Scientists from Newcastle University found that drinking a small amount of whey protein before meals has been shown to help people with type 2 diabetes control their blood sugars.
The research is published in BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care and was conducted by Dr. Daniel West et al.
In a study, 18 people with type 2 diabetes consumed a small drink—in a 100 ml shot- with 15 grams of protein 10 minutes before breakfast, lunch and dinner over seven days and remained on their prescribed diabetes medication.
They were monitored for a week as they went about normal daily life.
To compare the potential benefits of whey protein, the same participants also spent a week drinking a control shot that contained no protein in order to measure the results against each other.
The team found that blood sugar levels were much better controlled when taking the whey supplement before meals.
On average, they had two hours extra per day of normal blood sugar levels compared to the no-protein week.
In addition, their daily blood glucose levels were 0.6 mmol/L lower compared to when they consumed the supplement without any protein.
While previous studies for a few hours in the lab have shown the potential for this dietary intervention, this is the first time that people have been monitored as they go about normal life.
The researchers believe the whey protein works in two ways, firstly, by slowing down how quickly food passes through the digestive system and secondly, by stimulating a number of important hormones that prevent the blood sugars from climbing so high.
They say there are increasing numbers of people around the world developing diabetes, and finding the potential of alternatives to drugs such as food supplements becomes more important.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies about vegetables that could reduce kidney damage caused by diabetes, and why more than half of people with type 2 diabetes die from heart disease.
For more information about diabetes, please see recent studies about diet that could help reduce high blood pressure, diabetes, and results showing this therapy may reverse diabetes-related eye disease.
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