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Oxidative stress status in patients with diabetes mellitus: relationship to diet

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 57, pages 999–1008 (2003)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the relationship between dietary intakes and in vivo oxidative stress (OS) status in diabetic patients.

Design: Case–control study.

Setting: Outpatient-Clinic and Laboratory Endocrinology, University Antwerp.

Subjects and methods: A total of 30 patients (24 type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM)/6 type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) were asked to complete a 2 weekdays+1weekend day food consumption questionnaire during the week preceding their yearly diabetes control consultation, when samples were collected for the assay of oxidative stress (OS) (blood levels of antioxidants, peroxides, malondialdehyde (MDA) and minerals). Blood samples were also collected from 25 age- and sex-matched healthy controls.

Results: Diabetic patients had lower glutathione (5.80±1.15 vs 6.75±1.03 μmol/g Hb in the controls, P=0.002) and higher MDA (0.687±0.212 vs 0.545±0.101 μmol/l, P=0.002). Although the group average intakes were within the Belgian RDA, intakes of fat >35% energy, fibre <15 g/1000 kcal, fruit <2 portions and vitamin E <10 mg/day were seen in more than 20 patients. Blood antioxidants did not correlate with intakes of energy, fat, protein or fibres or of their respective antioxidant. Vitamins A and E correlated with serum lipids (r=0.58, P <0.0005 between serum α-tocopherol and cholesterol). Blood peroxide levels were only related to intakes of saturated fat and cholesterol (P<0.05). In diabetic subjects but not in controls (P<0.05) MDA was related to glutathione and uric acid.

Conclusions: In diabetic patients, blood levels of antioxidants are not related to their dietary intakes but to serum lipids. Levels of oxidative damage products are only related to intakes of saturated fats and cholesterol and to levels of endogenous antioxidants.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the patients and control subjects who participated in the study, and S Schrans, P Aerts, M Vinckx from the Laboratory of Endocrinology and E Biebaut from the Department of Biology for skilful technical assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Endocrinology, University of Antwerp,, Belgium

    N Dierckx, J Vertommen, J van de Vliet & B Manuel-y-Keenoy

  2. Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Belgium

    G Horvath

  3. Department of Diabetology, University Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium

    C van Gils & I De Leeuw

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  1. N Dierckx
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  2. G Horvath
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  3. C van Gils
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  7. B Manuel-y-Keenoy
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Contributions

Guarantors: I De Leeuw and B Manuel-y-Keenoy

Contributors: ND and CvG selected the patients and collected and calculated dietary intakes. JV, GyH and JvdV recruited healthy controls and were responsible for the biochemical assays. IDL was the group leader. BMK directed the study, analysed the data and wrote the manuscript

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Correspondence to B Manuel-y-Keenoy.

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Dierckx, N., Horvath, G., van Gils, C. et al. Oxidative stress status in patients with diabetes mellitus: relationship to diet. Eur J Clin Nutr 57, 999–1008 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601635

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