Abstract:
Hyperglycemia of diabetes has been
implicated in increased tissue oxidative stress, with
consequent development of secondary complications.
Thus, stabilizing glucose levels near normal levels is of utmost importance. Because diet influences
glycemic control, this study investigated whether a
low-carbohydrate (5.5%) diet confers beneficial effects
on the oxidative status of the heart, kidney, and liver
in diabetes. Male and female normal and diabetic
rats were fed standard chow (63% carbohydrates) or
low-carbohydrate diet for 30 days. Elevated glucose,
HbA1c, and alanine and aspartate aminotransferases
in diabetic animals were reduced or normalized by
the low-carbohydrate diet. While diabetes increased
cardiac activities of glutathione peroxidase and catalase, low-carbohydrate diet normalized cardiac glutathione peroxidase activity in diabetic animals, and
reduced catalase activity in females. Diabetic rats fed
low-carbohydrate diet had altered activities of renal
glutathione reductase and superoxide dismutase, but
increased renal glutathione peroxidase activity in diabetic animals was not corrected by the test diet. In the
liver, diabetes was associated with a decrease in catalase activity and glutathione levels and an increase in
glutathione peroxidase and γ -glutamyltranspeptidase
activities. Decreased hepatic glutathione peroxidase activity and lipid peroxidation were noted in diet-treated
diabetic rats. Overall, the low-carbohydrate diet helped
stabilize hyperglycemia and did not produce overtly
negative effects in tissues of normal or diabetic rats.
