Abstract:
Evidence is accumulating that most of the degenerative diseases including diabetes mellitus have their origin in deleterious free radical reactions. Humans are well endowed with antioxidant defences primarily by free radical scavengers, such as ascorbic acid, alpha–tocopherol, beta–carotene, and trace elements. Deficiencies of these micronutrients may increase susceptibility to these diseases and the associated
complications. Antioxidant vitamins (vitamins A, E and C) were estimated in one hundred and fifty (150)
non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) patients attending the outpatient clinic of the Usmanu
Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, Nigeria. The results obtained were compared to those
of One hundred and fifty (150) apparently healthy non-diabetic subjects. Serum glucose of the diabetic
patients (13.59 + 4.85mM) was significantly higher (P<0.05) than the control value (5.19 + 1.15mM).
Vitamins A, E and C concentrations were significantly lower (P<0.05) in diabetic patients. Twenty Nine
percent of the male and female diabetic patients had severe vitamin A deficiency (VAD) while 23% and
16% of them respectively had moderate VAD. The prevalence of vitamins C and E deficiencies among
NIDDM subjects was also high. The results indicated significant (P<0.05) negative correlation between
serum glucose and each of the antioxidant vitamin levels (r= -0.41, -0.5 and -0.05 for vitamins A, E
and C respectively). These results suggest that NIDDM subjects of the study area have low serum levels
of antioxidant vitamins and the concentration of these vitamins correlated negatively with blood glucose level
