Hyperglycemia, or high blood sugar circulating in the blood plasma, is a condition that many people have but are not aware they have it. If left uncontrolled, one may be surprised to wake up one day and learn he already has diabetes.
Chronic hyperglycemia in diabetes results to damage of many organ systems to include the kidneys, the eyes, nerves and blood vessels. Diabetes is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease, diabetic retinopathy affecting eyesight and leg amputations.
Diabetes is a metabolic disorder afflicting a large part of the population. In the US, it is estimated that 16 million people have diabetes half of whom are believed to be undiagnosed. Each year, an additional 800,000 people in said country develop diabetes and 54,000 die from causes linked to the disease. China, India and many other countries in the world now recognize diabetes as a major health issue of their constituents.
Majority of diabetes comprising 80 % to 90% are classified as Type II Diabetes. One characteristic of this type is that a person's cells are resistant to insulin, a hormone produced by the Beta cells in the pancreas. Insulin is responsible for the delivery of glucose to the cells for their needed energy. Fat and muscle cells need insulin to absorb glucose. When these cells fail to absorb the glucose, blood glucose level rises. Normally, the liver reduces its production of glucose in the presence of insulin but this does not happen in people who are insulin resistant. The result is further increase of glucose in the blood.
Consistent high glucose level in the blood is dangerous. It results in destructive changes in vital enzymes and other proteins known as glycation, causing aging and tissue dysfunction. There is a compound called Carnosine that has been discovered to be anti-glycating thus preventing high blood sugar from inducing damage. It can also reverse existing protein glycation. The good news is that it is part of the human body and can be supplemented if deficient. Carnosine supplements are often marketed as a powerful anti-aging compound.
Carnosine is present in high concentrations in muscles including your heart and brain. Unfortunately, carnosine is lacking in Type II diabetics. This was revealed in the scholarly study by the University of Sao Paulo where they saw that Type II diabetic patients display reduced muscular carnosine content. A reduction in muscle carnosine concentration may be partially associated with defective mechanisms against oxidative, glycative and carbonyl stress in muscle.
Other studies showed that carnosine also stabilizes red blood cells against damage from glycation in diabetes and protects human LDL cholesterol from both oxidation and glycation. In animal experiments, carnosine supplementation delays the onset of diabetes and increases the mass of insulin-secreting pancreatic cells. Carnosine prevents kidney damage from type 2 diabetes and protects the vascular system in the eyes so that it does not cause glycation damage or cataracts.
Carnosine is therefore one of the very best nutrients to help a Type II diabetic in fighting the effects of hyperglycemia. Since they normally lack the capacity to produce in the needed quantities, they would benefit from supplementing their diet with it.
Chronic hyperglycemia in diabetes results to damage of many organ systems to include the kidneys, the eyes, nerves and blood vessels. Diabetes is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease, diabetic retinopathy affecting eyesight and leg amputations.
Diabetes is a metabolic disorder afflicting a large part of the population. In the US, it is estimated that 16 million people have diabetes half of whom are believed to be undiagnosed. Each year, an additional 800,000 people in said country develop diabetes and 54,000 die from causes linked to the disease. China, India and many other countries in the world now recognize diabetes as a major health issue of their constituents.
Majority of diabetes comprising 80 % to 90% are classified as Type II Diabetes. One characteristic of this type is that a person's cells are resistant to insulin, a hormone produced by the Beta cells in the pancreas. Insulin is responsible for the delivery of glucose to the cells for their needed energy. Fat and muscle cells need insulin to absorb glucose. When these cells fail to absorb the glucose, blood glucose level rises. Normally, the liver reduces its production of glucose in the presence of insulin but this does not happen in people who are insulin resistant. The result is further increase of glucose in the blood.
Consistent high glucose level in the blood is dangerous. It results in destructive changes in vital enzymes and other proteins known as glycation, causing aging and tissue dysfunction. There is a compound called Carnosine that has been discovered to be anti-glycating thus preventing high blood sugar from inducing damage. It can also reverse existing protein glycation. The good news is that it is part of the human body and can be supplemented if deficient. Carnosine supplements are often marketed as a powerful anti-aging compound.
Carnosine is present in high concentrations in muscles including your heart and brain. Unfortunately, carnosine is lacking in Type II diabetics. This was revealed in the scholarly study by the University of Sao Paulo where they saw that Type II diabetic patients display reduced muscular carnosine content. A reduction in muscle carnosine concentration may be partially associated with defective mechanisms against oxidative, glycative and carbonyl stress in muscle.
Other studies showed that carnosine also stabilizes red blood cells against damage from glycation in diabetes and protects human LDL cholesterol from both oxidation and glycation. In animal experiments, carnosine supplementation delays the onset of diabetes and increases the mass of insulin-secreting pancreatic cells. Carnosine prevents kidney damage from type 2 diabetes and protects the vascular system in the eyes so that it does not cause glycation damage or cataracts.
Carnosine is therefore one of the very best nutrients to help a Type II diabetic in fighting the effects of hyperglycemia. Since they normally lack the capacity to produce in the needed quantities, they would benefit from supplementing their diet with it.