Diabetic Complications - Can Benfotiamine Help Prevent Them?

Diabetic complications contribute too many life threatening diseases globally. The root cause of diabetic complications is elevated glucose levels which contribute to blood vessel damage. Diabetic retinopathy, nephropathy, or neuropathy are caused by damage to small blood vessel in the eyes, nerves and kidneys, etc. The bottom line of this damage is the lowering of the life expectancy of millions of diabetics worldwide.

What Can Be Done About It?

Few therapies are available today that treat diabetic complications. Most healthcare professionals recommend that their patients monitor their blood sugar by taking several blood readings a day to determine the amount of sugar in their blood. Blood sugar readings are generally higher from one to two hours after a meal.

It is suggested by these professionals that keeping blood sugar readings as close to normal as possible will reduce the onset of diabetic complications. Research has shown that there are four, chemical pathways that lead to diabetic complications. Instead of trying to explain these rather difficult chemical pathways, let the reader understand that diabetic complications are mainly caused by excess sugar in the cells, a condition known by the term advanced glycation endproducts (AGE) formation.

The research that was released in 2003 by a team of researchers from the Albert Einstein Collage of Medicine opened the possibilities that it may be possible to actually prevent and/or contain diabetic complications such as retinopathy, neuropathy and heart/circulatory conditions brought about by the presence of advanced glycation endproducts.

What Did This Research Suggest?

The Einstein researchers' work showed that a substance called, "benfotiamine", could reduce the effects of AGE by increasing the amount of an enzyme called transketolase. The research indicated that transketolase was increased by 300% which was enough to make a serious reduction of three of the four chemical pathways that open the door for diabetic complications in terms of vascular damage in diabetics. This vascular damage is directly responsible for the diabetic complications such as neuropathy, retinopathy and heart/circulatory conditions that lead to heart attack and stroke.

Can Benfotaimine Be Considered A Prudent Preventative?

Current research suggests that benfotiamine could possibly reduce the chances of diabetics developing the aforementioned complications. Many healthcare professionals readily recommend patients to add this nutritional supplement to their toolkit in the battle to prevent these insidious conditions that shorten the lives of thousands of diabetics annually.

Where Can I Find More Information About Benfotiamine?

More information about benfotiamine can be found by visiting the web site below and following the links. These links will give the reader a good base to make an informed decision about the use of benfotiamine in the battle against diabetic complications brought about by the presence of advanced glycation endproducts (AGE) which is excess sugar in the blood.

Research:

Hans-Peter Hammes, Xueliang Du, Diane Edelstein, Tetsuya Taguchi, Takeshi Matsumura, Qida Ju, Jihong Lin, Angelika Bierhaus, Peter Nawroth, Dieter Hannak, Michael Neumaier, Regine Bergfeld, Ida Giardino, Michael Brownlee. Benfotiamine blocks three major pathways of hyperglycemic damage and prevents experimental diabetic retinopathy. Nature Medicine 9, 294 - 299 (01 Mar 2003).

Michael Brownlee. Biochemistry and molecular cell biology of diabetic complications Nature 414, 813 - 820 (13 Dec 2001).

Roya Babaei-Jadidi, Nikolaos Karachalias, Naila Ahmed, Sinan Battah, Paul J. Thornalley. Prevention of incipient diabetic nephropathy by high-dose thiamine and benfotiamine ? Complications. Diabetes. (August 2003).

Zach Malott is CEO of Brentwood Health International, a nutritional supplement company involved in distribution and supplying wholesale, retail and end users.

Mr. Malott is available to discuss the research as it applies to benfotiamine in the treatment and prevention of diabetic complications such as neuropathy and retinopathy.

He can be reached at:

Phone: 505.354.0526

Website: http://www.emuhealthproducts.com


Becoming a Diabetes Expert

I am a diabetes expert. No I'm not a doctor... Read More

Diabetes the Silent Killer ? The Iceberg Effect!

What sank the "Unsinkable Ship" the Titanic was not the... Read More

Fanning the Flames of the Diabetes Epidemic

INTRODUCTIONIt is my pleasure to introduce to you, a new... Read More

If You Have Diabetes, You May Be Entitled To No Cost Diabetic Supplies

This article is intended to inform people with diabetes in... Read More

Double Diabetes -- Placing Your Kids at Even More Risk

In some medical circles it's called Type 3 Diabetes. Teenagers... Read More

Exercise & Diabetes

You are no doubt aware that exercise can help prevent... Read More

Avandia Side Effect Lawyer: Diabetes Drug Damages Liver

Avandia, a compound of rosiglitazone maleate, is an oral antidiabetic... Read More

Get More Out Of Life While Managing Your Diabetes

When I was first diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at... Read More

Living Healthy with Diabetes

Diabetes affects around 16 million Americans and about 800,000 new... Read More

Diabetes and its Management

Diabetes Mellitus is one of the most costly burdensome chronic... Read More

The Profect Solution for Diabetics

Diabetes, which affects more than 6% of the US population... Read More

Low-Carb: The Role of Insulin

There are three basic units the body uses for energy:1.... Read More

STAT-LET? Auto Safety Lancets - Makes Diabetes Testing Easy!

Stat Medical Hardware, Inc (SMD) was founded in 1988 and... Read More

Diabetes and Fitness

There are two main types of diabetes, type I and... Read More

Diabetic Foot Care Tips: Cant Afford to Ignore It!

Most of the time, we focus on health or skin... Read More

Diabetes: African Americans Deadly Foe

Diabetes is having a devastating effect on the African American... Read More

Diabetes

The following information is for educational purposes only and is... Read More

Diabetes and Exercise - Just Move it!

While exercise and eating guidelines are based on good scientific... Read More

I Have Diabetes or Another Chronic Condition - Should I Use an HSA?

Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) are becoming quite popular for people... Read More

Improper pH Balance Increases Risk and Damage of Diabetes

THE RISKBlood sugar balance is critical to your body's proper... Read More

Benfotiamine - A New Tool In Preventing Diabetic Complications?

Benfotiamine made headlines globally in 2003 when researchers released information... Read More

Type I Diabetes: Insulin-Dependent Diabetes

Type I diabetes is also known as insulin-dependent diabetes or... Read More

Protein Principles for Diabetes

Dietary considerations can present a Hobson's choice in diabetes. Even... Read More

Diabetes Breakthrough Helps Diabetics Fight Back!

Have you heard about the diabetes breakthrough that lowers blood... Read More

Diabetic Fruits

Fruit gives you energy, vitamins, minerals, and fiber.Examples of fruits... Read More