Now that you know how well curcumin works for diabetes, theres a nutrient that can help protect your eyes. Diabetes can lead to retinopathy, which is degeneration in the key nerve layer of your eyes. Diabetes lowers the ability of the retinal cells to take up manganese.
In a study on rats with experimental diabetic retinopathy, alpha lipoic acid (ALA) corrected the impaired uptake of the mineral. Does this prove that ALA will prevent retinopathy? No. But it supports other wonderful research on ALA preventing other diabetic complications, such as neuropathy.
Alpha lipoic acid has been on my top-five nutrient list for 20 years. I think an ALA supplement of 300 mg daily would be a good idea across the board. But if you have diabetes, to me its not just a good idea, its a must. It could save your eyes.
Ref: Impaired apparent ion demand in experimental diabetic retinopathy: correction by lipoic Acid, Berkowitz BA, Roberts R, et al, Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, 2007; 48(10): 4753-4758.