I’ve told you in the past that one of your worst enemies is too much inflammation. It can cause serious swelling in your blood vessels. This is especially dangerous if you are diabetic, as the disease already causes enough vascular inflammation. Now a new study shows that one nutrient can help you keep this type of inflammation under control.
The researchers in this study found blood levels of thiamine (vitamin B1) to be 75% lower in diabetes. It did not matter which type of diabetes (type-1 or type-2). Both were low. But type-1 diabetics did eliminate thiamine much faster — a whopping 24 times faster than normal. While type-2 diabetics were only 16 times faster.
The problem with thiamine elimination is that it causes the vascular adhesion molecule-1 to rise. This molecule causes inflammatory white blood cells to adhere to the lining of your blood vessels. That is where you get the added inflammation.
If you have either type of diabetes, you have clear reason to get more thiamine. I recommend at least 100 mg daily in a supplement. You can often get this much in a high-potency multiple vitamin/mineral (such as Advanced Bionutritionals Healthy Resolve).
However, taking it by mouth is not the best way to get it. One of the best ways to solve a thiamine deficiency is with IV thiamine. Unfortunately, its kind of pricey.
For that reason, I recommend another form of thiamine in diabetics, and certain neurological diseases. Its benfotiamine. You can find this form of thiamine in most health food stores and on the Internet. Take the same 100 mg daily.
Ref: Thornalley, P.J., C.W. Bodmer, et al. High prevalence of low plasma thiamine concentration in diabetes linked to a marker of vascular disease, Diabetologia, 2007 August 4.