Effect of Oral Pre-Meal Administration of Betaglucans on Glycaemic Control and Variability in Subjects with Type 1 Diabetes

• Published in: Nutrients 2017-09, Vol.9 (9), p.1004
• Main Authors: Frid, Anders, Tura, Andrea, Pacini, Giovanni, Ridderstråle, Martin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Adults; beta-Glucans - pharmacology; Betaglucan; Blood Glucose - metabolism; Clinical Medicine; Cross-Over Studies; Diabetes; Diabetes mellitus; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 - blood; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 - drug therapy; Double-Blind Method; Endocrinology and Diabetes; Endokrinologi och diabetes; Female; Glucan; Glucose; Glucose control; Glucose monitoring; Glucose variability; Health Sciences; Humans; Hypoglycemic Agents - pharmacology; Hälsovetenskap; Insulin - blood; Insulin - pharmacology; Klinisk medicin; Male; Meals; Medical and Health Sciences; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Middle Aged; Nutrition and Dietetics; Näringslära; Pilot Projects; Postprandial Period; Tablets; Variability; Viscous fiber; β-Glucan
• ISSN: 2072-6643; 2072-6643
• DOI: 10.3390/nu9091004

We conducted a double-blind placebo-controlled crossover pilot study to investigate the effect of oat betaglucans (β-glucan) on glycaemic control and variability in adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D; = 14). Stomacol tablets (1.53 g of β-glucan) or placebo (Plac) were administered three times daily before meals for two weeks. Glucose levels were monitored during the second week by continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). There was an increase in basic measures of glycaemic control (maximal glucose value 341 ± 15 vs. 378 ± 13 mg/dL for Plac and β-glucan, = 0.004), and average daily risk range (62 ± 5 vs. 79 ± 4 mg/dL for Plac and β-glucan, = 0.003) favouring Plac over β-glucan, but no increase in the M-value (the weighted average of the glucose values) or other more complex measures. Basic measures of glucose variability were also slightly increased during β-glucan treatment, with no difference in more complex measures. However, glycaemic variability increased between the first and last two CGM days on Plac, but remained unchanged on β-glucan. In conclusion, in this pilot study we were unable to demonstrate a general positive effect of β-glucan before meals on glucose control or variability in T1D.