Written by Angeline A. De Leon, Staff Writer. A twelve-week supplementation with L-carnosine significantly improved markers of oxidative stress and renal function in the ninety participating pediatric patients with diabetic nephropathy.

diabetesCarnosine is an amino acid naturally produced by the body and concentrated in the tissues of the heart, brain, and muscle 1. Noted for its potent antioxidant, free radical scavenging effects, carnosine functions as a critical anti-aging nutrient 2 with a unique role in the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes 3,4. Not only does the protein building block lower elevated glucose levels and inhibit oxidative stress in diabetic patients 5, it also protects against serious complications associated with diabetes, including kidney disease 6. When high blood sugar levels damage the blood vessels in the kidney which filter out the waste from blood, diabetic nephropathy (diabetic kidney disease) may occur, indicated by the presence of the protein albumin in the urine 7. Countering the progression of diabetic nephropathy requires the strategic reduction of oxidative stress, and although carnosine shows promising health benefits for patients with diabetic kidney disease, the evidence to support its recommendation as a supplement is still insufficient. Researchers in Cairo, Egypt (2017) investigated the use of carnosine as an adjuvant therapy for patients with diabetic nephropathy, evaluating its impact on renal integrity and oxidative stress.

A 12-week, prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted involving a total of 90 pediatric patients (aged 9-18 years) with diabetic nephropathy. Subjects were randomly allocated to receive either 12 weeks of carnosine supplementation (1g per day) or matching placebo. At the end of the intervention, peripheral blood samples were collected for biochemical analyses. Researchers assessed the following parameters to determine renal function and markers of oxidative stress: hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c, measure of blood glucose levels), urinary albumin excretion (UAE), alpha 1-microglobulin (A1M, marker of renal abnormality), malondialdehyde (MDA, indicator of lipid peroxidation, oxidative stress) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC, representing antioxidant response against free radicals).

A 12-week treatment with carnosine produced significant decreases in HbA1c (8.2 +/- 2.1% vs. 7.4 +/- 1.3%), UAE (91.7 vs. 38.5 mg/g creatinine), A1M (16.5 +/- 6.8 vs. 9.3 +/- 6.6 mg/L), and MDA (25.5 +/- 8.1 vs. 18.2 +/- 7.7 nmol/mL) levels, as well as an increase in TAC levels (2.6 +/- 0.7 vs. 3.4 +/- 1.0 mmol/L), when compared to baseline levels (p < 0.001) and the placebo group (p < 0.001).

Overall findings support the renoprotective effect of carnosine on diabetes-related kidney disease. As an adjuvant therapy, the potent antioxidant properties of carnosine appear to produce significant improvement in oxidative stress, glycemic control, and renal function. Oral supplementation with carnosine as a strategy for treating diabetic nephropathy should be further studied in adult and geriatric populations.

Source: Elbarbary NS, Ismail EAR, El-Naggar AR, et al. The effect of 12 weeks carnosine supplementation on renal functional integrity and oxidative stress in pediatric patients with diabetic nephropathy: a randomized placebo-controlled trial. Pediatric Diabetes. 2017: 1-8. DOI: 10.1111/pedi.12564.

© 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Posted August 14, 2017.

Angeline A. De Leon, MA, graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2010, completing a bachelor’s degree in psychology, with a concentration in neuroscience. She received her master’s degree from The Ohio State University in 2013, where she studied clinical neuroscience within an integrative health program. Her specialized area of research involves the complementary use of neuroimaging and neuropsychology-based methodologies to examine how lifestyle factors, such as physical activity and meditation, can influence brain plasticity and enhance overall connectivity.

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