Figure 1

Experimental protocol. Two day old neonatal male and female Wistar rats were injected with 100 mg/kg of streptozotocin (STZ) (n = 69) or its vehicle (n = 38) to induce experimental diabetes mellitus. At week 4, fasting blood glucose measurement and an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) were performed in order to verify the development of diabetes mellitus. Both non-diabetic (n = 38) and diabetic rats (n = 40) were then fed with a mixture of vitamins, minerals, and trace elements (MVT or vehicle for eight weeks). Fasting blood glucose measurement was performed in every second week and OGTT at week 4, 8 and 12 to monitor the effect of MVT treatment on diabetes mellitus. Serum insulin and hemoglobinA1c level were measured at week 12 as well.