Pharmacologic doses of vitamin E improve insulin action in healthy subjects and non-insulin-dependent diabetic patients

Am J Clin Nutr. 1993 May;57(5):650-6. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/57.5.650.

Abstract

Ten control (healthy) subjects and 15 non-insulin-dependent diabetics underwent an oral glucose-tolerance test and a euglycemic hyperinsulinemic glucose clamp before and after vitamin E supplementation (900 mg/d for 4 mo). In control subjects (placebo-treated vs vitamin E-supplemented subjects, respectively) vitamin E reduced the area under the curve for glucose (344 +/- 21 vs 287 +/- 13 mmol.L-1 x min-1; P < 0.05) and increased total body glucose disposal (39.0 +/- 0.3 vs 47.6 +/- 0.4 mumol.kg lean body mass-1 x min-1; P < 0.05) and non-oxidative glucose metabolism (23.4 +/- 0.2 vs 30.8 +/- 0.3 mumol.kg lean body mass-1 x min-1; P < 0.05). In diabetics (placebo-treated vs vitamin E-supplemented subjects, respectively) vitamin E supplementation reduced glucose area under the curve (614 +/- 129 vs 544 +/- 98 mmol.L-1 x min-1; P < 0.03) and increased glucose disappearance (19.4 +/- 0.4 vs 26.4 +/- 0.7 mumol.kg lean body mass-1.min-1; P < 0.03), total glucose disposal (19.0 +/- 0.7 vs 28.1 +/- 0.4 mumol.kg lean body mass-1 x min-1; P < 0.02), and nonoxidative glucose metabolism (8.5 +/- 0.3 vs 13.9 +/- 0.3 mumol.kg lean body mass-1 x min-1; P < 0.02). Therefore we conclude that administration of pharmacologic doses of vitamin E is a useful tool to reduce oxidative stress and improve insulin action.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

  • Blood Chemical Analysis
  • Blood Glucose / metabolism
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / blood
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / drug therapy*
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / metabolism
  • Double-Blind Method
  • Drug Synergism
  • Female
  • Glutathione / analogs & derivatives
  • Glutathione / blood
  • Glutathione Disulfide
  • Humans
  • Insulin / metabolism
  • Insulin / therapeutic use*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Vitamin E / administration & dosage
  • Vitamin E / metabolism
  • Vitamin E / therapeutic use*

Substances

  • Blood Glucose
  • Insulin
  • Vitamin E
  • Glutathione
  • Glutathione Disulfide