The Glycemic Response Elicited by Beta-glucans of Different Physical Properties and Form

Guelph Food Research Centre

Status: Completed

Conditions: Type 2 Diabetes

Treatments: Dietary Supplement: oat beta-glucan; Dietary Supplement: Placebo

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01610518

UT25964

Details and patient eligibility

About

The ability of oat β-glucan to lower postprandial glycemic responses has been attributed to the viscosity of the solution in which the fibre is solubilized. To our knowledge, no studies have investigated the effect of β-glucan solutions on glycemic response when concentration, and thus viscosity, is varied by changing the solution volume but not the β-glucan dose. Therefore, the investigators will test the effects of altering β-glucan solution viscosity by altering solution volume at a fixed amount of β-glucan fibre.

Full description

The ability of β-glucan to lower postprandial glycemic responses has been attributed to the viscosity of the solution in which the fibre is solubilized. It has been demonstrated that the viscosity of a β-glucan solution increases with the molecular weight (MW) of β-glucan polymers, as well as the dose or concentration (C) of those polymers in solution. Numerous studies have shown that glycemic response-lowering is strengthened when the C of a β-glucan solution of fixed liquid volume is increased by increasing β-glucan dose. However, the C of a β-glucan solution depends on not only the amount of fibre present but also on the solution volume. To our knowledge, no studies have investigated the effect of β-glucan solutions on glycemic response when C, and thus viscosity, is varied by changing the solution volume but not the β-glucan dose. Therefore, the investigators will test the effects of altering β-glucan solution viscosity by altering solution volume at a fixed amount of β-glucan fibre. Knowing how to incorporate β-glucan into solution so that its physiological benefits are preserved will assist in the development of β-glucan-containing functional foods.

Enrollment: 15 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 75 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• healthy men and women

Exclusion criteria

• BMI greater than or equal to 35
• known to have diabetes, HIV, hepatitis or a heart condition
• use of medications or having a condition which may harm the subjects
• use of medication which may affect the study results

Trial design

Primary purpose: Basic Science

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Crossover Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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15 participants in 6 patient groups, including a placebo group

250 mL medium viscosity

Experimental group

Description:

250 mL beverage containing 4g low molecular weight oat beta-glucan and 50g glucose

Treatment:

Dietary Supplement: oat beta-glucan

600 mL low viscosity

Experimental group

Description:

600 mL beverage containing 4g low molecular weight oat beta-glucan and 50g glucose

Treatment:

Dietary Supplement: oat beta-glucan

250 mL high viscosity

Experimental group

Description:

250 mL beverage containing 4g high molecular weight oat beta-glucan and 50g glucose

Treatment:

Dietary Supplement: oat beta-glucan

600 mL medium viscosity

Experimental group

Description:

600 mL beverage containing 4g high molecular weight oat beta-glucan and 50g glucose

Treatment:

Dietary Supplement: oat beta-glucan

250mL control

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

250 mL beverage containing 50g glucose

Treatment:

Dietary Supplement: Placebo

600mL control

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

600mL beverage containing 50g glucose

Treatment:

Dietary Supplement: Placebo