# Vitamins and exercise in Type 2 diabetes



## Northerner (May 12, 2009)

Interesting story about the role of 'free radicals' in Type 2 diabetes, and how anti-oxidant vitamins like Vit C may be harmful:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8043456.stm


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## Steff (May 12, 2009)

oops only vit i take as well


ty northener


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## randomange (May 12, 2009)

We were discussing this in work today, as the lab I'm in works on oxidative stress. 

I think this is really interesting, but it annoys me that the BBC article says that insulin sensitivity was *restored* in the group who weren't taking vitamins, and the journal article actually talks about an increase in sensitivity in one group that wasn't observed in the other, which is quite a different thing. Both groups started out with the same level of insulin sensitivity, and they were considered to be non-diabetic and not insulin resistant. They're also on quite high levels (1000mg vit C, and 400I/U vit E). Umm, I'll stop ranting now... 

I think this is really interesting though, and I wonder what results they would get if they did the same thing on people who were already insulin resistant. It's also interesting to note that they had a group who were already exercising a lot before the study, and a group who weren't, and the group who were exercising before had higher insulin sensitivity, and they didn't lose that when they started taking the vitamins.

*takes off science hat*


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## Northerner (May 12, 2009)

Thanks randomange, it's good to have the flaws in these articles pointed out. I always enjoy reading Ben Goldacre's 'Bad Science' for things like that.


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## Northerner (May 16, 2009)

Here's NHS Choices explanation and conclusions on the subject:

http://www.nhs.uk/news/2009/05May/Pages/VitaminsStopExerciseBenefit.aspx


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