The effect of alpha-linolenic acid on glycemic control in individuals with type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled clinical trials

BACKGROUND: Polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs) have been shown to reduce type 2 diabetes (T2DM) risk and improve insulin responsiveness in T2DM subjects, but whether the plant sources of omega-3 PUFA (alpha-linolenic acid [ALA]) have an effect on glycemic control requires further investigation. ----- METHODS: The parameters of interest were glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), fasting blood glucose (FBG), fasting blood insulin (FBI), homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), fructosamine, and glycated albumin. A comprehensive search was conducted with MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, and Cochrane. Eligible studies included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) ≥1 month in duration that compared diets enriched in ALA with usual diets on glycemic parameters. For each study, the risk of bias as well as the study quality was assessed. Using the statistical software RevMan (v5.3), data were pooled using the generic inverse method with random effects model, and final results were expressed as mean differences (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Heterogeneity was assessed by the Cochran Q statistic and quantified by the I statistic. ----- RESULTS: A total of 8 trials (N = 212) were included in the meta-analysis. Compared to a control diet, a median dose of 4.4 g/day of ALA intake for a median duration of 3 months did not affect HbA1c (%) (MD = -.01; [95%: -.32, .31], P = .96). A median ALA dose of 5.4 g/day did not lower FBG (MD = .07; [95% CI: -.61, .76], P = .84) or FBI (MD = 7.03, [95% CI: -5.84, 19.89], P = .28). Summary effect estimates were generally compromised by considerable and unexplained heterogeneity (I ≥75%). In the subgroup analysis of continuous predictors, a reduction in HbA1c (%) and FBG (mmol/L) was significantly associated with an increased intake of ALA. Further adjustment for Publication Bias using Duval and Tweedie's trim-and-fill analysis provided an adjusted, significant MD of -.25 (95% CI: -.38, -.12; P <.001) for HbA1c (%). ----- CONCLUSIONS: ALA-enriched diets did not affect HbA1c, FBG, or FBI. The scarce number of existing RCTs and the presence of heterogeneity in our meta-analysis limit the ability to make firm conclusions about ALA in T2DM management. The potential for ALA to have dose-dependent effects warrants further research in this area

Neither soyfoods nor isoflavones warrant classification as endocrine disruptors: a technical review of the observational and clinical data

Soybeans are a rich source of isoflavones, which are classified as phytoestrogens. Despite numerous proposed benefits, isoflavones are often classified as endocrine disruptors, based primarily on animal studies. However, there are ample human data regarding the health effects of isoflavones. We conducted a technical review, systematically searching Medline, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library (from inception through January 2021). We included clinical studies, observational studies, and systematic reviews and meta-analyses (SRMA) that examined the relationship between soy and/or isoflavone intake and endocrine-related endpoints. 417 reports (229 observational studies, 157 clinical studies and 32 SRMAs) met our eligibility criteria. The available evidence indicates that isoflavone intake does not adversely affect thyroid function. Adverse effects are also not seen on breast or endometrial tissue or estrogen levels in women, or testosterone or estrogen levels, or sperm or semen parameters in men. Although menstrual cycle length may be slightly increased, ovulation is not prevented. Limited insight could be gained about possible impacts of in utero isoflavone exposure, but the existing data are reassuring. Adverse effects of isoflavone intake were not identified in children, but limited research has been conducted. After extensive review, the evidence does not support classifying isoflavones as endocrine disruptors

Supplemental Vitamins and Minerals for CVD Prevention and Treatment

The authors identified individual randomized controlled trials from previous meta-analyses and additional searches, and then performed meta-analyses on cardiovascular disease outcomes and all-cause mortality. The authors assessed publications from 2012, both before and including the U.S. Preventive Service Task Force review. Their systematic reviews and meta-analyses showed generally moderate- or low-quality evidence for preventive benefits (folic acid for total cardiovascular disease, folic acid and B-vitamins for stroke), no effect (multivitamins, vitamins C, D, β-carotene, calcium, and selenium), or increased risk (antioxidant mixtures and niacin [with a statin] for all-cause mortality). Conclusive evidence for the benefit of any supplement across all dietary backgrounds (including deficiency and sufficiency) was not demonstrated; therefore, any benefits seen must be balanced against possible risks

