Probiotic supplementation improves blood sugar control, intestinal health in diabetes patients

Brazil: Probiotics use may be an appropriate adjuvant therapy for blood sugar control in type 2 diabetes patients, concludes a recent study in Clinical Nutrition ESPEN. The study results showed that probiotic supplementation significantly reduced fasting glycemia and facilitated improved lipid profiles and intestinal health. 

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic condition associated with several comorbidities; it is considered complex and therefore to reduce the associated risks, multifactorial strategies must be applied.

An increasing number of studies suggest that the use of probiotics may have a beneficial effect in patients with type 2 diabetes. A study by Solymár et al showed that probiotic supplementation is beneficial in type 2 diabetes mellitus and could be a supplementary therapeutic approach in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients to improve dyslipidemia and to promote better metabolic control. 

The aim of the before-and-after clinical trial by Maíra Corneli Ziegler and the researcher's team from Brazil was to investigate the effects of adjuvant supplementation with probiotics in patients with T2DM.

The study included 20 patients aged >30 years with T2DM who were obese or overweight. The patients were given probiotic supplements daily for 90 days, which consisted of probiotics Bacillus clausii microorganism strain. Following this, the patients were evaluated for lipid and intestinal microbiota profiles, blood glucose parameters, drug therapy, blood pressure (BP), food tissue, and body mass index (BMI), 

A the end of the study, the researchers observed a statistically significant difference in blood glucose, improved intestinal microbiota profiles, and increased high-density lipoprotein (HDL) plasma levels among the patients included in the study. 

"The findings showed that probiotic supplementation significantly reduced fasting glycemia and promoted an improvement in their lipid profiles and intestinal health," wrote the authors.

"These findings are promising and probiotic use may be an appropriate adjuvant therapy for glycemic control in patients with T2DM," they concluded. 

Reference:

Ziegler, Maíra Corneli, et al. "Impact of Probiotic Supplementation in a Patient With Type 2 Diabetes On Glycemic and Lipid Profile." Clinical Nutrition ESPEN, vol. 49, 2022, pp. 264-269.