Keep diabetic eyes healthy
DIABETES mellitus has become an epidemic which affects an estimated 387 million people worldwide and a staggering 4.9 million died from it last year.
This means in every seven seconds a person dies from diabetes mellitus, according to The International Diabetes Federation.
In fact, in South-East Asia, almost half of those with diabetes are undiagnosed.
Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease that occurs when the body cannot produce sufficient insulin or is unable to use insulin effectively.
A person with diabetes is unable to properly synthesise the insulin, causing glucose from carbohydrates to remain circulating in the blood and this damages body cells overtime.
Such damage can lead to disabling and life-threatening health complications.
A slight increase in blood glucose level may not cause any obvious symptoms yet it has long-term damaging effects on small and large blood vessels, nerves and organs, such as the eyes, kidneys and heart.
This is commonly known as diabetic complications.
All forms of diabetes – types I and II – increase the risk of long-term complications.
They typically develop after 10 to 20 years of diagnosis.
The major long-term complications are related to blood vessels or capillary damage.
Diabetic retinopathy, which affects capillary formation in the retina of the eye, can lead to visual impairment, including reduced vision and even blindness.
When diabetes is poorly controlled, these capillaries become weaker and leak fluids into the retina.
This affects nutrient and oxygen supply to cells in retina and the excretion of waste products.
The retina cells begin to die, resulting in vision impairment.
An impressive efficacy evidence of procyanidins – an extract of French maritime pine bark or widely known as Pycnogenol – is published in scientific article of International Ophthalmology, showed significant results in saving the eyesight of retinopathy patients.
When 1,169 subjects with type I and II diabetes and retinopathy were supplemented with Pycnogenol, the outcome demon- strated an effective halt in vision loss progression over a six-month period.
Another study found that Pycnogenol significantly lowered retinal bleeding after two months with some improvement of visual acuity.
The pharmacologic activities suggest Pycnogenol to possess various modes of action, making it suitable to control retinopathy and prevent further damage.
Pycnogenol is a powerful antioxidant, a natural anti-inflammatory agent, a selective binder to collagen, and it aids in the process that maintains vascular homeostasis by facilitating vasodilation action.
With that, retinal blood flow velocity improves and so does the vision of diabetic individuals.
Pycnogenol also benefits in controlling blood sugar level by blocking starch breakdown in the intestine.
This slows down glucose absorption and helps level off the blood glucose flux throughout the day.
Pycnogenol also stimulates cells to take up excess glucose from the blood and further reduces the blood glucose level in diabetic individual.
Pycnogenol possesses amazing benefits in preventing diabetic complications, especially in retinopathy and controlling the blood glucose levels with its antioxidant properties.
This can be an alternative for individuals with diabetes to manage their lives healthily.
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