Tag: prediabetes

Categories : Diet and Nutrition Metabolic DisordersTags :

A Nighttime Pistachio Snack May Reshape Gut Microbiome in Prediabetes

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Eating pistachios every night for 12 weeks altered gut bacteria, according to new study

Photo by Brenan Greene on Unsplash

Prediabetes affects a third of people in the United States and most of them will develop Type 2 diabetes, yet effective dietary intervention strategies remain limited. Pistachios have shown promise in improving markers of diet quality, yet little is known about how they influence the gut microbiome – a key player in glucose regulation and inflammation.

A new study led by Kristina Petersen, associate professor of nutritional sciences at Penn State, determined that nighttime pistachio consumption affects gut bacteria in adults with prediabetes. Though the potential therapeutic implications of the findings remain unclear, according to Petersen, they may prove significant for people who are working to improve their metabolic health.

The findings, published in the journal Current Developments in Nutrition, suggested that replacing a traditional carbohydrate-based bedtime snack with pistachios may reshape the gut microbiome. A previous study by these researchers demonstrated that pistachios have a similar effect on blood glucose as 15 to 30 grams of carbohydrates.

“Pistachios seem to be able to meaningfully shift the gut microbial landscape in adults with prediabetes especially when consumed as a nighttime snack.”

Kristina Petersen, associate professor of nutritional sciences at Penn State

“A common dietary recommendation for individuals with prediabetes is to consume a nighttime snack consisting of 15 to 30 grams of carbohydrates to help regulate overnight and morning blood glucose levels,” said Terrence Riley, lead author of this research who earned his doctorate in nutritional sciences at Penn State and currently works as a postdoctoral research fellow at Louisiana State University. “As an example, you could eat one or two slices of whole grain bread.”

Researchers observed that consuming about two ounces of pistachios each night for 12 weeks resulted in significantly different stool microbial community profiles compared to those who consumed the recommended 15 to 30 grams of a carbohydrate snack. Specific bacterial groups, including Roseburia and members of the Lachnospiraceae family – known as “good” bacteria that produces beneficial short-chain fatty acids like butyrate – were more abundant following the pistachio condition.

According to Petersen, butyrate serves as a primary energy source for colon cells, helps maintain the gut barrier and supports anti-inflammatory processes.  

“Pistachios seem to be able to meaningfully shift the gut microbial landscape in adults with prediabetes especially when consumed as a nighttime snack,” Petersen said. “These microbiome changes may offer other long-term health benefits – potentially helping to slow the development of Type 2 diabetes or to reduce systemic inflammation – which we hope to explore in future research.”

The study involved 51 adults with prediabetes and was conducted over two 12-week periods separated by a break, so the effects of the first part of the trial would not affect the second part. By the end of the study, all participants received both treatments. Stool samples were collected and analysed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, a technique that can help classify bacteria based on their genetic makeup.

Petersen noted that participants who ate pistachios also experienced reductions in several bacterial groups that have been linked to less favorable metabolic outcomes.

“Levels of Blautia hydrogenotrophica – a bacterium that helps produce compounds that can build up in the blood and harm kidney and heart health – were lower after pistachio consumption,” Petersen said. “Levels of Eubacterium flavonifractor, which breaks down beneficial antioxidant compounds from foods like pistachios, also decreased.”

Petersen added that the strength of this study is the design used – a randomised crossover clinical trial, in which all participants receive both treatments in a randomised order. By including all participants in the pistachio group and the standard care group, the study helped the researchers better understand how specific foods like pistachios can influence the gut microbiome.

While the study demonstrated shifts in gut bacteria, it remains unclear whether these changes directly translate to improvements in health – a question that requires further research, Petersen said.

Source: Pennsylvania State University

Categories : Metabolic DisordersTags :

Use of e-cigarettes Associated With Prediabetes Risk

On By ModernMedia
Vaping with an e-cigarette
Photo by Toan Nguyen on Unsplash

Analysis of a large representative database shows that e-cigarette use is associated with an increased risk of prediabetes, posing a new concern for public health.

“Our study demonstrated a clear association of prediabetes risk with the use of e-cigarettes,” explained lead researcher Shyam Biswal, PhD, at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. “With both e-cigarette use and prevalence of prediabetes dramatically on the rise in the past decade, our discovery that e-cigarettes carry a similar risk to traditional cigarettes with respect to diabetes is important for understanding and treating vulnerable individuals.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), traditional cigarette smokers are 30% to 40% more likely than non-smokers to develop type 2 diabetes, which increases their risk for cardiovascular diseases. e-cigarettes are sometimes promoted as a healthier option for cigarette smokers, and e-cigarettes use is rising among younger demographics.

The study analysed 2016–2018 data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), the largest annual nationally representative health survey of US adults. Among the 600 046 respondents, 9% were current e-cigarette users who self-reported prediabetes diagnoses. The data also showed that e-cigarette users have a higher prevalence of high-risk lifestyle factors and worse self-related mental and physical health status than non-smokers.

In this representative sample of US adults, e-cigarette use was associated with greater odds of prediabetes compared to those who did not use e-cigarettes or traditional cigarettes – a worrying link from a public health standpoint.

“We were surprised by the findings associating prediabetes with e-cigarettes because they are touted as a safer alternative, which we now know is not the case,” commented Dr Biswal. “In the case of cigarette smoking, nicotine has a detrimental effect on insulin action, and it appears that e-cigarettes may also have the same effect.”

Prediabetes is fortunately a reversible condition, given appropriate lifestyle management. The authors make a compelling recommendation for targeting the reduction in e-cigarette use and education of young adults to reduce diabetes risk.

“Our effort for smoking cessation has led to a decrease in smoking traditional cigarettes. With this information, it is time for us to ramp up our public health efforts to promote the cessation of e-cigarettes,” cautioned Dr Biswal.

The researchers published their findings in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines prediabetes as a state of intermediate hyperglycaemia using impaired fasting glucose, defined as fasting plasma glucose of 6.1–6.9 mmol/L (110 to 125 mg/dL) and impaired glucose tolerance defined as 2h plasma glucose of 7.8–11.0mmol/L (140–200 mg/dL) after ingestion of 75g of oral glucose or a combination of the two based on a 2h oral glucose tolerance test. It is estimated that by 2030, more than 470 million people worldwide will be diagnosed with prediabetes.

Source: EurekAlert!