The C.A.M. Report
Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Fair, Balanced, and to the Point
  • About this web log

    This blog ran from 2006 to 2016 and was intended as an objective and dispassionate source of information on the latest CAM research. Since my background is in pharmacy and allopathic medicine, I view all CAM as advancing through the development pipeline to eventually become integrated into mainstream medical practice. Some will succeed while others fail. But all are treated fairly here.

  • About the author

    John Russo, Jr., PharmD, is president of The MedCom Resource, Inc. Previously, he was senior vice president of medical communications at www.Vicus.com, a complementary and alternative medicine website.

  • Common sense considerations

    The material on this weblog is for informational purposes. It is not medical advice or counsel. Be smart, consult your health professional before using CAM.

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    Linolenic acid lowers the risk of peripheral neuropathy in diabetics

    Alpha-linolenic acid is an omega-3 fatty acid found in many vegetable oils, including flaxseed, walnuts, and canola oil.

    Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Maryland reviewed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). They focused on adults with diabetes who were evaluated for peripheral neuropathy.

    And the results.

    • The average daily dietary intake of linolenic acid was 1.25 grams among adults with peripheral neuropathy.
    • This was significantly lower than the 1.45-gram intake among those without peripheral neuropathy.
    • After adjusting for potentially confounding factors, diabetics with the highest intake of linolenic acid had the lowest odds of peripheral neuropathy compared to those who ate the least.

    The bottom line?
    Another positive fatty acid study.

    Co-author Dr. Mark Eberhardt from the National Center for Health Statistics in Hyattsville, Maryland concluded, “High dietary intake of alpha-linolenic acid is associated with reduced risk of vascular disease (coronary heart disease and hypertension). The protective effect of alpha-linolenic acid on macrovascular diseases and its association with diabetic peripheral neuropathy may be due to a similar biological mechanism.”

    1/15/08 19:10 JR

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