Long-term use of a diabetes-specific oral nutritional supplement results in a low-postprandial glucose response in diabetes patients

ABSTRACT

Background: To determine the effect of 12 weeks supplementation with a high-MUFA, high-fibre diabetes-specific oral nutritional supplement (ONS) on postprandial glucose response in type 2 diabetic patients at risk for malnutrition. Methods: Forty patients participated in this randomised, controlled, double-blind, parallelgroup study. Subjects consumed 2 200 ml of diabetes-specific ONS (Diasip1) or standard ONS per day in addition to their normal diet. At baseline, after 6 and 12 weeks postprandial glucose responses and secondary parameters were assessed. Results: Postprandial glucose responses (incremental area under curve) ( p < 0.01) and delta postprandial peak glucose concentration ( p < 0.01) were significantly lower in the diabetesspecific ONS group compared with the standard ONS group at all visits. In time, iAUC glucose ( p = 0.074, t = 0 week vs. t = 12 weeks) and delta postprandial peak plasma glucose concentration ( p < 0.05, t = 0 week vs. t = 12 weeks) were decreased within the diabetes-specific ONS group, but not in the standard ONS group. No significant differences in fasting glucose, insulin, HbA1c, lipid profile, hs-CRP, oxidized LDL and malondialdehyde, laboratory safety parameters and nutritional status parameters were found between both groups at either of the visits. Conclusions: These data demonstrate that diabetic patients at risk for malnutrition benefit from use of this diabetes-specific ONS to improve postprandial blood glucose control.