Improvement effect of resistant maltodextrin in humans with metabolic syndrome by continuous administration.

Resistant maltodextrin (RMD) is a soluble dietary fiber ingredient whose physiological functions are well recognized in Foods for Specified Health Use (FOSHU) for maintaining healthy intestinal regularity, blood glucose levels, and serum lipids. However, its efficacy on combined health risks--metabolic syndrome--was not studied yet. In this study the efficacy of RMD on humans with metabolic syndrome was investigated. A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled parallel-group trial was conducted. Thirty subjects with metabolic syndrome were randomly allocated into 2 groups and took either tea containing 9 g of RMD (treatment group) or placebo tea at three mealtimes daily for 12 wk. Blood was collected and body fat was scanned periodically. In the RMD treatment group, waist circumference, visceral fat area, fasting blood glucose, HOMA-R and serum triacylglycerol (TG) were significantly decreased compared to baseline, and significant time-by-treatment interaction was observed for waist circumference, visceral fat area, HOMA-R and serum TG (p=0.044, p=0.012, p=0.032, and p=0.049, respectively). The change ratio of visceral fat area showed negative statistical correlation with the baseline value (p=0.033), suggesting that efficacy of RMD was emphasized in the subjects having a larger visceral fat area. After the 12-wk RMD treatment, the total number of metabolic syndrome risk factors decreased to 20 from 32 with 2 subjects having no risks, while that of the placebo group decreased to 25 from 32. These findings suggest that continuous ingestion of RMD may improve the risk factors of metabolic syndrome by reducing visceral fat and improving glucose and lipid metabolism.

A catechin-rich beverage improves obesity and blood glucose control in patients with type 2 diabetes.

We investigated the effects of continuous ingestion of a catechin-rich beverage in patients with type 2 diabetes who were not receiving insulin (Ins) therapy in a double-blind controlled study. The participants ingested green tea containing either 582.8 mg of catechins (catechin group; n = 23) or 96.3 mg of catechins (control group; n = 20) per day for 12 weeks. At week 12, the decrease in waist circumference was significantly greater in the catechin group than in the control group. Adiponectin, which is negatively correlated with visceral adiposity, increased significantly only in the catechin group. Although the increase in Ins at week 12 was significantly greater in the catechin group than in the control group, no apparent difference was noted between the two groups in glucose and hemoglobin A(1c). In patients treated with insulinotropic agents, the increase in Ins at week 12 was significantly greater in the catechin group than in the control group. This significant increase in Ins levels was observed only in the catechin group. In the catechin group receiving other treatments, Ins levels remained unchanged. In addition, in patients treated with insulinotropic agents, the decrease in hemoglobin A(1c) at week 12 was significantly greater in the catechin group than in the control group. These results suggest that a catechin-rich beverage might have several therapeutic uses: in the prevention of obesity; in the recovery of Ins-secretory ability; and, as a way to maintain low hemoglobin A(1c) levels in type 2 diabetic patients who do not yet require Ins therapy.

Diacylglycerol oil ingestion in type 2 diabetic patients with hypertriglyceridemia.

OBJECTIVE: Coronary arteriosclerotic heart disease frequently develops in patients with diabetes. Decreases in [corrected] serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) [corrected] concentration and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particle size, accompanied by hypertriglyceridemia, are associated with the onset of atherosclerosis. We recently reported that hypertriglyceridemia was significantly improved in patients with type 2 diabetes who ingested diacylglycerol (DAG) oil. The effect on variables, including LDL particle size related to lipid metabolism, however, was not examined. The present study investigated the effects on these variables in more detail. METHODS: Patients with type 2 diabetes (n = 24) were assigned to receive DAG oil or triacylglycerol oil, and a 3-mo, single-blind, controlled study was performed. Patients replaced cooking oil in their daily diet with DAG or triacylglycerol oil, and anthropometry and blood sampling were performed at monthly intervals. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in calorie intake or amount of test oil ingested between groups. Waist circumference and serum triacylglycerol concentrations were significantly lower and serum concentrations of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and apolipoprotein-AI were significantly higher in the DAG oil group than in the triacylglycerol oil group. Plasma plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 concentrations were significantly lower in the DAG oil group. LDL particle size tended to increase in the DAG oil group and was significantly larger in patients who had a small initial LDL particle size (<25.5 nm). There were no significant differences in variables related to glucose metabolism or in serum concentration of free fatty acids or total ketone bodies. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that DAG oil may be useful for patients who have type 2 diabetes in the management of obesity and lipid abnormalities.

Effects of diacylglycerol administration on serum triacylglycerol in a patient homozygous for complete lipoprotein lipase deletion.

We investigated postprandial and long-term effects of dietary diacylglycerol (DAG) on serum triacylglycerol (TAG) levels in a 34-year-old man homozygous for complete lipoprotein lipase deletion (LPL deletion). In study 1, Three different oils (DAG, TAG, or medium-chain fatty acid TAG [MCT]) were ingested to examine differences in the postprandial serum TAG response. Postprandial serum TAG levels after DAG oil ingestion were lower than those after TAG oil ingestion and similar to those after MCT oil ingestion. In study 2, the patient was allowed to ingest ordinary cooking oil for 2 months and then DAG oil (containing 80% DAG; target, 20 g/d) for the next 3 months. During the test period, serum TAG levels were measured and dietary evaluations were performed every month. The patient was provided with dietary instruction and consultation at each clinical visit. Serum TAG levels were 1939 to 2525 mg/dL when he used ordinary cooking oil, 1926 to 1173 mg/dL when he used ordinary cooking oil together with DAG oil, and 749 mg/dL when he used DAG oil alone. The TAG intake decreased from 86.9 to 43.0 g and the DAG intake increased from 0.9 to 12.4 g during the study period. Subsequently, 45 g DAG oil (equivalent to 36 g DAG) per day was consumed, and the serum TAG level increased to 2195 mg/dL. Although there was a positive correlation between the TAG intake and serum TAG levels during the period of DAG oil use (P < .01, y = 33.7x - 583.1), there was no such correlation between DAG oil intake and serum TAG levels. These results suggested that substitution of 12.0 g/d DAG (equivalent to 15 g DAG oil) for TAG oil had the same effect as reducing TAG oil consumption for controlling the serum TAG levels in an LPL-depleted patient with hypertriglyceridemia. In conclusion, the results of study 1 and study 2 demonstrate that DAG oil might be replaced by MCT oil as cooking oil for those with LPL deletion.