L-cysteine supplementation as an adjuvant therapy for type-2 diabetes.
Diabetes remains a major public health issue. According to the American Diabetes Association, 23.5 million, or 10.7% of people in the USA aged 20 years and older, have diabetes. Type-2 diabetes is treated both by controlling the diet and with oral hypoglycemic drugs. However, for many patients, achieving a tight control of glucose is difficult with current regimens. This chapter discusses a relatively low-cost dietary supplement that could be used as an adjuvant therapy for type-2 diabetes. A review of the literature indicates that cysteine-rich whey protein improves glucose metabolism in diabetic animals and type-2 diabetic patients. Similarly, in animal studies, improvement in glucose metabolism is observed after supplementation with L-cysteine, or molecules containing a cysteine moiety. This chapter discusses the biochemical mechanisms by which L-cysteine can upregulate the insulin-dependent signaling cascades of glucose metabolism. Further studies are needed to examine whether clinical interventions using L-cysteine as an adjuvant therapy indeed help to control glycemia and vascular inflammation in the diabetic patient population.
Department of Pediatrics, LSU Health Sciences Center, Shreveport, LA 71130, USA. sjain@lsuhsc.edu
Sushil K
SK
Jain
D000818:Animals; D003545:Cysteine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000178:diet therapy*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D015854:Up-Regulation
D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D005947:Glucose; D003545:Cysteine