The first and foremost important thing any diabetic, potential diabetic, insulin resistant or for that matter any person should consider is to stop the damage caused by Advanced Glycosylation Endproducts known as AGEs. Advanced Glycosylation Endproducts are formed when the proteins in our body are exposed to sugars particularly of sustained hyperglycemic phase. The damage of AGEs can be understood by looking at an example of how cooking food with sugar toughens them, similarly proteins in our body get inflexible by forming what are known as cross links.

Imagine how difficult it becomes for various organs to function properly if their protein fibers have become inflexible, roughened, damaged due to such cross linking of sugars and proteins. Advanced Glycosylation Endproducts are behind many degenerative disease processes suffered by diabetics and also of the general population such as cardio vascular disease, kidney disease, cataracts, retinopathy, neuropathy, Alzheimer’s Dementia, impaired wound healing etc.

It’s of paramount importance to stop this process before it gets too far damaging various organ systems of the body. It’s often an overlooked aspect in conventional world and goes without any attention till the major damages start manifesting themselves in one disease or the other. But any sensible approach should address AGEs as the first step. When the house is on fire, one does not keep asking what, when, how kind of questions, but put the flames off first and save whatever, then think of the rest. It’s kind of similar situation with diabetes and damage due to Advanced Glycosylation Endproducts.

The following are supposed to play a key role in addressing Advanced Glycosylation Endproducts.

Benfotiamine

Pyridoxamine

L-Carnosine

Acetyl-L-Carnitine

Here are the details on these ingredients in curbing the menace of Advanced Glycosylation Endproducts.

Benfotiamine

Benfotiamine (S-benzyolthiamine-O-monophosphate) is a lipid soluble,
biologically active form of thiamin (vitamin B-1). It belongs to the
family of compounds known as allithiamines, which are found in crushed
garlic. Benfotiamine raises the levels of thiamin pyrophosphate (TPP)
which is the co-enzymated form of thiamin and also stimulates
transkotelase an enzyme responsible for maintenance of normal glucose
metabolic pathways. The activation of the enzyme transketolase, turns
triosephosphates which are glucose-derived compounds into chemicals
that are harmless. Thiamin activates it at level around 20%, which
isn’t enough to stop the glucose-derived compounds accumulating in
healthy cells where as Benfotiamine increases the levels of
transketolase by 300%! Benfotiamine prevents nerve and blood-vessel
damage caused by a build-up of sugar in the tissues. Benfotiamine
helps maintain integrity and health of cells in the presence of blood
glucose and controls formation of Advanced Glycation End products
(AGEs).

Vitacost’s NSI, Source Naturals carry Benfotiamine.

Pyridoxamine

Pyridoxamine is one of the three naturally occurring vitamin B6’s along
with pyridoxal and pyridoxine. Pyridoxamine is a potent natural
substance to inhibit glycosylation. In animal models, pyridoxamine has
inhibited development and progression of diabetic nephropathy and
kidney disorders for both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. Pyridoxamine is
also useful in addressing Advanced Lipoxidation Endproducts (ALE’s)
which is thought to be a precursor to atherosclerosis.

Jarrow Formulas produces Pyridoxamine product under the name Pyridoxall.

L-Carnosine

Carnosine is a combination of the amino acids beta-alanine and l-histidine. Carnosine is an important protector against bad side effects of the very things that life depends on such as oxygen, glucose, lipids, protein, trace metals. It protects the proteins of the body by acting as an antioxidant, anti-glycating, metal chelating agent. Carnosine’s structure is supposed to resemble glycation sites on proteins, there by accepting the damage and disposing off the damaging glycation end products.

Vitacost’s NSI, Jarrow Formulas, GNC, Source Naturals carry L-Carnosine.

Acetyl-L-Carnitine

Acetyl-L-Carnitine is the biologically active form of L-Carnitine and readily crosses blood brain barrier. Acetyl-L-Carnitine has been shown in animal models to suppress glycation and reduce advanced glycation end products.

Swanson, Jarrows Formulas, Vitacost’s NSI, Source Naturals, GNC, Vitaminshoppe carry Acetyl-L-Carnitine.