ABSTRACT
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a group of diseases characterized by hyperglycemia and varying degrees of an insufficient insulin effect. Chronic hyperglycemia alters the metabolism of carbohydrate, fat, and protein, and ultimately produces complications. The hydrophilic properties of the glucose molecule produce tremendous shifts in serum osmolarity, causing increased vasopressin secretion, generalized vascular dysfunction, and irreversible glycosylation of proteins resulting in protein, lipoprotein, enzymes, and DNA dysfunction. With diabetes, a diverse array of hormonal, metabolic, and molecular alterations instigates and perpetuates a pathophysiological state that can markedly compromise a patient’s quality of life. In this chapter, a clinical and biochemical framework will be outlined that reveals potential sites for nutritional intervention.
