All concepts, explanations, trials, and studies have been re-written in plain English and may contain errors. I am not a doctor ----------------------------------------------------------- NOTE: You can make the print bigger with the font button on your browser! (It's usually a big "A") ----------------------------------------------------------- Jon: This points out that exercising and taking amino acid supplements like taurine, carnitine, arginine, and creatine may be more important for CHFers with diabetes. For dose and more, see chfpatients.com/stew/nutrients.htm. ----------------------------------------------------------- Exercise and Diabetes February 2005 - The heart normally uses blood sugar for much of its energy. Studies show that reduced blood sugar use by the heart worsens diabetics' heart failure. We studied if regular exercise improves blood sugar use in diabetic rat hearts. We gave rats diabetes using IV streptozotocin. After 10 weeks of treadmill exercise, the heart's blood sugar use and heart function were tested during exercise and then subjected to one hour of reduced blood flow (ischemia). After that, the rat hearts were returned to normal blood flow. Compared to controls, the diabetic hearts used blood sugar for energy less effectively. Diabetes was also marked by reduced heart function. After regular exercise training, the hearts' use of sugar improved and heart function improved compared to non-exercised diabetic hearts. During reduced blood flow to the heart (ischemia), the hearts' use of blood sugar for energy was improved by exercise training. Blood sugar use stayed better in exercise- trained diabetic rats than in non-exercised rats. Exercise rats also had more recovery of heart function after ischemia. Our results show that exercise training improves the hearts' reduced ability to use blood sugar for energy usually seen in diabetic rats (and people). Exercise may help prevent heart dysfunction in diabetes. Title: Exercise training restores abnormal myocardial glucose utilization and cardiac function in diabetes. Authors: Broderick TL, Poirier P, Gillis M. Source: Diabetes Metab Res Rev. 2005 Jan-Feb;21(1):44-50. PMID: 15386820. ============================================================ Patients with diabetes have more than 3 times the risk for heart events caused by lack of blood flow to the heart (ischemia) - and for heart failure. Diabetes causes profound changes in the heart's metabolism, including reduced use of blood sugar for energy with more use of fatty acids for energy. Very few studies exist on amino acid disturbances at the level of the heart. Changes in the heart's amino acid level and the way the heart uses use amino acids may cause reduced energy reserve and may change the amount of proteins needed for the heart to beat properly. Source: Am J Cardiol. 2004 Apr 22;93(8A):13A-16A. Title: Diabetic cardiomyopathy: a metabolic perspective. Authors: Avogaro A, Vigili de Kreutzenberg S, Negut C, Tiengo A, Scognamiglio R. PMID: 15094099.