Patients with type 1 diabetes may supplement their diets with two tablespoons of vinegar, such as in a salad dressing, to help to lower their blood sugar levels.
Studies already shown that vinegar can improve insulin sensitivity in healthy or insulin-resistant subjects, but the effects had not been examined in patients with type 1 diabetic patients.
The new study evaluated the impact of vinegar in 10 Type 1 diabetic patients who have been treated with short-acting insulin before meals and long-acting once daily insulin in the evening.
The subjects were randomly assigned to consume either vinegar (30 ml vinegar, 20 ml water) or placebo (50 ml water) five minutes before a meal of bread, cheese, turkey ham, orange juice, butter, and a cereal bar.
Before having the meal, all subjects received a subcutaneous dose of insulin to ensure that the fasting blood glucose was similar in the vinegar and placebo groups. However, 30 minutes after eating, blood glucose in the placebo group began to rise, while blood glucose in the vinegar group increased to about 8.6 mmol/l. Compared to placebo group, patients in the vinegar group had their blood glucose reduced by nearly 20 percent.
Panayota M et. a. Diabetes Care (02/10) Vol. 33, No. 2, P. 27
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