ABSTRACT
A majority of hospitalizations for complications of diabetes are linked to cardiovascular diseases, and heart failure is the serious comorbidity of diabetes mellitus. Cardiac complications during diabetes mellitus are mostly associated with vascular complications, but there are cases without signicant coronary obstruction suggesting the existence of diabetic cardiomyopathy (Hamblin et al. 2007). Using various medicaments for its treatment is the available option, but it will be fascinating to realize the involvement of dietary factors in either treatment or prevention of these diabetic cardiac complications such as diabetic cardiomyopathy. Oxidative stress, which is mediated by several reactive species and free radicals, is implicated in the progression of diabetic complications. It begins during the early stages of the disease and worsens with its progression. As oxidative stress can affect both vascular and metabolic functions, it can mediate diabetic cardiomyopathy via impaired glucose and lipid metabolism in the cardiac tissue (Wiernsperger 2003). There are reports suggesting both physiological and pathological roles for the oxidative stress mediators such
9.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 127 9.2 Dietary Adjustments ............................................................................................................. 128
9.2.1 Amino Acids ........................................................................................................... 128 9.2.2 Fatty Acids .............................................................................................................. 129 9.2.3 Vitamins ................................................................................................................. 129 9.2.4 Minerals .................................................................................................................. 130 9.2.5 Dietary Flavonoids.................................................................................................. 131 9.2.6 α-Lipoic Acid ......................................................................................................... 132 9.2.7 Reduced Folic Acid Derivatives ............................................................................. 132 9.2.8 Melatonin ................................................................................................................ 132 9.2.9 Ginseng ................................................................................................................... 132 9.2.10 Garlic and S-Allyl Cysteine .................................................................................... 133
9.3 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................ 133 References ...................................................................................................................................... 133
as free radicals and reactive species, so targeting oxidative stress is a debate over several years in the treatment of diabetic cardiomyopathy. Treatment with antioxidants has provided both positive and negative results during these pathological conditions. Thus, it will be of interest to know the structure and function of each antioxidant along with its concentration achieved at the site of action as these factors can affect their property in vivo. In addition, the selection of a suitable antioxidant for specic conditions has an important value in the treatment. Instead, if modication of the dietary factors could provide some benecial effects against the progression of diabetic cardiomyopathy, patients will get additional benet along with their regular therapy. We can discuss various dietary components studied for their effects on diabetic cardiomyopathy due to their antioxidant and other specic properties, which may provide a useful means for picking a suitable dietary element to be either supplemented or shunned from the regular diet of a diabetic patient.
