Metabolic Effects of a Diet with Inulin-Enriched Pasta in Healthy Young Volunteers

Abstract

Different lines of evidence suggest that higher intake of fiber may somehow protect against metabolic syndrome. The prebiotic inulin has widely been studied in relation to its putative beneficial effects on lipid and glucose metabolism. Therefore, adding inulin to diet may be a suitable strategy to prevent metabolic syndrome. Aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of the daily consumption of inulin-enriched pasta on lipid and glucose metabolism as well as on gastrointestinal motility in young healthy subjects. Methods. Twenty-two healthy young male volunteers entered a randomized double blind cross-over study consisting of a 2-weeks a run-in period, two 5-weeks study periods (11% inulin-enriched or control pasta), and an 8-weeks wash-out period in between. Serum lipid and glucose concentrations were evaluated by routine biochemical analyses. Gastric emptying time and electrical activity were non-invasively evaluated by ultrasound and electrogastrography. Data were analyzed by Friedman Repeated Measures ANOVA test. Results. Significant differences among baseline and the treatment group were found for HDL-cholesterol (p=0.004), total cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol ratio (p=0.006), triglycerides (p=0.04), fasting glucose level (p=0.044), fructosamine (p=0.0478), HbA1c (p=0.04), and homeostatic model assessment (HOMA-IR) (p=0.045). The gastric emptying, expressed as final emptying time, was found significantly delayed in the group that assumed inulin-enriched pasta (p=0.008). Conclusions. Inulin-enriched pasta improved lipidic and glicidic metabolism as well as the insulin resistance in healthy young subjects. In addition, it delayed the gastric emptying time which may represent the physiological counterpart of its metabolic effects.

Supplementation of prebiotics to a whey-based beverage reduces the risk of hypercholesterolaemia in rats

“…The cholesterollowering effect of FOS is also in agreement with the work of Russo et al (2010). They provided inulin-enriched pasta for a period of 2 wk and observed significant differences among control and the treated groups for HDL, triglycerides, cholesterol/HDL ratio and glucose level.…”

Prebiotics, gut microbiota and metabolic risks: Unveiling the relationship

“…Additionally, gastric emptying was significantly delayed in the treated group. The study provided evidence that prebiotics enriched pasta modulated lipid and glucose metabolism along with insulin resistance (Russo et al, 2010). Earlier, Causey, Feirtag, Gallaher, Tungland, and Slavin (2000) explored the impact of inulin from chicory root on serum lipid parameters and faecal composition in hypercholesterolaemic subjects.…”

NAFLD and Atherosclerosis Are Prevented by a Natural Dietary Supplement Containing Curcumin, Silymarin, Guggul, Chlorogenic Acid and Inulin in Mice Fed a High-Fat Diet

“…It is composed of several plant extracts ( Curcuma , silymarin, guggul, chlorogenic acid and inulin) that exert, at least individually, beneficial effects on different components of MetS. Curcumin improves insulin resistance and dyslipidemia [26]; silymarin exerts anti-inflammatory effects in animal models of NAFLD [27]; guggul lipids have been successfully used in obesity and hypercholesterolemia [28]; and chlorogenic acid, as well as inulin, may improve lipidic and glycidic metabolism [29,30]. In the present study, we have demonstrated that the diet natural supplement is able to prevent body weight gain, hepatic fat accumulation, atherosclerotic lesions development and dysregulation of lipidic metabolism.…”