Kombucha tea as an anti-hyperglycemic agent in humans with diabetes – a randomized controlled pilot investigation

Abstract

IntroductionKombucha is a popular fermented tea that has attracted considerable attention due, in part, to its suggested health benefits. Previous results from animal models led us to hypothesize kombucha may reduce blood sugar levels in humans with diabetes. The objective of this pilot clinical study was to evaluate kombucha for its anti-hyperglycemic activities in adults with diabetes mellitus type II.MethodsThe study was organized as a prospective randomized double-blinded crossover study at a single-center urban hospital system. Participants (n = 12) were instructed to consume either a kombucha product or a placebo control (each 240 mL) for 4 weeks. After an 8-week washout period, participants consumed the alternate product. Fasting blood glucose levels were self-determined at baseline and at 1 and 4 weeks during each treatment period. Secondary health outcomes, including overall health, insulin requirement, gut health, skin health, mental health, and vulvovaginal health were measured by questionnaire at the same time points. The kombucha microbiota was assessed by selective culturing and 16S rRNA gene (bacteria) and ITS (fungi) sequencing. Fermentation end products were assessed by HPLC. Statistical significance of changes in fasting blood glucose was determined using paired, two-tailed student’s t-tests.ResultsKombucha lowered average fasting blood glucose levels at 4 weeks compared to baseline (164 vs. 116 mg/dL, p = 0.035), whereas the placebo did not (162 vs. 141 mg/dL, p = 0.078). The kombucha microbiota, as assessed by cultural enumeration, was mainly comprised of lactic acid bacteria, acetic acid bacteria, and yeast, with each group present at about 106 colony forming units (CFU)/mL. Likewise, 16S rRNA gene sequencing confirmed that lactic acid and acetic acid bacteria were the most abundant bacteria, and ITS sequencing showed Dekkera was the most abundant yeast. The primary fermentation end products were lactic and acetic acids, both less than 1%. Ethanol was present at 1.5%.DiscussionAlthough this pilot study was limited by a small sample size, kombucha was associated with reduced blood glucose levels in humans with diabetes. Larger follow-up studies are warranted.Clinical trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT04107207.

Assessing Kombucha: A Systematic Review of Health Effects in Human

“…Regarding the clinical assay from the USA of Mendelson, C., Sparkes, S., et al (2023) [24]. This clinical study they aimed to explore the potential antihyperglycemic effects of Kombucha in adults with type II diabetes mellitus (T2D).…”

“…The trial of Vladimir Pilipenko [23] from Russia (2022) suggests specific improvements in IBS patients, so more research is needed in this field of study of the microbiota related to the benefits of consuming Kombucha. Concerning the two pilot clinical trials carried out in T2D and healthy individuals concerning Mendelson-Sparkes's research [24] and Atkinson Brand-Miller [25], the results are encouraging, reflecting the antidiabetogenic power demonstrated in animals, but with this small number of participants, it makes extrapolation of results difficult, so more clinical trials are necessary around diabetes.…”

Metabolomics and in-vitro bioactivities studies of fermented Musa paradisiaca pulp: A potential alpha-amylase inhibitor

“…Although several efforts have been reported using synthetic bioactive products from chemical-based molecules, these bioactive products from chemical-based molecules have side effects that limit their usage. Interestingly, studies have shown that bioactive compounds synthesised via fermentation of biomass are safer with no side effects when compared with bioactive compounds from chemical-based molecules [ [5] , [6] , [7] , [8] ]. Apart from this, the bioactive products from the fermentation of biomass are environmentally friendly and affordable.…”

Kombucha polysaccharide alleviates DSS-induced colitis in mice by modulating the gut microbiota and remodeling metabolism pathways

“…The addition of a wide range of nonclassical matrices, such as fruits, vegetables, plants and herbs, makes the variety of kombucha even richer (Barakat et al, 2022;Anantachoke et al, 2023;Wu et al, 2023). Kombucha is rich in tea polyphenols and organic acids, which have a variety of activities, such as antioxidant (Jakubczyk et al, 2020), liver protection (Moreira et al, 2022), antimicrobial (Nyiew et al, 2022;Vukic et al, 2023) and hypoglycemic (Mendelson et al, 2023) activities. A polysaccharide extract of novel shiitake mushroom kombucha was shown to have immunomodulatory effects (Sknepnek et al, 2021).…”