Effect of diabetes-specific oral nutritional supplements with allulose on weight and glycemic profiles in overweight or obese type 2 diabetic patients

Jihye Tak; Minkyung Bok; Hyunkyung Rho; Ju Hyun Park; Yunsook Lim; Suk Chon; Hyunjung Lim

doi:10.4162/nrp.2023.17.2.241

Effect of diabetes-specific oral nutritional supplements with allulose on weight and glycemic profiles in overweight or obese type 2 diabetic patients

Nutr Res Pract. 2023 Apr;17(2):241-256. doi: 10.4162/nrp.2023.17.2.241. Epub 2022 Oct 20.

Authors

Jihye Tak¹, Minkyung Bok^{1

2}, Hyunkyung Rho³, Ju Hyun Park^{1

2}, Yunsook Lim³, Suk Chon⁴, Hyunjung Lim^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Medical Nutrition, Graduate School of East-West Medical Science, Kyung Hee University, Yongin 17104, Korea.
² Research Institute of Medical Nutrition, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Korea.
³ Department of Food and Nutrition, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Korea.
⁴ Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, Seoul 02447, Korea.

Abstract

Background/objectives: Diabetes-specific oral nutritional supplements (ONS) have anti-hyperglycemic effects, while D-allulose exerts anti-diabetic and anti-obesity effects. In this study, we investigated the efficacy and safety of diabetes-specific ONS, including allulose, on glycemic and weight changes in overweight or obese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Subjects/methods: A single-arm, historical-control pilot clinical trial was conducted on 26 overweight or obese patients with T2DM (age range: 30-70 yrs). The participants were administered 2 packs of diabetes-specific ONS, including allulose (200 kcal/200 mL), every morning for 8 weeks. The glycemic profiles, obesity-related parameters, and lipid profiles were assessed to evaluate the efficacy of ONS.

Results: After 8 weeks, fasting blood glucose (FBG) level significantly decreased from 139.00 ± 29.66 mg/dL to 126.08 ± 32.00 mg/dL (P = 0.007) and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) improved (7.23 ± 0.82% vs. 7.03 ± 0.69%, P = 0.041). Moreover, the fasting insulin (δ: -1.81 ± 3.61 μU/mL, P = 0.017) and homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (δ: -0.87 ± 1.57, P = 0.009) levels decreased at 8 weeks, and body weight significantly decreased from 67.20 ± 8.29 kg to 66.43 ± 8.12 kg (P = 0.008). Body mass index (BMI) also decreased in accordance with this (from 25.59 ± 1.82 kg/m² to 25.30 ± 1.86 kg/m², P = 0.009), as did waist circumference (δ: -1.31 ± 2.04 cm, P = 0.003).

Conclusions: The consumption of diabetes-specific ONS with allulose in overweight or obese patients with T2DM improved glycemic profiles, such as FBG, HbA1c, and HOMA-IR, and reduced body weight and BMI.

Keywords: Type 2 diabetes mellitus; allulose; blood glucose; body weight; dietary supplements.