Black Tea drinks with inulin and dextrin reduced postprandial plasma glucose fluctuations in patients with type 2 diabetes: an acute, randomized, placebo-controlled, single-blind crossover study.

BACKGROUND

This study evaluated the effects of black tea drinks with inulin and dextrin (BTID) on postprandial plasma glucose (PG) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

METHODS

An acute, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover clinical trial was carried out on T2DM patients. The subjects were randomly assigned to groups consuming placebo black tea powder or BTID (identically packaged) followed by a mixed meal tolerance test (MMTT). Afterwards, individuals who initially consumed BTID were given the placebo and those who initially consumed the placebo were given BTID.

RESULTS

A total of 35 patients were included in the study, and 32 completed the study. Compared to placebo, BTID significantly reduced the change in glycaemia at 30 min, 1, 2, and 3 h during the MMTT. In the analysis of PG fluctuations at 2 h during the MMTT, the proportion of patients with minor PG fluctuations (< 2.8 mmol/L) in the BTID group was 53.1%, significantly higher than the 28.1% in the placebo group. Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that the risk of significant PG fluctuations decreased by 65.5% after consuming BTID, with a corresponding odds ratio of 0.345 (P = 0.044, 95% CI 0.122-0.974). In addition, the areas under the curve for PG and insulin secretion after BTID administration were significantly smaller than that for placebo.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared to placebo, BTID significantly reduced the change in PG levels during the MMTT and decreased the risk of large PG fluctuations by 65.5%. These effects were associated to a significant reduction in postprandial insulin secretion and may help to improved insulin sensitivity and a lower β-cell burden.