Taking a special dietary supplement can help improve blood glucose regulation and immune tolerance in people with type 1 diabetes. (image: andrey popov/stock.Adobe.Com)
Improved treatment of diabetes in prospect?
Daily use of an herbal supplement can positively affect blood glucose levels, gut health, and immune system in people with type 1 diabetes, according to a recent study. Researchers believe the supplement could also be used to treat children with type 1 diabetes or other autoimmune diseases.
A new joint study by experts from monash university, the university of sydney and the university of queensland found that taking a so-called HAMSAB food supplement promotes immune tolerance and helps improve glycemic control in the treatment of type 1 diabetes. The results of the study can be read in the journal "microbiome".
Dangerous secondary diseases in type 1 diabetes
"type 1 diabetes is a lifelong autoimmune disease that is becoming increasingly common and has no cure. People living with type 1 diabetes are dependent on insulin treatment. As a result, they can later develop life-threatening inflammatory complications such as kidney failure, neurological and cardiovascular disease," study author professor sonia saad from the university of sydney explains in a press release.
What the dietary supplement used is based on?
The new study involved 21 adults with type 1 diabetes who took a special dietary supplement as part of their daily diet for a period of six weeks. The supplement used, called HAMSAB, is based on high-amylose corn starch modified with acetate and butyrate.
intestinal flora produced more short-chain fatty acids
It was found that by taking the supplement, more short-chain fatty acids are produced by the intestinal microbiota, the team reports. these fatty acids play an important role in the prevention of type 1 diabetes.
Protection against diabetes
"people with type 1 diabetes have an altered gut microbiota and reduced production of short-chain fatty acids in the stool and blood. We have already shown that the supplement used in this human study protects mice against diabetes," reports study author dr. Eliana marino of monash university in a press release.
The study showed that the immune cells in the blood of the participants developed a more regulatory phenotype after the intervention – the immune cells in the blood were better regulated. According to the researchers, this is interesting because type 1 diabetes over-activates the immune system and attacks the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.
Better glucose control thanks to supplementation
It was observed in the study that neither glucose control nor insulin requirements changed, yet participants with the highest short-chain fatty acid concentrations showed the best glucose control after supplementation, reports study author dr. Kirstine bell from the charles perkins centre at the university of sydney.
Therapy for children with autoimmune diseases
"if we use this supplementation longer and start it earlier in the disease, we could potentially stop the immune system attack, preserve insulin-producing cells and improve glucose regulation," says dr. Marino.
According to the team, the dietary supplement studied is a safe and accessible alternative therapy for many children with type 1 diabetes or other autoimmune diseases. In addition, taking them could reduce the risk of later complications from inflammation such as cardiovascular disease, as indicated by the results of clinical studies, stresses dr. Marino. (as)