Type 2 diabetes is a condition that has been affecting more and more people. Unfortunately, this condition still has no cure. But researchers are continuing their studies into finding different ways to manage the disease. For now, the best option is weight and blood sugar level management. But there is a recent study that indicates that a possible compound found in avocadoes may reduce insulin resistance associated with type 2 diabetes.
Researchers from the University of Guelph in Canada discovered that a fat molecule found only in avocadoes can prevent or reduce the effects of type 2 diabetes in mice. The compound, named avocatin B or AvoB has the ability to slow down weight gain as well as increase insulin sensitivity, at least in initial mice models. The researchers fed a group of mice with a high fat diet for a period of 8 weeks. Then for the next five weeks, the researchers then added the compound AvoB into the diet of half the mice in the said group.
After 13 weeks, the researchers observed that the mice fed with AvoB gained weight at a slower rate compared to the other half. The AvoB group also exhibited an increase in insulin sensitivity at the end of the study. The researchers believe that the AvoB compound ensured the complete oxidation of fats by working against incomplete mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation in the pancreas and the skeletal muscle. This resulted in improved glucose utilization and tolerance, improving the insulin sensitivity in mice.
In a separate clinical study in humans, researchers looked into the effects of AvoB supplement along with following an average Western diet for a period of 60 days. This double-blind, placebo-controlled study involved participants taking either 50mg or 200mg AvoB supplements. The researchers determined that the participants were able to tolerate the compound well, with no indication of negative effects in the liver, kidneys or muscles.
Further studies may be needed as to how the body may be able to extract the compound from avocadoes. It also remains to be seen how much is needed to provide the beneficial effects that the researchers observed in the said study. The summary of the findings is published in the journal Molecular Nutrition and Food Research.
Source: Medical News Today