
October 22, 2001
Alternative Therapies and Explanations
Question from Toronto, Ontario, Canada:
I am a 26 year old female and have had type 1 diabetes for four and a half years. In a recent college-level nutrition class, the instructor told us that people with diabetes do not have the ability to convert beta carotene to vitamin A in their livers and need to take a supplemental form of the preformed vitamin. I had never heard of anything like this, and I consider myself to be quite knowledgeable. Could you please comment?
Answer:
Rather surprisingly, there is a single Japanese report that supports this hypothesis in laboratory rats, but there is no evidence that this is of significance in the management of type�1 diabetes in humans.
DOB