AIMTo determine a potential relationship between serum undercarboxylated (ucOC) concentration and cardiovascular risk factors in type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients and healthy subjects (HS).METHODSA cross-sectional study was conducted on 140 subjects classified into two groups, 70 with T2D and 70 HS. Medical history and physical examination with anthropometric measurements were obtained from all subjects. Body fat percentage was determined by bioelectrical impendency analysis. Serum ucOC concentration was determined by enzyme immunoassay, while serum levels of insulin and hsCRP were obtained using high sensitivity enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Insulin resistance was determined using the homeostasis model assessment-IR. Lipid profile [triglycerides, total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoproteins (HDL-c), low density lipoproteins (LDL-c), very low-density lipoproteins] was determined by spectrophotometry and standard formulas when applicable.RESULTSThe T2D patient group showed significantly higher values of waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), current smoking, and alcohol use when compared to the HS group (P < 0.05). We observed a significantly lower serum ucOC concentration in T2D than in HS (1.5 ± 1.4 vs 2.3 ± 1.8, P < 0.05). In the whole study population, ucOC concentration was inversely correlated with body mass index (BMI) (r = -0.236, P < 0.05), fasting plasma glucose (r = -0.283, P < 0.01) and HDL-c (r = -0.255, P < 0.05); and positively correlated with LDL-c/HDL-c ratio (r = 0.306, P < 0.05) and TC/HDL-c ratio (r = 0.284, P < 0.05). In the T2D group, serum ucOC concentration was inversely correlated with BMI (r = -0.310, P < 0.05) and body-fat percentage (r = -0.311, P < 0.05), and positively correlated with DBP (r = 0.450, P < 0.01). In HS group a positive correlation between serum levels of ucOC and SBP (r = 0.277, P < 0.05) was observed.CONCLUSIONSerum ucOC is a potential marker for cardiovascular risk in Mexicans because it is related to adiposity parameters, blood pressure and lipid profile.

Snack alternatives based on common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) have been developed to promote pulse consumption. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the chemical composition, sensory acceptance and the effect of common bean baked snack (CBBS) consumption on blood lipid levels in participants with overweight and altered blood lipid levels. A sensory evaluation by 80 untrained judges was carried out using a hedonic scale. A randomized crossover 2 × 2 trial was performed, where 20 participants with overweight and one blood lipid alteration consumed 32 g of CBBS or did not consume it (control) for four weeks. Blood samples were taken to quantify the triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL-c, HDL-c, ApoB-100, glucose and insulin. Furthermore, anthropometric, dietary and physical activity parameters were recorded. The overall acceptance of CBBS was similar compared to popcorn (p > 0.05). The consumption of CBBS reduced the apolipoprotein B-100 levels (p = 0.008). This reduction could be associated with the additional dietary fiber consumption during the CBBS period (p = 0.04). Although it did not improve any other blood lipid or glucose parameters (p > 0.05), it did not affect them either, which means that the CBBS could be consumed without compromising cardiovascular health.

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A value of ucOC/cOC index less than 0.3 is associated with markers of poor metabolic control in patients with T2D.

Background Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are characterized by chronic hyperglycemia as a consequence of decreased insulin sensitivity, which contributes to bone demineralization and could also be related to changes in serum levels of osteocalcin and insulin, particularly when coupled with a deficiency in the daily consumption of vitamins D3 and K2. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of vitamin D3 and vitamin K2 supplements alone or in combination on osteocalcin levels and metabolic parameters in patients with T2DM. Methods A double-blind, randomized clinical trial was carried out in 40 patients aged between 30 and 70 years old for 3 months. Clinical and laboratory assessment was carried out at the beginning and at the end of the treatment. The patients were divided into three groups: (a) 1000 IU vitamin D3 + a calcinated magnesium placebo (n = 16), (b) 100 µg of Vitamin K2 + a calcinated magnesium placebo (n = 12), and (c) 1000 IU vitamin D3 + 100 µg vitamin K2 (n = 12). Results After treatment in the total studied population, a significant decrease in glycemia (p = 0.001), HOMA-IR (Homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance) (p = 0.040), percentage of pancreatic beta cells (p < 0.001), uOC/cOC index and diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.030) were observed; in vitamin D3 group, differences in serum undercarboxylated osteocalcin (p = 0.026), undercarboxylated to carboxylated osteocalcin index (uOC/cOC) (p = 0.039) glucose (p < 0.001) and  % of functional pancreatic beta cells (p < 0.001) were demonstrated. In vitamin K2 group a significant decrease in glycemia (p = 0.002), HOMA-IR (p = 0.041), percentage of pancreatic beta cells (p = 0.002), and in cOC (p = 0.041) were observed, conversely cOC concentration was found high. Finally, in the vitamins D3 + K2 a significant decrease in glycemia (p = 0.002), percentage of pancreatic beta cells (p = 0.004), and in the uOC/cOC index (p = 0.023) were observed. Conclusion Individual or combined supplementation with vitamins D3 and K2 significantly decreases the glucose levels and  % of functional pancreatic beta cells, while D3 and D3 + K2 treatments also induced a reduction in the uOC/cOC index. Only in the group with vitamin D3 supplementation, it was observed a reduction in undercarboxylated osteocalcin while vitamin K2 increased the carboxylated osteocalcin levels. Trial registration NCT04041492