Re: Lifestyle Changes Regenerate Nerve Fibers in Prediabetics


Roger Zoul wrote:
http://www.diabetesincontrol.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3630

In patients with diabetes, nerve fiber damage that causes diabetic
neuropathy is irreversible.

Now, in a new study sponsored by the National Institutes of Health,
researchers have found that with weight loss and exercise in patients with
impaired glucose tolerance neuropathy -- so-called prediabetes -- the
affected nerve fibers can be reinervated, causing a reduction in the
patients' pain.
Dr. A Gordon Smith stated that, "It's been clear that aggressive control of
blood glucose levels slows the risk of neuropathy, but no treatment has ever
before resulted in improved neuropathy. "We certainly never thought that
reinvervation would be possible at the prediabetic state."

Dr. Smith and his associates, from the University of Utah in Salt Lake City,
enrolled 32 subjects with impaired glucose tolerance neuropathy, and
performed skin biopsies at the distal leg and in the proximal thigh to
measure intraepidermal nerve fiber density.

"Then we set a weight loss goal of 7%, along with 150 minutes of moderate
exercise per week," the researcher said. "Every 3 months the patients also
had individual counseling with a nutritionist."

Baseline intraepidermal nerve fiber density was 0.9 fibers/mm in the distal
leg and 4.8 fibers/mm in the thigh. After 1 year of dieting and regular
exercise, the investigators measured a 0.3 fiber/mm improvement in the
distal leg and 1.4/mm in the thigh (p < 0.004).

Moreover, the change in fiber density in the thigh was inversely correlated
with neuropathic pain (p < 0.05). However, patients with the most reduced
intraepidermal nerve fiber density were unlikely to experience relief of
their symptoms, Dr. Smith said.

"If you see a patient with symptoms of neuropathy - numbness, tingling pain,
or absence of sensation -- you should conduct an oral glucose tolerance test
and confirm nerve fiber loss by such measures as nerve conduction testing,
quantitative sensory testing, and quantitative sudomotor axon reflex
testing," Dr. Smith advised

"If they turn out to be glucose intolerant with peripheral neuropathy, you
should treat them as aggressively as possible with diet and exercise," Dr.
Smith concluded. " Simply treating them with antihyperglycemic drugs appears
to not allow damaged nerve fibers to recover," he added.
Presented at the American Academy of Neurology 58th Annual Meeting in San
Diego.

One more good reason for people in general to start paying attention to
their health, start exercising, and lose weight if necessary.

Best,
Kurt

.

Relevant Pages

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