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Postprandial insulin and glucose levels are reduced in healthy subjects when a standardised breakfast meal is supplemented with a filtered sugarcane molasses concentrate

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Abstract

Purpose

A phytochemical- and mineral-rich filtered sugarcane molasses concentrate (FMC), when added to carbohydrate-containing foods as a functional ingredient, lowers postprandial blood glucose and insulin responses. We hypothesised that this beneficial effect would also occur if FMC was administered as an oral supplement taken before a meal.

Methods

This study measured the postprandial glucose and insulin responses elicited by different doses of FMC administered immediately prior to a standard breakfast to healthy subjects. Each subject was given three or five breakfast meals once, on different days. The composition of the meals was identical, except for the addition of either placebo syrup (test meal 1) or increasing doses of FMC (test meals 2–5).

Results

The plasma glucose concentration curves were similar for the five test meals. Plasma insulin curves were lowered in a dose-dependent manner. Stratifying subjects based on age, BMI and insulin resistance showed greater effects of low doses of FMC on lowering insulin responses in those subjects with potentially greater insulin resistance. When insulin response is standardised to amount of carbohydrate in the meal/dose combination, the reduction in response is linear and inversely proportional to the FMC dose.

Conclusions

FMC shows promise as an agent that can reduce insulin responses and lessen the load on the pancreatic beta cells.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Fiona Atkinson from Sydney University Glycaemic Index Research Service for valuable insight and assistance with this study. The authors would also like to thank Michael Cowley, Ralph DeFronzo, Seema Gulati, Edward Horton, Chris Newguard and Gerald Shulman for their discussions around this study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Horizon Science Pty. Ltd., 6/84-90 Lakewood Blvd., Braeside, VIC, 3195, Australia

    Timothy P. Ellis, Alison G. Wright & Leodevico L. Ilag

  2. Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute, 75 Commercial Rd, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia

    Peter M. Clifton

  3. School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, Sansom Institute for Health Research, University of South Australia, Frome Road, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia

    Peter M. Clifton

  4. Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, University of Melbourne, 30 Flemington Rd, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia

    Leodevico L. Ilag

Authors
  1. Timothy P. Ellis
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  2. Alison G. Wright
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  4. Leodevico L. Ilag
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Timothy P. Ellis.

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Conflicts of interest

This study was conducted under contract by the Sydney University Glycaemic Index Research Service and financed by Horizon Science. Horizon Science retained the services of the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute for the scientific input of Peter Clifton towards this study and manuscript.

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Ellis, T.P., Wright, A.G., Clifton, P.M. et al. Postprandial insulin and glucose levels are reduced in healthy subjects when a standardised breakfast meal is supplemented with a filtered sugarcane molasses concentrate. Eur J Nutr 55, 2365–2376 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-015-1043-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-015-1043-6

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