The study was designed to explore the effect of Palatinose, compared to sucrose, on the release of gut hormones
A new study, led by Prof. Andreas Pfeiffer (Zhang et al), demonstrates that intake of the naturally sourced, smart carbohydrate Palatinose stimulates the release of beneficial gut hormones including GLP-1 in overweight adults, even if its consumption is followed by a meal. The findings show that Palatinose (isomaltulose) has a beneficial effect on metabolic parameters that are important for maintaining a healthy body weight, blood glucose control and cardiovascular health.
GLP-1 has beneficial impacts on the metabolism including the reduction of appetite and thereby weight gain. The benefits of the gut hormone are widely studied and drugs mimicking the effects of GLP-1 are used in the treatment of Type 2 diabetes. Some of these treatments have recently gained a huge amount of interest for reducing obesity and are being positioned as ‘weight loss’ drugs. The findings of this latest study show how Palatinose can instead enhance the release of the body’s GLP-1.
The study was designed to explore the effect of Palatinose, compared to sucrose, on the release of gut hormones. Using a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, cross-over design, the study was undertaken with 30 overweight/obese volunteers, aged between 49 and 77, half of whom had Type 2 diabetes. The participants’ blood glucose, insulin and incretins, including GLP-1, were monitored over nine hours.
The first three hours of measurement showed the volunteers’ metabolic response to breakfast, with no intervention. At the three-hour marker, a drink containing 50g isomaltulose or 50g sucrose was consumed, followed by lunch one hour later. The results showed that those who had consumed the isomaltulose, even as a pre-lunch drink, produced significantly higher GLP-1 levels than those who had ingested sucrose. As demonstrated for the first time, a subsequent meal does not mask the stronger release of gut hormones with Palatinose. Thus, it can be concluded that Palatinose promotes the release of gut hormones including GLP-1 even when consumed one hour before a complex meal.
GLP-1 has a beneficial impact on metabolism, including reducing appetite and weight gain and improving blood glucose control. The study findings again show that Palatinose influences factors contributing to a better metabolic state and provides benefits beyond slow released and sustained energy.