SHORT COMMUNICATION Effect of thiamine administration on metabolic profile, cytokines and inflammatory markers in drug-naı ¨ve patients with type 2 diabetes Manuel Gonza ´lez-Ortiz • Esperanza Martı ´nez-Abundis • Jose ´ A. Robles-Cervantes • Viridiana Ramı ´rez-Ramı ´rez • Maria G. Ramos-Zavala Received: 24 February 2010 / Accepted: 5 July 2010 / Published online: 21 July 2010 Ó Springer-Verlag 2010 Abstract Purpose To evaluate the effect of thiamine administra- tion on metabolic profile, cytokines and inflammatory markers in drug-naı ¨ve patients with type 2 diabetes melli- tus (T2DM). Methods A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, pilot-scale clinical trial was carried out in 24 patients with T2DM. Twelve subjects received thiamine orally (150 mg), once daily during a fasting state for 1 month. An additional 12 patients (control group) were given placebo for the same period of time. Before and after the intervention, fasting glucose, A1C, creatinine, total chol- esterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, very low-density lipo- protein, high-sensitive C-reactive protein, interleukin 6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, leptin and adiponectin levels were estimated. Wilcoxon’s signed-rank and Mann–Whitney U test were used for statistical analyses. Results There were significant decreases in glucose (6.7 ± 1.0 mmol/l vs. 6.0 ± 1.0 mmol/l, p = 0.024) before and after the intervention, respectively, and leptin concentrations (32.9 ± 13.3 ng/ml vs. 26.9 ± 12.8 ng/ml, p = 0.027) before and after the intervention, respectively, with thiamine administration. There were no changes with the rest of the measurements. Conclusions Thiamine administration for 1 month decreased glucose and leptin concentrations in drug-naı ¨ve patients with T2DM. Keywords Thiamine Á Metabolic profile Á Cytokines Á Inflammatory markers Á Type 2 diabetes Introduction Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has become a worldwide health problem with a significant impact due to its high prevalence of microvascular complications (nephropathy, retinopathy and peripheral neuropathy) and macrovascular complications (cardiovascular disease and stroke) that decrease quality and expectations of life, as well as being a major financial burden for the family and for healthcare institutions [1]. Inflammation and other pathways of biochemical dys- function including cytokine increase have been implicated as important etiological factors in the development of both T2DM and the acceleration of its complications. These findings have emerged from recent advances in the understanding of cell biology of diabetes and diabetic complications [2]. Thiamine (vitamin B1) is an essential cofactor in most organisms and is required during several stages of anabolic and catabolic intermediary metabolism such as intracellular glucose metabolism. Thiamine acts as a coenzyme for transketolase and for the pyruvate dehydro- genase and a-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase complex, enzymes that play a fundamental role in intracellular glu- cose metabolism [3]. Plasma- and tissue-specific thiamine M. Gonza ´lez-Ortiz (&) Á E. Martı ´nez-Abundis Á J. A. Robles-Cervantes Á V. Ramı ´rez-Ramı ´rez Á M. G. Ramos-Zavala Cardiovascular Research Unit, Physiology Department, Health Science University Center, University of Guadalajara and Medical Research Unit in Clinical Epidemiology, Specialties Hospital, Medical Unit of High Specialty, West National Medical Center, Mexican Institute of Social Security, Montes Urales 1409, 44340 Guadalajara, Colonia Independencia, Mexico e-mail: uiec@prodigy.net.mx 123 Eur J Nutr (2011) 50:145–149 DOI 10.1007/s00394-010-0123-x