Why carry out this study

Several nutritional principles can reduce the glycemic impact of dietary carbohydrates, including reducing the rate of gastrointestinal glucose absorption.

A natural adjuvant that follows this principle is mulberry leaf extract (MLE) that contains iminosugar alkaloids (i.e., analogues of sugars), of which 1-deoxynojirimycin (DNJ) is the most abundant and competitively blocks the active site of polysaccharide-degrading enzymes in the digestive tract, thus reducing the absorption of dietary carbohydrates.

There are limited studies with this nutraceutical principle in people with T2D.

We evaluated the postprandial metabolic effects of a natural 2-g powder blend of MLE, fiber, vitamin D3, and chromium, compared with a similar blend without the MLE, sprinkled over a breakfast meal in people with T2D of Asian origin.

What was learned from this study

In individuals with T2D, 72% of whom were on metformin, of Asian origin, a natural powder blend of MLE, dietary fiber, vitamin D and chromium significantly reduced the overall glycemic burden and early insulin response when taken with a carbohydrate-rich breakfast, compared to a blend without the MLE.

The results extend the previous relatively limited knowledge base about effects of MLE in T2D and support its use as a convenient dietary adjuvant to improve PP glucometabolic response.