Miscarriage rates after dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) supplementation in women with diminished ovarian reserve: a case control study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Dehydroepinadrosterone (DHEA) supplementation improves pregnancy chances in women with diminished ovarian reserve (DOR), by possibly reducing aneuploidy. Since a large majority of spontaneous miscarriages are associated with aneuploidy, one can speculate that DHEA supplementation may also reduce miscarriage rates.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We retroactively compared, utilizing two independent statistical models, miscarriage rates in 73 DHEA supplemented pregnancies at two independent North American infertility centers, age-stratified, to miscarriages reported in a national U.S. in vitro fertilization (IVF) data base.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>After DHEA supplementation the miscarriage rate at both centers was 15.1% (15.0% and 15.2%, respectively). For DHEA supplementation Mantel-Hänszel common odds ratio (and 95% confidence interval), stratified by age, was significantly lower, relative to odds of miscarriage in the general IVF control population [0.49 (0.25-0.94; p = 0.04)]. Miscarriage rates after DHEA were significantly lower at all ages but most pronounced above age 35 years.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>Since DOR patients in the literature are reported to experience significantly higher miscarriage rates than average IVF patients, the here observed reduction in miscarriages after DHEA supplementation exceeds, however, all expectations. Miscarriage rates after DHEA not only were lower than in an average national IVF population but were comparable to rates reported in normally fertile populations. Low miscarriage rates, comparable to those of normal fertile women, are statistically impossible to achieve in DOR patients without assumption of a DHEA effect on embryo ploidy. Beyond further investigations in infertile populations, these data, therefore, also suggest the investigations of pre-conception DHEA supplementation in normal fertile populations above age 35 years.</p

Nordic dietary patterns and cardiometabolic outcomes : a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies and randomised controlled trials

