# Effects of L-Arabinose on Glycemic Responses After the Consumption of Sucrose-Rich Foods in Individuals with Impaired Fasting Glucose: A Randomized Controlled Cross-Over Trial

## TL;DR

L-arabinose reduces blood sugar and insulin spikes after a sugary drink in people with impaired fasting glucose, but not after a full sugary diet.

## Contribution

First study to show L-arabinose effects in individuals with impaired fasting glucose, not just healthy individuals.

## Key findings

- L-arabinose reduced glucose and insulin peaks after a sucrose drink by 14% and 30%, respectively.
- Glycemic variability metrics like SD and coefficient of variation dropped by 25% and 24% with L-arabinose.
- No significant effect on glycemic variability was observed during a controlled sucrose-rich diet.

## Abstract

Impaired fasting glucose (IFG) is considered a preclinical stage of type 2 diabetes. L-arabinose is a sucrase inhibitor that interferes with sucrose breakdown and has been shown to lower glycemic and insulinemic responses in healthy individuals. However, its effects in individuals with IFG are unknown.

This study aims to assess effects of L-arabinose on glycemic responses after the consumption of sucrose-rich foods in individuals with IFG.

Eighteen adults [4 females, 14 males; age 73 ± 4 y; body mass index 27.5 ± 2.4 kg/m2] with IFG participated in a double-blind, randomized, cross-over trial. Participants received 10% w/w L-arabinose (treatment) in a 550 mL sucrose drink or a sucrose-only drink (control). Blood glucose and insulin were measured before and ≤180 min post consumption. After this, participants consumed a 2-day controlled diet with sucrose-rich (9–10 en%) meals and snacks, preceded by a 15% w/w L-arabinose supplement or no L-arabinose (control). Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) assessed glycemic variability throughout the trial.

A single treatment of 10% w/w L-arabinose significantly reduced glucose peaks (–14%) and insulin peaks (–30%), with delays of 10 and 32 min, respectively. CGM also revealed significant reductions in variability compared with control value: standard deviation (–25%), coefficient of variation (–24%), and mean amplitude of glycemic excursions (–26%). However, no effects on glycemic variability were observed during the controlled diet.

A single treatment of L-arabinose to a sucrose-rich drink reduced insulin and glucose responses in individuals with IFG, but this effect did not extend to a sucrose-rich diet containing complex meals and snacks.

https://onderzoekmetmensen.nl/nl/trial/27001.