As we age the lining of the carotid arteries thicken (intima media thickening). This just like hardening of the arteries increases the risk of stroke and heart attack. In this new, 3-year long study, young adult patients between the ages of 40 to 46 had the thickness of their carotid artery lining measured via precise Ultrasound-B Imaging; a technique accepted world wide for detecting earlier stages of arterial damage.

Scientists at the Hugh Sinclair Unit of Human Nutrition, The University of Reading working in conjunction with physicians in private practice enrolled 79 patients with type 2 diabetes who were taking diabetes medication. 71% of these patients also took medication for high blood pressure. They gave 39 of these patients Hawthorne Extract on a daily basis for 16 weeks while 40 patients received look-alike but inactive placebo.

In this pilot study people with marginally high blood pressure (140/90) were given 2,000mg of Vitamin C a day, or 2,500mg of Garlic a day, or both Vitamin C and Garlic for 10 days. The scientists from Albany College of Pharmacy found that Garlic at this potency significantly lowered the systolic blood pressure (the top reading of your blood pressure) but had no effect on diastolic blood pressure. Vitamin C alone affected neither value.

In this study diabetic women were split into different groups and their Carnitine levels were checked. The groups consisted of diabetics without complications, or a second group split into subgroups of patients with retinopathy, or elevated blood fats, or neuropathic nerve pain. The patients with complications had 25% lower Carnitine levels on average and their cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, blood pressure (both systolic and diastolic) triglycerides, and blood sugar were higher than the group without complications.

Low blood levels of Zinc may predispose the general public to cardiovascular diseases. This study was conducted to look at the effect of Zinc levels in type 2 diabetics. The study included 1,059 type 2 diabetics, aged 45-64 years, who were followed for 7 years.