Vitamins C and Vitamin E and Cardiovascular Risk

This American Diabetes Association research project is to determine why there are discrepant results between individual studies of Vitamin E and C in both animals and humans compared with the results obtained in large randomized human trials using Vitamin E.

Subjects: The study will enroll subjects (both men and women) with type 2 diabetes of at least six months duration. An outpatient screening test will utilize the following: a complete history and physical examination, an EKG, a urine hcG (only for women of childbearing age), and the following blood tests: CBC, Chem-20, lipid profile, hemoglobin A1C, and C-peptide stimulation test. Subjects will be excluded if they have known vascular disease, uncontrolled hypertension (>140/90 mmHg) or marked hyperlipidemia (serum low density lipoprotein > 4.1 mmol/L or serum triglycerides > 7.8 mmol/L). Eligible patients must have normal electrocardiogram tracings and normal screening test results (described above). Other important exclusion criteria are cigarette smoking, volunteers taking Coumadin, and recent use of antioxidant supplements or aspirin. All patients will provide written informed consent before enrollment as approved by the University of New Mexico Human Research Review Committee.

Surrogate Markers: Based on our preliminary data and the published medical literature, it is extremely likely that vitamins C and E will modify all three contributors to atherosclerosis: Oxidative stress, Hypercoagulability, and Inflammation. Therefore, as shown in the table above, we have included standard surrogate markers for all three of these contributors.

Specific Aim: Determine the optimal oral dose of vitamin C and vitamin E relative to the consumption of an atherogenic high fat supper in type 2 diabetic individuals. These data are necessary in order to design prospective clinical trials in which vitamins are given to prevent or delay atherosclerotic events. One reason that published clinical trials demonstrate conflicting results may be the different dosages of vitamins that have been utilized. In the following study, we will utilize our high fat (simulated Big Mac) meal to assess the beneficial effects of these vitamins on surrogate markers of atherosclerosis. Three dosages of vitamins will be utilized in order to determine the optimal dosage.

The three dosages to be tested are 1) low dose - vitamin C 250mg, vitamin E 200 IU 2) medium dose - vitamin C 500 mg, vitamin E 400 IU and 3) high dose - vitamin C 1000mg, vitamin E 800 IU. The results will be compared to a control meal study in which only placebo (hence, no vitamins) is administered. The vitamins will be administered before breakfast on each study day.