Vitamin E Mitigates Oxidative Stress

In a recently published study, researchers report that vitamin E modulates oxidative stress in children with less than optimal blood sugar metabolism. Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin with significant antioxidant and free-radical scavenging activity. Individuals with concerns related to blood sugar metabolism are prone to elevated oxidative stress.

The study included 20 children with less than optimal blood sugar metabolism and 20 healthy children to serve as the control group. The children with concerns related to blood sugar metabolism were supplemented with 600 mg per day of vitamin E for 3 months. The subjects were evaluated for measurements of oxidative stress including malondialdehyde, antioxidants, reduced glutathione (GSH), vitamin E and metabolic parameters at the beginning of the study and again after 3 months.

The study found that the children with concerns related to blood sugar metabolism had lower levels of the antioxidants reduced glutathione and vitamin E and higher levels of the oxidative stress marker malondialdehyde compared to the healthy control subjects. Supplementation of vitamin E in the subjects with less than optimal blood sugar metabolism resulted in reduced malondialdehyde and enhanced levels of vitamin E and higher levels of reduced glutathione. No significant change in metabolic parameters was noted with vitamin E supplementation.

The study authors concluded that vitamin E ameliorates oxidative stress in individuals with concerns relating to blood sugar metabolism and enhances the antioxidant defense system.

Reference:

Gupta S, Sharma TK, Kaushik GG, Shekhawat VP. Vitamin E supplementation may ameliorate oxidative stress in type 1 diabetes mellitus patients. Clin Lab. 2011;57(5-6):379-86.