Indication: Type II diabetes

Source: Diabetes Care, 2004;27:362-366.

Research: Researchers investigated whether antioxidants in food would influence the risk of type II diabetes among adults. They assessed the diets of 2285 men and 2019 women who were free of diabetes and ranged from 40-69 years of age at the start of the study. Based on dietary analysis, re­searchers determined the subjects’ consumption of various antioxidants, including vitamin E (its four tocopherols and four tocotrienols), vitamin C and six carotenoids. During 23 years of follow-up, 383 of the subjects were diagnosed with type II diabetes.

Results: High intake of several antioxidants significantly reduced the risk of type II diabetes. People consuming the highest amounts of vitamin E were 31% less likely to develop diabetes than those consuming the lowest amounts of vitamin E. A stronger association was observed for high intakes of beta-cryptoxanthin, which significantly reduced the risk by 42%. Trends for reduced risk of type II diabetes by total and other individual carotenoids were not statistically significant.