07.29.21
Long-term green tea extract supplementation may be beneficial in cases of diabetes-related peripheral neuropathy (DPN), a type of nerve damage that occurs in relation to elevated blood glucose levels, according to a newly published study appearing in the journal Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice.
With more than 200,000 cases per year, DPN can present itself as mild, but for others, can be painful and debilitating, and available treatments, which predominantly target blood glucose control as a means of mitigating the symptoms, have limited efficacy, the authors of the study said.
Previous clinical trials have suggested that potent antioxidants, such as the polyphenol-rich green tea extract, could attenuate the oxidative damage to nerves associated with DPN, and potentially be beneficial in managing symptoms, especially when used in conjunction with treatment for type II diabetes.
In the study, researchers recruited 194 patients with DPN, who were randomized to either receive green tea extract daily or a placebo for a duration of 16 weeks. As the trial went on, measurements were taken of the patients’ scores in the Toronto Clinical Scoring System, with sensorineural pain also measured using the visual analog scale. Neural dysfunction was evaluated using the vibration perception thresholds. These tests were each conducted at 4, 8, and 16 weeks after the onset of treatment.
The authors of the study noted that by week 8, the green tea extract group had significant improvements in all three tests regarding pain and neural dysfunction, which became even more pronounced at the end of the study duration.
With more than 200,000 cases per year, DPN can present itself as mild, but for others, can be painful and debilitating, and available treatments, which predominantly target blood glucose control as a means of mitigating the symptoms, have limited efficacy, the authors of the study said.
Previous clinical trials have suggested that potent antioxidants, such as the polyphenol-rich green tea extract, could attenuate the oxidative damage to nerves associated with DPN, and potentially be beneficial in managing symptoms, especially when used in conjunction with treatment for type II diabetes.
In the study, researchers recruited 194 patients with DPN, who were randomized to either receive green tea extract daily or a placebo for a duration of 16 weeks. As the trial went on, measurements were taken of the patients’ scores in the Toronto Clinical Scoring System, with sensorineural pain also measured using the visual analog scale. Neural dysfunction was evaluated using the vibration perception thresholds. These tests were each conducted at 4, 8, and 16 weeks after the onset of treatment.
The authors of the study noted that by week 8, the green tea extract group had significant improvements in all three tests regarding pain and neural dysfunction, which became even more pronounced at the end of the study duration.
