More than 20 million people have diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. By the end of the decade, this number is expected to rise dramatically. When high blood sugar levels damage nerves, diabetic neuropathy can occur and eventually 40 to 60 percent of diabetics will develop diabetic nerve pain.

Mostly it affects the hands and feet, with mild to severe numbness, and sharp pain like pins and needles. Limbs feel alternately burning hot and icy cold, accompanied by pain and muscle fatigue.

Treating diabetes may halt progression and improve symptoms of the nerve pain, but recovery is slow. The painful sensations of diabetic nerve pain may become so severe it can lead to depression in some patients.

This chronic painful condition is often puzzling and frustrating for patients and physicians, as it is difficult to diagnose and seems to respond poorly to standard pain therapies. Countless people with diabetes have suffered from nerve pain for years.

Diabetic neuropathy sufferer Ron Morrison developed so much discomfort from his condition in his legs and feet that he was, “seriously shopping for a wheelchair because it was becoming too difficult to stand and walk,” he says. He began using a topical ointment called Neuragen that provided instantaneous relief from the burning sensation in his feet. “It has returned quality back to my life,” he says.

“I was introduced to a wonderful new product at my local pharmacy, Neuragen, that provided instantaneous relief from this burning sensation in my feet and have been using this product ever since. It has returned quality back to my life.”

In clinical trials, Neuragen provided rapid and effective pain relief without significant side effects. It has been recommended by health care professionals in the United States and Canada since 1996 for treatments of chronic pain associated with a variety of conditions.

Good glucose control can also help control diabetic neuropathy along with a balanced diet, rich in fiber, regular physical activity and limiting alcohol consumption.

More information on Neuragen and nerve pain is available at www.Neuragen.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Diabetes prevalence has doubled in the past decade, and the increases in diabetes-related eye disease poses a new challenge to eye specialists, according to an editorial in the March issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA)/Archives journals.

Two editorials and a research article in the issue focus on ophthalmologic implications of metabolic diseases and are being published in conjunction with a JAMA theme issue of diabetes, obesity, and their comorbidities.

“By 2050, the number of Americans with diabetic retinopathy [affecting blood vessels in the retina] is projected to triple from 5.5 million to 16 million, and the number of those with vision-threatening retinopathy will increase from 1.2 million to 3.4 million,” wrote Thomas W. Gardner, MD, MS, and Robert A. Gabbay, MD, PhD, of Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, in the first editorial. “The number of cataracts will increase by 235% and glaucoma among elderly Hispanic individuals with diabetes will increase 12-fold.”

According to Dr. Gardner and Dr. Gabby, effectively treating these conditions requires that ophthalmologists go beyond surgically treating late-stage eye disease and work with other clinicians to help patients control their diabetes before eye complications worsen.

“Ophthalmologists have a unique opportunity to influence patient behavior because vision loss is one of the most feared complications of diabetes. Helping patients make the connection between their eye disease and the ABCs of diabetes (A1C, blood pressure, and cholesterol) can motivate them to improve their health,” wrote the authors.

Ophthalmology Times

Living with Type II Diabetes?

In one study, U.S. researchers found the same cluster of metabolic disorders that raise a woman’s risk for heart disease and diabetes also increase her chances of memory declines later in life.

A second study found that a history of diabetes and high cholesterol hasten the rate of mental declines in people with Alzheimer’s disease.

“Preventing heart disease, stroke and diabetes — or making sure these conditions are well managed in patients diagnosed with them — can potentially slow the disease progression of Alzheimer’s,” said Yaakov Stern of Columbia University Medical Center, whose study was one of several on metabolic diseases and dementia published in the Archives of Neurology.

The findings build on recent studies that suggest people who take cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins have a lower risk of developing all forms of dementia. And diabetics who take pills that help their bodies use insulin better have a lower risk of Alzheimer’s.

Now many teams are trying to get a better understanding of how these disorders affect Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.

Researchers at the University of California San Francisco and the San Francisco Veterans’ Affairs Medical Center studied the effects of heart risk factors such as abdominal fat, high blood pressure and low levels of good cholesterol, known collectively as the metabolic syndrome.

Dr. Kristine Yaffe and colleagues followed 4,895 women with an average age of 66 who had no memory problems or other cognitive impairment at the beginning of the study.

Of the nearly 500 women in the group who had metabolic syndrome, 36 percent developed cognitive impairment during the four-year study period, compared with just 4 percent of the 4,400 women who did not have metabolic syndrome.

