The reduction after supplementation of Aloe vera L. gel
powder could be due to the presence of high molecular
weight polysaccharides or phytosterols in the Aloe vera.
Significant (p≤0.01) decrease was observed in biophysical
parameters like systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood
pressure. First treatment i.e. supplementation of 100 mg and
200 mg of Aloe vera L. gel powder significantly (p≤0.01)
reduced the fasting blood glucose (130.9 mg% to 122.1 mg
% and 134.6 mg% to 118.8 mg%) and post prandial blood
glucose (188.0 mg% to 167.8 mg% and 189.7 mg% to
153.5 mg%) in the subjects of group II and III (Table 6).
Trace elements like zinc, chromium, magnesium and
manganese also play an important role in the management
of diabetes mellitus by enhancing the effectiveness of
insulin. Rajendran et al. (2007) also reported the role of
these inorganic elements in the improvement of impaired
glucose tolerance, their indirect role in the management of
diabetes mellitus and hypoglycemia. In second treatment ie
nutrition intervention, reduction in fasting and post prandial
blood glucose level was more as compared to the first
treatment in which only supplementation was done.
Nutrition intervention reduced the fasting blood glucose
(116.0 mg% and 113.9 mg%) and post prandial glucose
level (153.3 mg% and 136.9 mg%) of the subjects of group
II and III respectively (Table 6). This further reduction
could be due to the nutrition counselling imparted to the
subjects in group II and III. Sook et al. (2001) also reported
that elderly diabetics showed significantly improved food
habit scores with changes of food habits after the nutrition
education.