved
significantly in 2 of the 12 studied
electrophysiological parameters after 6 months in
patients on vitamin E supplementation. The changes in
the electrophysiological parameters were obvious in
the median motor nerve fibers and tibial motor nerve
fibers. Nerve conduction velocity in the median motor
nerve fibers (P = 0.0019) and tibial motor nerve
distal latency (P = 0.0284) improved significantly
after 6 months of vitamin E supplementation.
CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that defective nerve
conduction in diabetic subjects with mild-to-moderate
peripheral neuropathy may be improved by
pharmacological doses of vitamin E supplementation.
Further studies with a larger number of patients for
longer periods of time are needed.