Glycaemic and insulinaemic responses to a new hydrogenated starch hydrolysate in healthy and type 2 diabetic subjects.

BACKGROUND

Industrialists are searching for a sugar replacement in confectioneries such as hard candies, gum and chocolate. Lycasin HBC is a suitable candidate. Nevertheless, no information on its plasma glucose and insulin responses exists. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the glycaemic and insulinaemic indices of Lycasin HBC in healthy subjects and in subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

METHODS

Six healthy and six type 2 diabetic men participated in the study. Each subject absorbed, after an overnight fast, a challenge of either 50 g of glucose or 50 g of Lycasin HBC using a randomised double-blind crossover design. Blood samples for measuring plasma glucose and insulin concentrations were collected during a 3 hour period.

RESULTS

The calculated glycaemic index of Lycasin HBC was 47 +/- 10% in healthy subjects and 25 +/- 6% in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The insulinaemic index of Lycasin HBC was 23 +/- 4% and 39 +/- 14%, respectively. As glucose levels oscillate in a very limited range in normal healthy subjects, the insulinaemic index must be considered here. On the other hand, it is the glycaemic rather than the insulinaemic index that must be assessed in diabetic subjects due to impairment of insulin secretion.

CONCLUSIONS

The tested Lycasin HBC showed a low insulinaemic index in healthy subjects (23 +/- 4%) and a low glycaemic index (25 +/- 6%) in type 2 diabetic patients. Thus, it might be considered as an interesting sucrose substitute in confectionery for individuals with or without diabetes.