Histidine and carnosine delay diabetic deterioration in mice and protect human low density lipoprotein against oxidation and glycation
Laboratory studyOther animalsWith histidine (tested in parallel arms)
This study tested carnosine together with histidine (tested in parallel arms). Its results cannot be assigned to carnosine alone. More combination studies.
- Design
- Laboratory study
- Dose used in the study
- 0.5 or 1 g/L histidine or carnosine in drinking water
- Duration
- 4 weeks
- What was measured
- Plasma glucose, insulin and fibronectin; heart and liver triglyceride and cholesterol; kidney and liver catalase, glutathione peroxidase and lipid oxidation; IL-6 and TNF-alpha in diabetic Balb/cA mice; oxidation and glycation of human LDL in vitro.
What the authors reported
Four weeks of histidine or carnosine raised their content in plasma, heart and liver and lowered plasma glucose and fibronectin; only the 1 g/L doses raised insulin and lowered cholesterol. Triglycerides fell dose-dependently, catalase rose and lipid oxidation fell in kidney and liver, and IL-6 and TNF-alpha were suppressed. In vitro, both agents dose-dependently suppressed glucose-induced oxidation and glycation of human LDL.
Limits of this study
Mouse diabetes model with drinking-water dosing; histidine acted similarly, so effects are not specific to carnosine. Rodents lack serum carnosinase, so oral results do not carry over to people. Abstract only.
Source
PubMed 15878720 · doi:10.1016/j.ejphar.2005.02.010
Entry checked against PubMed abstract (E-utilities) on 2026-10-19. The dose shown is the dose the researchers used. It is not a recommendation. How to read this page.