VITAMIN C SUPPLEMENTATION AS AN ADJUVANT TO PRESCRIBED TREATMENT IN MATURITY ONSET DIABETES MELLITUS

Rucha Wagh, Rupali Gajare*, Sundaram Kartikeyan, Srabani Bhattacharya and Dr. Sandhya Khadse

ABSTRACT

This before-and-after interventional study (without controls) was conducted in a metropolitan city to determine the effect of vitamin C supplementation as an adjuvant to prescribed anti-diabetic medication in patients (62 females; 56.37% and 48 males; 43.63%) with maturity onset diabetes mellitus who had given informed consent. Their mean age was 53.03 ± 7.81 years and their average body mass index was 26.69 ± 5.04 Kg/m2. The levels of fasting blood sugar, 2-hour post-prandial blood sugar and glycosylated haemoglobin were estimated on the same auto-analyzer in the same laboratory before initiating vitamin C supplementation and three months after supplementation. Vitamin C was administered in the dose of 500 mg orally, twice a day, for a period of three months as an adjuvant to the prescribed treatment. Statistically significant difference was obtained in the pre- and post-supplementation levels of fasting blood sugar (p<0.0001), post-prandial blood sugar (p<0.0001) and glycosylated haemoglobin (p<0.0001). The gender differences in these parameters were not significant. Vitamin C supplementation has a beneficial effect on glycaemic control in patients with maturity onset diabetes mellitus.

Keywords: Adjuvant, Ascorbic acid, Diabetes Mellitus, Supplementation, Vitamin C.