My five year old daughter was diagnosed with type�1 diabetes two and a half weeks ago. I have read some info about RiSoTriene helping people with diabetes (most were adults). Should I discuss using this for my daughter with her doctor?

You should discuss RiSoTriene with your daughter’s doctor or perhaps more appropriately with her dietitian. This is a product that is being vigorously promoted in a scientifically quite unconvincing way as being sovereign for a number of health problems including diabetes. I was not able to find any details on its nutritional composition beyond that it is claimed to be a ‘whole food’ derived from rice bran and that it contained a large number of antioxidants which are much in vogue for preventing vascular complications.

My personal thoughts are that this may indeed have a role for elderly people who have type�2 diabetes and are not yet on insulin. These individuals may both be confused by the complexities of adjusting the carbohydrate content of their diet and may also not have ready access to professional nutrition guidance. Besides this, one recent study of another product containing multiple antioxidants showed no benefit whatever.

The core treatment program for autoimmune diabetes in children is to learn to marry insulin type and dose to carbohydrate intake in such a way as to keep blood sugars as nearly as possible in the normal range despite vagaries of appetite, stress and physical exertion.

DOB