Glycemic responses to glycemia-targeted specialized-nutrition beverages with varying carbohydrates compared to a standard nutritional beverage in adults with type 2 diabetes

Abstract

Background: Postprandial plasma glucose concentration is an important diabetes management target. Glycemia-targeted specialized-nutrition (GTSN) beverages, containing various quantities and types of carbohydrates (CHO), have been formulated to blunt postprandial hyperglycemia. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effectiveness of these products on postprandial glycemic and hormonal responses based on comparisons of GTSN with differing carbohydrate quantities or types. Methods: In two randomized, double-blind, crossover studies, participants (mean age 61 years) with type 2 diabetes consumed GTSN in a meal tolerance test. In the CHO Quantity Study, a standard nutritional beverage (STD) was compared to a low carbohydrate nutritional beverage with tapioca dextrin (GTSN-TDX) and a balanced carbohydrate nutritional beverage containing a blend of the slowly-digesting carbohydrates maltodextrin and sucromalt (GTSN-SDC). In the CHO Type Study, the GTSN beverages had similar carbohydrate quantities but varied in carbohydrate composition with GTSN-SDC compared to a formula with tapioca starch and fructose (GTSN-TS p = 0.062) and GTSN-I p = 0.076). No differences were observed between GTSN-TS&F and GTSN-I&RS. Conclusions: These results demonstrate the effectiveness of several GTSN products and suggest that both CHO quantity and type play important roles in postprandial glycemic response in men and women with type 2 diabetes. Furthermore, GTSN products containing slow-digesting carbohydrates can blunt postmeal glucose and insulin concentration despite delivering greater total grams of CHO, which provides a dietary benefit for people with diabetes.