Funding Information: AZ is a part-time research associate at INQUIS Clinical Research (formerly Glycemic Index Laboratories), a contract research organisation, and a consultant for the Glycemic Index Foundation. AJG has received consulting fees from Solo GI Nutrition and an honorarium from the Soy Nutrition Institute. LC was a Mitacs Elevate postdoctoral fellow jointly funded by the Government of Canada and the Canadian Sugar Institute. She was previously employed as a casual clinical coordinator at INQUIS Clinical Research. TAK has received research support from the CIHR, the International Life Science Institute (ILSI) and the National Honey Board. He has been an invited speaker at the Calorie Control Council Annual Meeting for which he received an honorarium. EMC reports grants from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and the CIHR while this study was being conducted, has received research support from Lallemand Health Solutions and Ocean Spray, and has received consultant fees and speaker and travel support from Danone and Lallemand Health Solutions (all are outside this study). DR is director of Vuk Vrhovac University Clinic for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases at Merkur University Hospital, Zagreb, Croatia. He is the president of the Croatian Society for Diabetes and Metabolic Disorders of the Croatian Medical Association. He serves as an Executive Committee member of the Croatian Endocrine Society, Croatian Society of Obesity and Croatian Society for Endocrine Oncology. He was a board member and secretary of IDF Europe and is currently the chair of the IDF Young Leaders in Diabetes (YLD) Programme. He has served as an Executive Committee member of the Diabetes and Nutrition Study Group of the EASD and currently serves as an Executive Committee member of the Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease Study Group of the EASD. He has served as principal investigator or co-investigator in clinical trials for AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly, MSD, Novo Nordisk, Sanofi Aventis, Solvay and Trophos. He has received travel support, speaker fees and honoraria for advisory board engagements and/or consulting fees from Abbott, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Belupo, Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly, LifeScan – Johnson & Johnson, the International Sweeteners Association, Krka, Medtronic, Mediligo, Mylan, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, MSD, Pfizer, Pliva, Roche, Salvus, Sandoz, Solvay, Sanofi Aventis and Takeda. HK is Director of Clinical Research at the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, a non-profit organisation that provides nutrition education and research. JS-S reports serving on the board of and receiving grant support through his institution from the International Nut and Dried Fruit Council (INC) and the Eroski Foundation. He reports serving on the Executive Committee of the Instituto Danone Spain. He reports receiving research support from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain; Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia, Spain; the Departament de Salut Pública de la Generalitat de Catalunya, Catalonia, Spain; the European Commission; the California Walnut Commission, USA; Patrimonio Comunal Olivarero, Spain; La Morella Nuts, Spain; and Borges, Spain. He reports receiving consulting fees or travel expenses from Danone, the California Walnut Commission, the Eroski Foundation, the Instituto Danone Spain, Nuts for Life, the Australian Nut Industry Council, Nestlé, Abbot and Font Vella y Lanjarón. He is on the Clinical Practice Guidelines Expert Committee of the EASD and served on the Scientific Committee of the Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition and the Spanish Federation of the Scientific Societies of Food, Nutrition and Dietetics. He is a member of the International Carbohydrate Quality Consortium (ICQC) and an Executive Board Member of the Diabetes and Nutrition Study Group of the EASD. CWCK has received grants or research support from the Advanced Food and Materials Network, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), the Almond Board of California, Barilla, the CIHR, the Canola Council of Canada, the International Nut and Dried Fruit Council, the International Tree Nut Council Nutrition Research and Education Foundation, Loblaw Brands, the Peanut Institute, Pulse Canada and Unilever. He has received in-kind research support from the Almond Board of California, Barilla, the California Walnut Commission, Kellogg Canada, Loblaw Brands, Nutrartis, Quaker (PepsiCo), the Peanut Institute, Primo, Unico, Unilever, WhiteWave Foods/Danone. He has received travel support and/or honoraria from Barilla, the California Walnut Commission, the Canola Council of Canada, General Mills, the International Nut and Dried Fruit Council, the International Pasta Organization, Lantmannen, Loblaw Brands, the Nutrition Foundation of Italy, the Oldways Preservation Trust, Paramount Farms, the Peanut Institute, Pulse Canada, Sun-Maid, Tate & Lyle, Unilever and White Wave Foods/Danone. He has served on the scientific advisory board for the International Tree Nut Council, International Pasta Organisation, McCormick Science Institute and Oldways Preservation Trust. He is a founding member of the ICQC and an Executive Board Member of the Diabetes and Nutrition Study Group of the EASD, is on the Clinical Practice Guidelines Expert Committee for Nutrition Therapy of the EASD and is a Director of the Toronto 3D Knowledge Synthesis and Clinical Trials foundation. JLS has received research support from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, the Ontario Research Fund, the Province of Ontario Ministry of Research, Innovation and Science, the CIHR, Diabetes Canada, the American Society for Nutrition (ASN), the International Nut and Dried Fruit Council Foundation, the National Honey Board (US Department of Agriculture [USDA] honey ‘Checkoff’ programme), the Institute for the Advancement of Food and Nutrition Sciences (IAFNS; formerly ILSI North America), Pulse Canada, the Quaker Oats Center of Excellence, the United Soybean Board (USDA soy ‘Checkoff’ programme), the Tate and Lyle Nutritional Research Fund at the University of Toronto, the Glycemic Control and Cardiovascular Disease in Type 2 Diabetes Fund at the University of Toronto (established by the Alberta Pulse Growers), the Plant Protein Fund at the University of Toronto (which has received contributions from IFF) and the Nutrition Trialists Fund at the University of Toronto (established by an inaugural donation from the Calorie Control Council). He has received food donations to support RCTs from the Almond Board of California, the California Walnut Commission, the Peanut Institute, Barilla, Unilever/Upfield, Unico/Primo, Loblaw Companies, Quaker, Kellogg Canada, WhiteWave Foods/Danone, Nutrartis and Dairy Farmers of Canada. He has received travel support, speaker fees and/or honoraria from the ASN, Danone, Dairy Farmers of Canada, FoodMinds, Nestlé, Abbott, General Mills, the Comité Européen des Fabricants de Sucre (CEFS), Nutrition Communications, the International Food Information Council (IFIC), the Calorie Control Council and the International Glutamate Technical Committee. He has or has had ad hoc consulting arrangements with Perkins Coie, Tate & Lyle, Phynova and INQUIS Clinical Research. He is a member of the European Fruit Juice Association Scientific Expert Panel and former member of the Soy Nutrition Institute Scientific Advisory Committee. He is on the Clinical Practice Guidelines Expert Committees of Diabetes Canada, the EASD, the Canadian Cardiovascular Society and Obesity Canada/Canadian Association of Bariatric Physicians and Surgeons. He serves or has served as an unpaid member of the Board of Trustees and an unpaid scientific advisor for the Food, Nutrition, and Safety Program (FNSP) and the Carbohydrates Committee of the IAFNS. He is a member of the ICQC, an Executive Board Member of the Diabetes and Nutrition Study Group of the EASD, and Director of the Toronto 3D Knowledge Synthesis and Clinical Trials foundation. His spouse is an employee of AB InBev. PM, EV, SBM, VC, US, UR, MU, A-MA, KH and IT declare that there are no relationships or activities that might bias, or be perceived to bias, their work. Funding Information: Open access funding provided by University of Eastern Finland (UEF) including Kuopio University Hospital. The Diabetes and Nutrition Study Group of the EASD commissioned this systematic review and meta-analysis and provided funding and logistical support for meetings as part of the development of the EASD clinical practice guidelines for nutrition therapy. This work was also supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR; reference no. 129920) through the Canada-wide Human Nutrition Trialists’ Network (NTN). The Diet, Digestive tract, and Disease (3D) Centre, funded through the Canada Foundation for Innovation and the Ministry of Research and Innovation’s Ontario Research Fund, provided the infrastructure for the conduct of this work. PM was funded by a Connaught Fellowship, an Onassis Foundation Fellowship and a Peterborough KM Hunter Charitable Foundation Scholarship. AZ was funded by a Toronto3D Postdoctoral Fellowship Award and a Banting and Best Diabetes Centre (BBDC) Fellowship in Diabetes Care. AJG was funded by a Nora Martin Fellowship in Nutritional Sciences, the Banting & Best Diabetes Centre Tamarack Graduate Award in Diabetes Research, the Peterborough K. M. Hunter Charitable Foundation Graduate Award and an Ontario Graduate Scholarship. LC was funded by a Mitacs Elevate Postdoctoral Fellowship Award. TAK was funded by a Toronto 3D Postdoctoral Fellowship Award. EMC held the Lawson Family Chair in Microbiome Nutrition Research at the Lawson Centre for Child Nutrition, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto. JS-S is partially supported by the Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA) under the ICREA Acadèmia programme. JLS was funded by a PSI Graham Farquharson Knowledge Translation Fellowship, Canadian Diabetes Association Clinician Scientist Award, CIHR Institute of Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes (INMD)/Canadian Nutrition Society (CNS) New Investigator Partnership Prize and BBDC Sun Life Financial New Investigator Award. Publisher Copyright: © 2022, The Author(s).AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Nordic dietary patterns that are high in healthy traditional Nordic foods may have a role in the prevention and management of diabetes. To inform the update of the EASD clinical practice guidelines for nutrition therapy, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of Nordic dietary patterns and cardiometabolic outcomes. METHODS: We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE and The Cochrane Library from inception to 9 March 2021. We included prospective cohort studies and RCTs with a follow-up of ≥1 year and ≥3 weeks, respectively. Two independent reviewers extracted relevant data and assessed the risk of bias (Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and Cochrane risk of bias tool). The primary outcome was total CVD incidence in the prospective cohort studies and LDL-cholesterol in the RCTs. Secondary outcomes in the prospective cohort studies were CVD mortality, CHD incidence and mortality, stroke incidence and mortality, and type 2 diabetes incidence; in the RCTs, secondary outcomes were other established lipid targets (non-HDL-cholesterol, apolipoprotein B, HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides), markers of glycaemic control (HbA 1c, fasting glucose, fasting insulin), adiposity (body weight, BMI, waist circumference) and inflammation (C-reactive protein), and blood pressure (systolic and diastolic blood pressure). The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach was used to assess the certainty of the evidence. RESULTS: We included 15 unique prospective cohort studies (n=1,057,176, with 41,708 cardiovascular events and 13,121 diabetes cases) of people with diabetes for the assessment of cardiovascular outcomes or people without diabetes for the assessment of diabetes incidence, and six RCTs (n=717) in people with one or more risk factor for diabetes. In the prospective cohort studies, higher adherence to Nordic dietary patterns was associated with 'small important' reductions in the primary outcome, total CVD incidence (RR for highest vs lowest adherence: 0.93 [95% CI 0.88, 0.99], p=0.01; substantial heterogeneity: I 2=88%, p Q<0.001), and similar or greater reductions in the secondary outcomes of CVD mortality and incidence of CHD, stroke and type 2 diabetes (p<0.05). Inverse dose-response gradients were seen for total CVD incidence, CVD mortality and incidence of CHD, stroke and type 2 diabetes (p<0.05). No studies assessed CHD or stroke mortality. In the RCTs, there were small important reductions in LDL-cholesterol (mean difference [MD] -0.26 mmol/l [95% CI -0.52, -0.00], p MD=0.05; substantial heterogeneity: I 2=89%, p Q<0.01), and 'small important' or greater reductions in the secondary outcomes of non-HDL-cholesterol, apolipoprotein B, insulin, body weight, BMI and systolic blood pressure (p<0.05). For the other outcomes there were 'trivial' reductions or no effect. The certainty of the evidence was low for total CVD incidence and LDL-cholesterol; moderate to high for CVD mortality, established lipid targets, adiposity markers, glycaemic control, blood pressure and inflammation; and low for all other outcomes, with evidence being downgraded mainly because of imprecision and inconsistency. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: Adherence to Nordic dietary patterns is associated with generally small important reductions in the risk of major CVD outcomes and diabetes, which are supported by similar reductions in LDL-cholesterol and other intermediate cardiometabolic risk factors. The available evidence provides a generally good indication of the likely benefits of Nordic dietary patterns in people with or at risk for diabetes. REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04094194. FUNDING: Diabetes and Nutrition Study Group of the EASD Clinical Practice.Peer reviewe

