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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Boston, Massachusetts » Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #253739
Title: Almond consumption improved glycemic control and lipid profiles in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Author
item LI, SING-CHUNG - Taipei Medical University
item LIU, YEN-HUA - Taipei Medical University
item CHANG, WEN-HSIN - Taipei Medical University
item CHEN, CHIAO-MING - Shih Chien University
item CHEN, C-Y OLIVER - Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging At Tufts University
item LIU, JEN-FANG - Taipei Medical University

Submitted to: Metabolism
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/12/2010
Publication Date: 4/1/2011
Citation: Li, S., Liu, Y., Chang, W., Chen, C., Chen, C., Liu, J. 2011. Almond consumption improved glycemic control and lipid profiles in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Metabolism. 60:474-479.

Interpretive Summary: Almond consumption is associated with ameliorations in obesity, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and hyperglycemia. In this study, we examined whether almond consumption would improve glycemic control and decrease risk to cardiovascular disease in 20 Chinese type 2 diabetic mellitus (T2DM) patients with mildly increased blood cholesterol. T2DM patients were assigned to either a control NCEP step II diet (control diet) or almond diet for 4 wks. Almond diet significantly enhanced plasma vitamin E level as compared to control diet. Further, almond intake decreased total cholesterol, and LDL cholesterol. The T2DM patients consuming the almond diet had lower levels of fasting insulin and glucose and insulin resistance, respectively, than consuming control diet. Our results suggested that incorporation of almonds into a healthy diet has beneficial effects on body fat and blood glucose control and cholesterol, thereby potentially decreasing the risk of cardiovascular disease in patients with type-2 diabetes.

Technical Abstract: Almond consumption is associated with ameliorations in obesity, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and hyperglycemia. The hypothesis of this 12-wk randomized crossover clinical trial was that almond consumption would improve glycemic control and decrease risk to cardiovascular disease in 20 Chinese type 2 diabetic mellitus (T2DM) patients (9 M, 11 F; 58 yr; BMI: 26 kg/m2) with mild hyperlipidemia. After a 2-wk run-in period, T2DM patients were assigned to either a control NCEP step II diet (control diet) or almond diet for 4 wks with a 2-wk washout period between alternative diets. Almonds were added to the control diet to replace 20% of total daily calorie intake. Addition of approximately 60 g almonds/d increased dietary intakes of fiber, magnesium, PUFA, MUFA, and vitamin E. Body fat determined with bioelectrical impedance analysis was significantly lower in patients consuming almonds (almonds vs. control: 29.6 vs. 30.4%). Almond diet enhanced plasma a-tocopherol level by 23.3% (median: 26.8%; 95% confidence intervals (CI): 15.1, 36.6%) as compared to control diet. Further, almond intake decreased TC, LDL-C, and LDL-C/HDL-C ratio by 5.4 (median: 6.0%; 95% CI: 1.6, 9.4%), 11.2 (median: 11.6%; 95% CI: 2.8, 19.1%), and 9.1% (median: 9.7%; 95% CI: 0.3, 20.9%), respectively. Apoprotein-B level, ratio of Apoprotein B/Apoprotein-A1, and plasma nonesterified fatty acid was also decreased significantly by 17.1 (median: 15.6%; 95% CI: 5.1, 25.4%), 16.7 (median: 17.4%; 95% CI: 2.8, 19.9%), and 9.6% (median: 5.5%; 95% CI: 3.0, 14.4%), respectively. The T2DM patients consuming the almond diet had 3.9 (median: 4.1%; 95% CI: 0.9, 12.5%), 3.5% (median: 0.8%; 95% CI: 0.4, 6.3%), and 11.5% (median: 9.2%; 95% CI: 4.4, 13.2%) lower levels of fasting insulin and fasting glucose and HOMA-IR, respectively, when consuming control diet. Our results suggested that incorporation of almonds into a healthy diet has beneficial effects on adiposity, glycemic control, and the lipid profile, thereby potentially decreasing the risk of cardiovascular disease in patients with type-2 diabetes.