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Study of the Effects of Vitamin C on Patients With Type 2 Diabetes

NCT00001870 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: PHASE2 · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 150

Last updated 2008-03-04

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Diabetes is a disease characterized by decreased sensitivity to the action on insulin to promote sugar (glucose) use and blood vessel relaxation (vasodilation) in muscle. Insulin's ability to cause blood vessel relaxation is controlled, in part, by nitric oxide (NO).

Nitric oxide is a substance produced by the cells lining blood vessel walls (endothelium). Increased blood flow to the muscle accounts for increased sugar (glucose) to areas of the body. Therefore, if the cells of blood vessel walls (endothelium) are not functioning properly it may contribute to insulin resistance.

Injections of Vitamin C directly into the arteries have been shown to improve blood vessel reaction to nitric oxide in diabetic patients. Researchers believe this may be due to Vitamin C's ability to increase the levels of nitric oxide in blood vessels.

The goal of this study is to determine the effects of vitamin C on both insulin sensitivity and endothelium function of patients with type 2 diabetes. An additional goal of the study is to determine the effects of vitamin C on patients with vitamin C deficiency.

Patients participating in this study will undergo a series of testes to determine insulin sensitivity and blood vessel reactivity. Patients will be divided into two groups. One group will receive doses of oral vitamin C. The other group will receive doses of a placebo (inactive pill not containing vitamin C). Patients will receive the medications for four weeks and then be tested again for insulin sensitivity and blood vessel reactivity.

Researchers believe that doses of vitamin C in diabetics or patients with vitamin C deficiency will improve insulin sensitivity and function of endothelium. Results gathered form this study may provide information about vitamin C levels in diabetics and may lead to the development of new therapies to treat insulin resistance and endothelium dysfunction.

Conditions

  • Diabetes Mellitus, Non-Insulin Dependent
  • Non-Insulin Dependent

Interventions

DRUG

Acetylcholine

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

    lead NIH

Study Design

Purpose
TREATMENT

Eligibility

Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
1999-01-31
Completion
2004-12-31

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT00001870 on ClinicalTrials.gov