Flaxseed supplementation improved insulin resistance in obese glucose intolerant people: a randomized crossover design

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Obesity leads to an increase in inflammation and insulin resistance. This study determined antioxidant activity of flaxseed and its role in inflammation and insulin resistance in obese glucose intolerant people.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Using a randomized crossover design, nine obese glucose intolerant people consumed 40 g ground flaxseed or 40 g wheat bran daily for 12 weeks with a 4-week washout period. Plasma inflammation biomarkers (CRP, TNF-α, and IL-6), glucose, insulin, and thiobaribituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) were measured before and after of each supplementation.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Flaxseed supplementation decreased TBARS (p = 0.0215) and HOMA-IR (p = 0.0382). Flaxseed or wheat bran supplementation did not change plasma inflammatory biomarkers. A positive relationship was found between TBARS and HOMA-IR (r = 0.62, p = 0.0003).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The results of the study weakly support that decreased insulin resistance might have been secondary to antioxidant activity of flaxseed. However, the mechanism(s) of decreased insulin resistance by flaxseed should be further determined using flaxseed lignan.</p

Menopause and diabetes : EMAS clinical guide

Introduction: Whether menopause increases the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) independently of ageing has been a matter of debate. Controversy also exists about the benefits and risks of menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) in women with T2DM. Aims: To summarise the evidence on 1) the effect of menopause on metabolic parameters and the risk of T2DM, 2) the effect of T2DM on age at menopause, 3) the effect of MHT on the risk of T2DM, and 4) the management of postmenopausal women with T2DM. Materials and methods: Literature review and consensus of experts' opinions. Results and conclusion: Metabolic changes during the menopausal transition include an increase in and the central redistribution of adipose tissue, as well as a decrease in energy expenditure. In addition, there is impairment of insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity and an increase in the risk of T2DM. MHT has a favourable effect on glucose metabolism, both in women with and in women without T2DM, while it may delay the onset of T2DM. MHT in women with T2DM should be administered according to their risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). In women with T2DM and low CVD risk, oral oestrogens may be preferred, while transdermal 17 beta-oestradiol is preferred for women with T2DM and coexistent CVD risk factors, such as obesity. In any case, a progestogen with neutral effects on glucose metabolism should be used, such as progesterone, dydrogesterone or transdermal norethisterone. Postmenopausal women with T2DM should be managed primarily with lifestyle intervention, including diet and exercise. Most of them will eventually require pharmacological therapy. The selection of antidiabetic medications should be based on the patient's specific characteristics and comorbidities, as well on the metabolic, cardiovascular and bone effects of the medications.Peer reviewe

Iron Behaving Badly: Inappropriate Iron Chelation as a Major Contributor to the Aetiology of Vascular and Other Progressive Inflammatory and Degenerative Diseases

The production of peroxide and superoxide is an inevitable consequence of aerobic metabolism, and while these particular "reactive oxygen species" (ROSs) can exhibit a number of biological effects, they are not of themselves excessively reactive and thus they are not especially damaging at physiological concentrations. However, their reactions with poorly liganded iron species can lead to the catalytic production of the very reactive and dangerous hydroxyl radical, which is exceptionally damaging, and a major cause of chronic inflammation. We review the considerable and wide-ranging evidence for the involvement of this combination of (su)peroxide and poorly liganded iron in a large number of physiological and indeed pathological processes and inflammatory disorders, especially those involving the progressive degradation of cellular and organismal performance. These diseases share a great many similarities and thus might be considered to have a common cause (i.e. iron-catalysed free radical and especially hydroxyl radical generation). The studies reviewed include those focused on a series of cardiovascular, metabolic and neurological diseases, where iron can be found at the sites of plaques and lesions, as well as studies showing the significance of iron to aging and longevity. The effective chelation of iron by natural or synthetic ligands is thus of major physiological (and potentially therapeutic) importance. As systems properties, we need to recognise that physiological observables have multiple molecular causes, and studying them in isolation leads to inconsistent patterns of apparent causality when it is the simultaneous combination of multiple factors that is responsible. This explains, for instance, the decidedly mixed effects of antioxidants that have been observed, etc...Comment: 159 pages, including 9 Figs and 2184 reference

C-reactive protein in type 2 diabetes and denture stomatitis

Objectives: Candida-associated denture stomatitis (CaDS), is a common disease in complete denture wearers with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). C-reactive protein (CRP), an acute phase reactant is a sensitive marker of inflammation associated with diabetes. The aim of this study was to determine the concentrations of CRP in patients with T2DM and CaDS, and investigate the relationship between CRP concentrations and glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels, which was used as an indicator of glycemic control. Materials and Methods: The study involved 110 T2DM patients (63 women and 47 men, mean age 63.2±10.5 years) with CaDS, and 20 patients (12 women and 8 men, mean age 65.8±12.9 years), with T2DM and healthy oral mucosa. A group of 20 non-diabetics (11 women and 9 men, mean age 59.2±9.9 years) with healthy oral mucosa served as a control. The yeasts were isolated by the culture method, and identified by microscopic examination and with the test kit, ID 32 C (bioMerieux SA, Marcy-l\u27Etoile, France). Serum concentrations of CRP were determined by rocket immunoelectrophoresis according to Laurell. Glycemic control was evaluated by measuring HbA1c levels using HPLC together with the Variant Hemoglobin A1c Program (Bio-Rad Laboratories, Hercules CA, USA). Results: The mean duration of diabetes was 10.6±5.1 years, and the mean HbA1c levels in T2DM subjects were 8.6 ±1.9%. Patients with T2DM had significantly elevated mean levels of CRP in comparison to patients with normal glucose metabolism (6.12±2.86 vs 2.57±0.96 mg/l, p\u3c0.05). The highest CRP levels were observed in diabetics with type II (Newton classification) CaDS (8.39±2.70 mg/l). A positive correlation was found between the concentrations of CRP and fasting plasma glucose levels (rS=0.517, p\u3c0.001) and HbA1c levels (rS=0.572, p\u3c0.001). Conclusions: The findings suggest that CRP concentrations can be used as a non-specific indicator of ongoing inflammation in patients with T2DM

Menopause and diabetes: EMAS clinical guide

Introduction: Whether menopause increases the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) independently of ageing has been a matter of debate. Controversy also exists about the benefits and risks of menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) in women with T2DM. Aims: To summarise the evidence on 1) the effect of menopause on metabolic parameters and the risk of T2DM, 2) the effect of T2DM on age at menopause, 3) the effect of MHT on the risk of T2DM, and 4) the management of postmenopausal women with T2DM. Materials and methods: Literature review and consensus of experts’ opinions. Results and conclusion: Metabolic changes during the menopausal transition include an increase in and the central redistribution of adipose tissue, as well as a decrease in energy expenditure. In addition, there is impairment of insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity and an increase in the risk of T2DM. MHT has a favourable effect on glucose metabolism, both in women with and in women without T2DM, while it may delay the onset of T2DM. MHT in women with T2DM should be administered according to their risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). In women with T2DM and low CVD risk, oral oestrogens may be preferred, while transdermal 17β-oestradiol is preferred for women with T2DM and coexistent CVD risk factors, such as obesity. In any case, a progestogen with neutral effects on glucose metabolism should be used, such as progesterone, dydrogesterone or transdermal norethisterone. Postmenopausal women with T2DM should be managed primarily with lifestyle intervention, including diet and exercise. Most of them will eventually require pharmacological therapy. The selection of antidiabetic medications should be based on the patient&apos;s specific characteristics and comorbidities, as well on the metabolic, cardiovascular and bone effects of the medications. © 2018 Elsevier B.V