The observational, prospective study compared the effects of daily supplementation with a standard care plan in participants with MetS, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) or impaired glucose tolerance consuming anti-diabetic medication metformin.
“Our study demonstrates the efficacy of our supplement on anthropometric, glucose and lipid parameters," the Italian researchers wrote in the journal Nutrients. “Putting these components together could be an effective and safe therapeutic approach in the management of MetS.”
The Gludia-branded blood sugar management supplement used in the study is manufactured by Milan-based pharmaceutical company Eidon Salus.
Combination benefits
MetS is a health condition associated with cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes, often caused by a high-calorie, simple sugar and saturated fat-based diet and sedentary lifestyle.
Obesity, a key factor in MetS, has become a global health challenge, and while management solutions and treatments such as lifestyle changes can help, poor compliance often leads to unsatisfactory results, making it necessary to identify new compounds and more effective treatments.
Research shows that nutraceuticals like turmeric, chlorogenic acid (DCI), cinnamon, glucomannan and inulin can offer benefits in combination with traditional treatments: Glucomannan, a dietary fiber, has shown positive effects on cholesterol, triglycerides, glycemia, blood pressure and anti-diabetic and anti-obesity activities; DCI exhibits insulin-like properties and is used in treating conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and type 2 diabetes; C. zeylanicum blume has been associated with anti-diabetic, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects; and inulin, a water-soluble dietary fiber, has been linked with reduce serum lipids and weight management.
Study details
The two-arm study enrolled 58 participants who were outpatients at the Metabolic Diseases and Cardiovascular Prevention Clinic, Internal Medicine Unit, P. Giaccone University Hospital in Palermo, Italy.
Half were treated with 4g oral supplementation (Gludia) and the other half followed a standard care plan for four months.
Body weight, waist circumference, plasma lipid profile (total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and triglycerides), plasma glycaemic profile and visceral adiposity index (VAI) were measured at baseline and after four months of supplementation.
After the baseline visit, the treatment group took two sachets of the oral supplement every day composed of 1,000 mg glucomannan, 40 mg DCI, 250 mg C. zeylanicum blume and 200 mg inulin.
The control group followed standard care for T2DM, and no oral supplements for improving cardiometabolic profiles were permitted in either group during the follow-up time.
After 16 weeks, the researchers reported a significant reduction in body weight and BMI, serum insulin and the HOMA index in subjects with T2DM or insulin resistance who took the supplement (+ metformin). There was also a reduction in lipaemic pattern, with a significant improvement in total serum cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL.
"Our study shows that the food supplement tested is a valid and safe alternative therapeutic approach in the management of MetS and all its resulting risk factors, as its efficacy has been demonstrated across anthropometric, glucose, lipid and hepatic parameters," the study concluded.
The researchers noted study limitations including the relatively small sample size, limited follow-up period and the potential for selection bias.
Source: Nutrients
doi: doi.org/10.3390/nu16020249
“Effectiveness of a Food Supplement Based on Glucomannan, D-Chiro-Inositol, Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume and Inulin in Patients with Metabolic Syndrome.”
Authors: Roberto Citarrella et al.