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Page: << Prev | 1 | 2 Eating the high-fat meal without vitamins caused performance to fall in verbal recall and working memory when tested 105 minutes later, compared to the water-only meal. After eating the high-fat meal, participants showed more forgetfulness of words and paragraph information in recall tests.
But when they ate the high-fat meal and took the vitamins, their performance was as good as after the water-only session, Chui said.
The vitamins are thought to work by reducing oxidative stress, which is triggered when levels of free radicals, unstable molecules that can damage brain and other tissues, are elevated. Eating unhealthy foods induces oxidative stress. Having type 2 diabetes is also associated with oxidative stress, which in turn is associated with vascular problems.
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The study produced interesting results, said Lona Sandon, an assistant professor at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. But she offered several caveats: The study was small, with only 16 participants. Comparing performance after a meal with vitamins to performance after having only water is not the best idea, she said.
"Of course, they would perform poorly with water only; there is no glucose getting to their brains," she explained.
"Type 2 diabetics are encouraged to avoid high-fat meals and choose plenty of fruits and vegetables high in antioxidants," she said.
More study is definitely needed, said Connie Diekman, director of university nutrition at Washington University in St. Louis. Among the unanswered questions: "The meal consumed was not a typical meal, so would the vitamins have similar effect on a more typical meal?"
If anything, Sandon said, the study reinforces standard advice that those with type 2 diabetes should avoid high-fat, rapidly absorbed carbohydrate meals for heart health, blood sugar control, and possibly brain health.
More information
To learn more about healthy eating with diabetes, visit the American Diabetes Association.
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