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Vitamin B1 deficiency linked to diabetes problems

08/08/2007

A deficiency of vitamin B1 in people with diabetes could cause a range of problems including kidney disease, retinopathy and stroke, a new study has found.

Researchers from the University of Warwick found that the deficiency is not due to dietary habits but instead down to an increased rate of the vitamin's removal from the body.

They discovered that vitamin B1 concentration was decreased by 76 per cent in type one diabetic patients and 75 per cent in those suffering from type two diabetes.

It is the first time that this vitamin deficiency has been found in people with diabetes and is likely to have been missed in the past due to the methods used to measure thiamine (vitamin B1) status.

Writing in the journal Diabetologia, the researchers argue that the decreased availability of the vitamin is linked to problems with the cells and artery walls of the body's circulatory system.

About 80 per cent of people with diabetes die of cardiovascular disease.

The researchers have now outlined a number of areas for further research relating to vitamin B1 and diabetes.

Matt Hunt, science information manager at Diabetes UK, said the study could have "potentially have very exciting outcomes".

"More research needs to be done into the link between vitamin B1 deficiency and people with diabetes developing complications such as kidney and retina damage, heart disease and stroke. Researchers are already looking into the effect of giving people the vitamin in tablet form to see if early kidney damage can be reversed," he added.

"We should note that the vitamin supplement research is still at trial stage. We would not advise that people look to vitamin supplements to reduce their risk of complications at this stage.

"Eating a healthy balanced diet, taking regular physical activity and managing blood glucose levels are key to good diabetes management."


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