A Vegan Diet Is Beneficial for Patients with Diabetic Neuropathy
A Vegan Diet Is Beneficial for Patients with Diabetic Neuropathy – A small study found that a vegan diet can help alleviate the symptoms of diabetic neuropathy and may prevent the loss of limbs.
Diabetes can lead to diabetic neuropathy, a serious complication in which high blood sugar can impede blood circulation and damage nerve fibers throughout the body, but generally in legs and feet. Cuts and sores in legs and feet can take longer to heal and become infected, and may need to be amputated to prevent the infection from spreading. Other symptoms include burning, tingling, weakness and pain in hands or feet, dizziness, and changes in digestion or urination.
There is no cure for diabetic neuropathy; treatment aims to ease symptoms and prevent further damage to nerves. According to researchers, a vegan diet can be as helpful as medication for the disease.
For the study, researchers put 17 overweight patients with diabetic neuropathy on a 20-week vegan diet of fresh vegetables, and high-fiber foods such as beans and whole grains. The patients received nutritional guidance and took vitamin B12 supplement which is important for proper nerve function. The control group involved 17 patients who maintained their non-vegan diet but took the vitamin B12 supplement.
At the end of the study period, researchers found that when compared to the control group, patients on the vegan diet experienced greater pain relief, improvement in blood circulation and nerve function, and also lost an average of 14 pounds. Their blood sugar levels also improved, allowing them to lower their medication dose.
According to Cameron Wells, a registered dietitian at the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM)and one of the authors of the study, many patients were struck by how quickly they lost weight and improved their glycemic control on the plant-based diet.
The study was conducted by PCRM, a non-profit organization that promotes preventive medicine and a vegan diet, and was published in the journal Nutrition & Diabetes.
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