Effect of diabetes-specific oral nutritional supplements with allulose on weight and glycemic profiles in overweight or obese type 2 diabetic patients.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Diabetes-specific oral nutritional supplements (ONS) have anti-hyperglycemic effects, while D-allulose exerts anti-diabetic and anti-obesity effects. In this study, we investigated the efficacy and safety of diabetes-specific ONS, including allulose, on glycemic and weight changes in overweight or obese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). SUBJECTS/METHODS: A single-arm, historical-control pilot clinical trial was conducted on 26 overweight or obese patients with T2DM (age range: 30-70 yrs). The participants were administered 2 packs of diabetes-specific ONS, including allulose (200 kcal/200 mL), every morning for 8 weeks. The glycemic profiles, obesity-related parameters, and lipid profiles were assessed to evaluate the efficacy of ONS. RESULTS: After 8 weeks, fasting blood glucose (FBG) level significantly decreased from 139.00 ± 29.66 mg/dL to 126.08 ± 32.00 mg/dL (P = 0.007) and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) improved (7.23 ± 0.82% vs. 7.03 ± 0.69%, P = 0.041). Moreover, the fasting insulin (δ: -1.81 ± 3.61 µU/mL, P = 0.017) and homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (δ: -0.87 ± 1.57, P = 0.009) levels decreased at 8 weeks, and body weight significantly decreased from 67.20 ± 8.29 kg to 66.43 ± 8.12 kg (P = 0.008). Body mass index (BMI) also decreased in accordance with this (from 25.59 ± 1.82 kg/m2 to 25.30 ± 1.86 kg/m2, P = 0.009), as did waist circumference (δ: -1.31 ± 2.04 cm, P = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: The consumption of diabetes-specific ONS with allulose in overweight or obese patients with T2DM improved glycemic profiles, such as FBG, HbA1c, and HOMA-IR, and reduced body weight and BMI.

A pro-inflammatory diet increases the risk of sarcopenia components and inflammatory biomarkers in postmenopausal women.

Inflammation is a risk factor for muscle wasting. The dietary inflammatory index (DII) is a tool used to predict the inflammatory potential of an individual's diet. We hypothesized that consuming a potentially pro-inflammatory diet may be associated with a decreased sarcopenia component in postmenopausal women. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the association between DII, sarcopenia components (muscle mass, muscle strength, physical performance), and inflammatory biomarkers in postmenopausal women. This cross-sectional study included 70 healthy postmenopausal women aged 50 to 80 years. The DII was calculated based on 3-day food records, and participants were divided into 3 groups according to their DII score. Skeletal muscle mass was measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Muscle strength was assessed based on handgrip and leg muscle strength. Associations between DII and sarcopenia components and inflammatory biomarkers were determined using analysis of covariance and a general linear model after adjusting for potential confounders. The DII scores ranged from -6.08 to 5.82. Higher DII scores were significantly associated with decreased appendicular skeletal muscle (ASM) (ß = -0.520), height-adjusted ASM (ß = -0.116), weight-adjusted ASM (ß = -0.469), knee extensor strength (ß = -3.175), knee flexion strength (ß = -1.941), increased body fat percentage (ß = 1.238), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ß = 5.582) (all P < .05). The present study confirmed a lower DII score, indicating that an anti-inflammatory diet is associated with higher muscle mass and strength and lower levels of inflammatory biomarkers.

Dietary intake and plasma levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids in early-stage Parkinson's disease.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are important for neuronal function and may contribute to the development of neurodegenerative diseases. Here, we investigated the correlation between dietary intake and plasma concentrations of PUFA and their associations with clinical severity in early-stage Parkinson's disease (PD). In a case-control study with 38 patients with PD and 33 controls, we assessed dietary intake using food frequency questionnaires and simultaneously measured the plasma levels of five PUFA. No differences were observed in dietary total energy and lipid intake, including PUFA, between patients with PD and controls. However, α-linolenic acid (ALA), linoleic acid (LA), and arachidonic acid (AA) plasma levels were lower in patients with PD. The association between dietary intake and plasma PUFA concentrations was not significant in patients with PD. ALA and LA plasma levels were inversely correlated with motor severity in patients with PD, while docosahexaenoic acid and AA plasma levels were positively correlated with non-motor symptoms after controlling for age and sex.

Effect of Quamoclit angulata Extract Supplementation on Oxidative Stress and Inflammation on Hyperglycemia-Induced Renal Damage in Type 2 Diabetic Mice.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is caused by abnormalities of controlling blood glucose and insulin homeostasis. Especially, hyperglycemia causes hyper-inflammation through activation of NLRP3 inflammasome, which can lead to cell apoptosis, hypertrophy, and fibrosis. Quamoclit angulata (QA), one of the annual winders, has been shown ameliorative effects on diabetes. The current study investigated whether the QA extract (QAE) attenuated hyperglycemia-induced renal inflammation related to NLRP inflammasome and oxidative stress in high fat diet (HFD)-induced diabetic mice. After T2DM was induced, the mice were treated with QAE (5 or 10 mg/kg/day) by gavage for 12 weeks. The QAE supplementation reduced homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), kidney malfunction, and glomerular hypertrophy in T2DM. Moreover, the QAE treatment significantly attenuated renal NLRP3 inflammasome dependent hyper-inflammation and consequential renal damage caused by oxidative stress, apoptosis, and fibrosis in T2DM. Furthermore, QAE normalized aberrant energy metabolism (downregulation of p-AMPK, sirtuin (SIRT)-1, and PPARγ-coactivator α (PGC-1 α)) in T2DM mice. Taken together, the results suggested that QAE as a natural product has ameliorative effects on renal damage by regulation of oxidative stress and inflammation in T2DM.