Effect of Pulses in a Low Glycemic Index Diet on Renal Function in Participants with Type 2 Diabetes mellitus

Dietary pulses are rich sources of protein, dietary fiber and are amongst the lowest glycemic index (GI) foods. We hypothesized that addition of pulses to a low GI (LGI-pulse) diet in participants with type 2 diabetes mellitus may be associated with improvement in renal markers resulting from replacement of animal by plant (pulse) protein. We attempted to develop a low GI pulse bread for use in therapeutic diets. The pulse bread had a low GI but lacked the required palatability. We determined the effect of increased plant protein intake on markers of renal function. We included 109 participants with type 2 diabetes mellitus who completed the diet. Pulses as part of a low GI diet in participants with type 2 diabetes mellitus did not adversely affect markers of renal function.M.Sc.2016-11-18 00:00:0

DASH Dietary Pattern and Cardiometabolic Outcomes: An Umbrella Review of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses

Background: The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) dietary pattern, which emphasizes fruit, vegetables, fat-free/low-fat dairy, whole grains, nuts and legumes, and limits saturated fat, cholesterol, red and processed meats, sweets, added sugars, salt and sugar-sweetened beverages, is widely recommended by international diabetes and heart association guidelines. Objective: To summarize the available evidence for the update of the European Association of the Study of Diabetes (EASD) guidelines, we conducted an umbrella review of existing systematic reviews and meta-analyses using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach of the relation of the DASH dietary pattern with cardiovascular disease and other cardiometabolic outcomes in prospective cohort studies and its effect on blood pressure and other cardiometabolic risk factors in controlled trials in individuals with and without diabetes. Methods: MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched through 3 January 2019. We included systematic reviews and meta-analyses assessing the relation of the DASH dietary pattern with cardiometabolic disease outcomes in prospective cohort studies and the effect on cardiometabolic risk factors in randomized and non-randomized controlled trials. Two independent reviewers extracted relevant data and assessed the risk of bias of individual studies. The primary outcome was incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the prospective cohort studies and systolic blood pressure in the controlled trials. Secondary outcomes included incident coronary heart disease, stroke, and diabetes in prospective cohort studies and other established cardiometabolic risk factors in controlled trials. If the search did not identify an existing systematic review and meta-analysis on a pre-specified outcome, then we conducted our own systematic review and meta-analysis. The evidence was summarized as risk ratios (RR) for disease incidence outcomes and mean differences (MDs) for risk factor outcomes with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). The certainty of the evidence was assessed using GRADE. Results: We identified three systematic reviews and meta-analyses of 15 unique prospective cohort studies (n = 942,140) and four systematic reviews and meta-analyses of 31 unique controlled trials (n = 4,414) across outcomes. We conducted our own systematic review and meta-analysis of 2 controlled trials (n = 65) for HbA1c. The DASH dietary pattern was associated with decreased incident cardiovascular disease (RR, 0.80 (0.76&#8315;0.85)), coronary heart disease (0.79 (0.71&#8315;0.88)), stroke (0.81 (0.72&#8315;0.92)), and diabetes (0.82 (0.74&#8315;0.92)) in prospective cohort studies and decreased systolic (MD, &#8722;5.2 mmHg (95% CI, &#8722;7.0 to &#8722;3.4)) and diastolic (&#8722;2.60 mmHg (&#8722;3.50 to &#8722;1.70)) blood pressure, Total-C (&#8722;0.20 mmol/L (&#8722;0.31 to &#8722;0.10)), LDL-C (&#8722;0.10 mmol/L (&#8722;0.20 to &#8722;0.01)), HbA1c (&#8722;0.53% (&#8722;0.62, &#8722;0.43)), fasting blood insulin (&#8722;0.15 &#956;U/mL (&#8722;0.22 to &#8722;0.08)), and body weight (&#8722;1.42 kg (&#8722;2.03 to &#8722;0.82)) in controlled trials. There was no effect on HDL-C, triglycerides, fasting blood glucose, HOMA-IR, or CRP. The certainty of the evidence was moderate for SBP and low for CVD incidence and ranged from very low to moderate for the secondary outcomes. Conclusions: Current evidence allows for the conclusion that the DASH dietary pattern is associated with decreased incidence of cardiovascular disease and improves blood pressure with evidence of other cardiometabolic advantages in people with and without diabetes. More research is needed to improve the certainty of the estimates