Remember that the information presented here is not intended to replace the care of your own doctor. Before making any changes in the management of your own illness, you should consult your physician or other qualified medical professionals.
Question
I am under the impression that by getting rid of
sorbitol levels one can save themselves from a lot of complications, and I would like
the chemistry in the body explained. How does one
get rid of the increased level of sorbitol that is present in all people with diabetes? Can acidifying
the body in the process is causing any harm?
Answer
Too bad that diabetes control isn't this easy. You are
referring to just one of several postulated metabolic pathways that may explain
the development of longterm diabetes complications. The conversion of glucose into sorbitol is
referred to as the
polyol pathway and this metabolism is most likely to occur when
glucose levels are elevated. The cascade of metabolic events and
chemical reactions that are set off
by this conversion are too complicated to explain
here. Suffice it to say, what is
important is control of blood glucose levels. Keeping them as close to normal range as
possible prevents excess glucose from entering this pathway,
as that is what sets this off.
Many pharmaceutical companies have explored ways to interfere with the progression of the pathway or inhibiting formation of some of the damaging chemicals, such as sorbitol, but results were disappointing. Acidity has nothing to do with this pathway, as it is a cascade of internal chemical reactions leading to formation of reactive oxygen species, all set off by excess glucose levels.
slb
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