A common complication of diabetes is the accelerated atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries, which interferes with normal blood flow and increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes. One of the reasons for decreased circulation is the abnormal function of the endothelium (the lining of the arteries).
This latest study found benefit for this problem from vitamin E. To summarize:
Patients with type I diabetes were given either 1,000 IU of vitamin E or placebo for 3 months
Compared to patients who took placebo, those on vitamin E had improved blood flow.
The authors note that:
This dose is 33 times higher than the current recommended daily allowance (RDA) of 30 IU.
It is impossible to get this amount from diet alone, which means that you have to take a supplement.
Journal of the American College of Cardiology July, 2000;36:94-102.
It appears that vitamin E and alpha lipoic acid are two important antioxidants that are particularly useful in diabetics. Everyone is different, but most seem to benefit from one of the better vitamin E supplements containing mixed tocopherols and that are natural, not synthetic. If you are seeking to supplement with high-quality vitamin E, I strongly recommend you to consider the Living Fuel Omega 3 & E, which are capsules containing:
Pure, high quality fish oil. Fish oil is one of the few dietary supplements I urge everyone to take, as almost everyone is severely lacking in the essential omega-3 found in fish oil.
Natural "full-spectrum" vitamin E with tocotrienols and tocopherols -- the only type of vitamin E you should be taking
You can read more about Living Fuel Omega 3 & E containing omega-3 and the full-specture vitamin E.
Finally, vitamin C has also been shown to be beneficial in the area of circulation.
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