INFLUENCE OF THIAMINE ON BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS IN DIABETIC PATIENTS

Abstract

In the past few years there has been considerable interest in the relationship between carbohydrate metabolism and vitamin B₁. As Williams and Spies¹ pointed out in their recent monograph: "There is convincing evidence of frequent disturbances of glycogen storage and blood sugar in B₁ avitaminosis. Further indications of this are found in clinical experience. A hyperglycemia and glycosuria in depancreatized dogs which does not respond to insulin but is cured by thiamin plus riboflavin has been reported. The whole matter of vitamin B¹ deficiency in relation to sugar disturbances requires further study, as the evidence of some association of the two is strong but still obscure." Monauni² claimed that thiamine is a two-sided regulator of blood sugar, raising the level when it is subnormal and lowering it when it is elevated. Several authors³ have shown that thiamine lowers the level of blood sugar and improves the sugar tolerance curve. Unfortunately,