New research suggests that including proteins and fats in your diet to manage blood sugar levels could be as important as including carbohydrates.
The University of British Columbia (UBC) conducted the first large-scale study to compare the insulin response to carbohydrates, proteins and fats.
Findings showed that insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar, is more dynamic and individualised than previously believed. The researchers also discovered hyper-responsiveness to fatty foods in some of the study population.
- Oral insulin provides easy and convenient alternative to regular injections
- 1 in 4 people with insulin-dependent diabetes have eating disorder symptoms, research shows
- Men at higher risk of type 2 diabetes due to pronounced insulin resistance of adipose tissue
Senior author Dr James Johnson, a professor of cellular and physiological sciences at UBC, said: “Glucose is the well-known driver of insulin, but we were surprised to see such high variability, with some individuals showing a strong response to proteins, and others to fats, which had never been characterised before.
“Insulin plays a major role in human health, in everything from diabetes, where it is too low, to obesity, weight gain and even some forms of cancer, where it is too high. These findings lay the groundwork for personalised nutrition that could transform how we treat and manage a range of conditions.”
The study involved exposing the pancreatic islets of 140 cadaveric donors, including a wide age range of males and females, to the three macronutrients.
The majority of donors’ islets exhibited the highest insulin response to glucose, moderate response to amino acid, and minimal response to fatty acid, according to the study. However, 9% of donors’ islets had amino acid responses, and 8% had fatty acid responses that were larger than their glucose-stimulated insulin responses.
Dr Jelena Kolic, first author and research associate in the Johnson lab at UBC said: “This research challenges the long-held belief that fats have negligible effects on insulin release in everyone.
“With a better understanding of a person’s individual drivers of insulin production, we could potentially provide tailored dietary guidance that would help people better manage their blood sugar and insulin levels.”
A group of islet cells from the pancreases of people who lived with type 2 diabetes were also analysed.
Despite their expected low insulin response to glucose, the findings show that their insulin response to protein generally stayed the same.
- Scientists develop experimental type 1 diabetes drug which shields insulin-making cells from immune system attack
- Insulin shortages spark anxiety among diabetes patients
- Breakthrough oral insulin delivery system shows promise in early studies
Dr Kolic added: “This really bolsters the case that protein-rich diets could have therapeutic benefits for patients with type 2 diabetes and highlights the need for further research into protein-stimulated insulin secretion.”
The pancreatic islets also underwent a thorough protein and gene expression analysis to provide further understanding on the molecular and cellular characteristics that affect insulin production.
The researchers suggest that genetic testing could be used to pinpoint the macronutrients that activate a person’s insulin response.
To further their work, they will endeavour to test insulin response to the three macronutrients in an everyday setting and, using these findings, plan to create personalised nutrition approaches.
The study was published in the journal Cell Metabolism.
