|
A
|
fat molecule found
only in avocados shows signs of strengthening insulin sensitivity, according to
research in mice.
Share on PinterestAvocados contain a
compound that could be a secret weapon against type 2 diabetes.
Avocados aren't merely a tasty addition to a diet — they
contain a fat molecule that may safely reduce insulin resistance.
A study by researchers from the University of Guelph, in
Canada, suggests that this compound, which avocados alone contain, may
forestall or prevent the hallmark of type 2 diabetes in mice.
The team also tested the safety of this compound in human
participants. They have published a summary of their findings in the
journal Molecular Nutrition & Food
Research.
The
problem with type 2 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes prevents the body from successfully
processing glucose, or sugar, in the blood.
In people without diabetes,
this processing happens with the assistance of the pancreatic hormone insulin. In people who have diabetes, the body
either does not produce enough of the hormone, or it cannot use it effectively.
Either type of diabetes can cause too much glucose to remain
in the blood, an unhealthy state that — if left unmanaged — can cause a range
of serious issues, including heart disease, stroke, and kidney or
nerve damage.
"We
advocate healthy eating and exercise as solutions to the problem, but that's
difficult for some people. We've known this for decades, and obesity and diabetes are still a
significant health problem."
Nawaz
Ahmed, lead author of the paper
The University of Guelph research, led by an associate
professor at the school, Paul Spagnuolo, Ph.D., looked particularly at insulin
resistance.
Insulin resistance, say the study's authors, occurs when
mitochondria in cells cannot burn fatty acids via oxidation sufficiently. In
diabetes, that oxidation is incomplete.
Meet AvoB
The compound in question is a fat molecule called avocatin
B, or AvoB.
For the study, the researchers fed mice a high fat diet for
8 weeks to promote obesity and insulin resistance. Then, the team added AvoB to
the diet of half the mice for the next 5 weeks.
At the end of the 13 weeks, the
mice that had ingested AvoB had gained weight at a slower rate than their
counterparts, and their insulin sensitivity had increased.
The researchers conclude that AvoB worked against incomplete
mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation in the skeletal muscle and pancreas,
ensuring the complete oxidation of fats, and thus leading to improved glucose
tolerance and utilization, enhancing the rodents' insulin sensitivity.
AvoB's
safety in humans
In a separate, double‐blind,
placebo‐controlled clinical study in humans, the researchers
investigated the effects of an AvoB supplement coupled with an average Western
diet for 60 days.
Dosages were either 50 milligrams (mg) or 200 mg. At the end
of the trial, the researchers determined that the participants had tolerated
the compound well. The team found no negative effects in the liver, muscles, or
kidneys and no indication of dose dependent toxicity.
There was also some weight loss among participants, though
the authors of the study considered it statistically insignificant.
What's
next?
Spagnuolo and the team are designing clinical trials to
assess AvoB's effectiveness in people, and they have already received clearance
from Health Canada to sell AvoB in powder and pill forms, perhaps by next year.
Unfortunately for sedentary
avocado lovers, Spagnuolo cautions that simply eating avocados will not provide
enough AvoB for a person to gain its potential benefit.
The amount of the compound varies from fruit to fruit, and
it remains unclear — for now — exactly how the body extracts it from avocados.
Further research will reveal whether AvoB will turn out to
be a missing piece of a difficult diabetes management puzzle.
No comments:
Post a Comment