A new study looking into the therapeutic potential of both Pterostilbene (PTS) and Resveratrol (RSV), both of which are chemically related, found that these stilbenoids may bring relief and provide treatment to those who are affected by diabetes.

In the U.S., nearly 10% of the population is affected by diabetes in all age groups, and an equal percentage is thought to be undiagnosed.

The study, recently published in Evidence Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, found that Pterostilbene (PTS) is effective in reducing blood glucose levels, increasing serum insulin levels, and controlling weight loss. The five-week study observed  several groups of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats whose gastrocnemius muscles were observed biomechanically as well as histologically, and blood samples were analyzed for blood glucose, serum insulin, and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels.

PTS was compared to and combined with (RSV) in the therapeutic treatment of the many complications that are associated with diabetes such as damage to contractility, morphology, and structure of skeletal muscles. In this area, PTS significantly outshined RSV and even showed evidence of  major reversal effects on skeletal infirmities. These findings suggest that treatments using antioxidants may have good therapeutic nutraceutical potential for some of the muscle diseases associated with diabetes.

This wasn’t the only place that PTS excelled, however. The study also showed that PTS outperformed RSV. Blood glucose, serum insulin, and MDA levels in diabetic rats were found to be closer to normal when PTS was applied. From this,  researchers were able to conclude that PTS, in relation to RSV, is more effective when given at the same dose, and therefore more nutraceutically advantageous.

RSV is not to be dismissed as a viable option for treatment, however, as it was also found that antioxidant treatments using RSV were effective at increasing insulin sensitivity, developing mitochondrial functions, and providing protection against cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases.  It was also proven to be helpful as the group who was administered a matching dose of both antioxidants did better than all other groups, showing that Resveratrol is still a valuable option in the treatment of type 1 diabetes mellitus.

In a press release provided by Sabinsa, the company that provided the Pterostilbene and Resveratrol used in this study, Nagabhushanam Kalyanam, PhD, Sabinsa’s President of Research and Development, said, “ While pharmaceutical treatments continue to evolve to contain the effects of the disease, sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy diets increase the diabetes population. Dietary supplementation is a robust add-on method to control the effects of diabetes without side-effect.”