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From The September 2001 Issue of Nutrition Science News
Vanadium: The Blue Mineral for Diabetes
by Anthony Almada
Vanadium, a brilliant blue mineral named after the Norse goddess of beauty, has been a focus of recent diabetes research. Human clinical studies have indicated doses of 75-300 mg/day vanadyl sulfate (the most commonly tested form of vanadium) produce moderate improvements in fasting blood sugar, an indicator of blood sugar control (glycosylated hemoglobin), and insulin action.1-3 At doses above 75 mg, such gastrointestinal side effects as cramping, diarrhea, and general discomfort are common. However, these have been short-term studies, lasting no longer than six weeks.
The most recent study gave 150 mg/day vanadyl sulfate for six weeks to 11 persons with Type 2 diabetes.4 Significant reductions were noted in fasting blood sugar and total and LDL cholesterol, apparently through improving the efficiency of insulin in both liver and muscle tissue. The long-term safety of vanadyl remains to be seen. Vanadyl appears to seek bone as a reservoir, and this may explain why its effects persist at least two weeks after stopping supplementation.5
Anthony Almada is a nutritional and exercise biochemist and has collaborated on more than 50 university-based clinical trials. He is the co-founder of EAS and founder and chief scientific officer of IMAGINutrition.
References
1. Boden G, et al. Effects of vanadyl sulfate on carbohydrate and lipid metabolism in patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Metabolism 1996;45;1130-5.
2. Goldfine AB, et al. Metabolic effects of vanadyl sulfate in humans with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus: in vivo and in vitro studies. Metabolism 2000;49:400-10.
3. Halberstam M, et al. Oral vanadyl sulfate improves insulin sensitivity in NIDDM but not in obese nondiabetic subjects. Diabetes 1996;45:659-66.
4. Cusi K, et al. Vanadyl sulfate improves hepatic and muscle insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetes. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2001;86:1410-7.
5. Dikanov SA, et al. In vivo electron spin-echo envelope modulation (ESEEM) spectroscopy: First observation of vanadyl coordination to phosphate in bone. J Am Chem Soc 1999;121:11004-5.
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