A vitamin treatment may help prevent patients with diabetes developing kidney disease, researchers have reported.
High doses of B1 seem to prevent the early signs of disease, according to a study involving British and Pakistani researchers.
A study involving some 40 patients showed that high doses of B1 – thiamine – showed a reduction on the syptoms of early kidney disease, measured by the protein albumin, which is found in the urine.
The patients all had type 2 – or late onset – diabetes. Researchers found that about a third of the patients who received the vitamin rather than a dummy pill returned to normal levels of albumin.
Patients took 300mg of the vitamin a day.
Researchers at Warwick University, UK, worked with the University of Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan, on the project, reported on-line in the journal Diabetologia.
The Warwick team said the research followed a finding that people with diabetes 2 have a vitamin B1 deficiency – and they now plan to establish a foundation to improive education and research in the topic.
Researcher Dr Naila Rabbani said: "This study once again highlights the importance of Vitamin B1 and we need to increase awareness."
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