The team said future studies need to focus on whether modifying behaviors could reduce these risks.

Stern and colleagues at Columbia looked to see whether cholesterol levels and a history of diabetes affected the progression of Alzheimer’s disease in 156 older patients over 10 years.

After an average of three and a half years, those with higher levels of low-density lipoprotein or LDL cholesterol — the so-called bad cholesterol — declined more quickly than those with normal cholesterol readings.

“These findings suggest that perhaps dealing with some of these metabolic vascular issues early in life might help,” Stern said in a telephone interview.

“Even if people have Alzheimer’s disease, this is one thing people might want to try to slow its progression,” he said.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia among older people, affecting 5.2 million people in the United States and 26 million globally, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. There is no cure for Alzheimer’s, and current drugs merely delay symptoms.

By Julie Steenhuysen (Editing by Maggie Fox)

© Reuters 2009

Living with Type II Diabetes?

Type I diabetes, also known as adolescent diabetes, differs from Type 2 in that the body stops producing insulin altogether. Type I diabetes is generally diagnosed in children or young adults. Type 2 diabetes is usually diagnosed in older adults, however, it is becoming substantially more prevalent in the younger population.

With the onset of diabetes, whether it be Type I or Type 2, we lose our ability to adequately utilize sugar. When this occurs, blood sugar levels increase due to the body’s inability to transport sugar into the cells and out of the blood stream. Sugar is very important in that it is the basic fuel source for the cells in our bodies. Insulin is necessary for the transport of sugar from the blood and into the cells.

Diabetes is a serious condition and can lead to many other health problems. Some problems that diabetics commonly encounter are an increased risk for heart and circulatory problems, high blood pressure, visual problems and blindness, nerve damage, and kidney damage. With the diagnosis of diabetes, it becomes extremely important that blood sugar fluctuations are tightly controlled. With good control of blood sugar levels and the prevention of prolonged periods of elevated blood sugar, people with diabetes can live long and healthy lives.

Diabetes is a serious condition and can lead to many other health problemsFortunately for the newly diagnosed diabetic, there are more and more tools available to help monitor and control the condition. Glucose meters are becoming smaller and easier to use. Blood samples necessary for glucose meter use are much smaller than in the past. Painful finger pricks can now be avoided with blood samples being able to be taken from alternate, less sensitive areas, such as the forearm. In the relatively near future, there will be non-invasive glucose monitoring devices not requiring a sample of blood at all.

A simple blood test, known as the A1c test, can measure the average blood glucose levels over the previous three months. This test is a very good way to monitor and critique how effective current treatments, diet, medications, etc. have been recently. This test is now available for home use and as such does not even require a visit to the doctor.

Type 2 diabetics have more options available to them for blood sugar control than do Type I diabetics. Not only are there oral medications, often eliminating the need for insulin injection treatment, but other methods that may eliminate the need for medications altogether.

Type 2 diabetics should look to multiple sources of information in order to determine the best methods available to deal with their condition. A good start is a physician specializing in the treatment of diabetes. Most physician specialists will have nutritional counseling available to help understand the relationship of various food items with blood sugar levels.

Additionally, diabetics should become very familiar with vitamin, mineral, and herbal options to improve blood sugar metabolism and control. A few examples of supplements that are well known to help in this regard are chromium, magnesium, and vanadyl sulfate. Various natural glucose transport factors can be very helpful in aiding the body’s transport of glucose from the blood and into the cells. Vanadyl sulfate has been shown to improve glucose sensitivity and decrease insulin resistance.

Various herbal preparations have been shown to significantly improve blood sugar levels, sugar metabolism, and reportedly even improve the function of the insulin producing cells in the pancreas. Notably, Gymnema sylvestre, known as “sugar destroyer” in Sandskrit, has been shown to have positive effects and benefits for diabetics.

Along with proper nutrition, appropriate supplements and vitamins, other important considerations are weight control and exercise. Excess weight tremendously increases the burden on the pancreas as fat requires much more insulin than lean tissue. Exercise not only helps control body fat and reduce weight, but additionally aids the transport of sugar from the blood and into the cells.

Diabetes is a very serious condition, but proper diet, glucose monitoring, and exercise can substantially improve our ability to control the condition. We should attempt to educate ourselves not only in the importance of tight blood sugar control, but also the various methods and options available to help in this regard. By utilizing good judgment in diet, weight control, exercise, and appropriate supplementation, diabetics can markedly reduce complications and lead long and healthy lives.

Living with Type II Diabetes?