Inclusion of Oat Polar Lipids in a Solid Breakfast Improves Glucose Tolerance, Triglyceridemia, and Gut Hormone Responses Postprandially and after a Standardized Second Meal: A Randomized Crossover Study in Healthy Subjects.

Previously, it has been indicated that oat polar lipids included in a liquid meal may have the potential to beneficially modulate various cardiometabolic variables. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of oat polar lipids in a solid food matrix on acute and second meal glucose tolerance, blood lipids, and concentrations of gut-derived hormones. The oat polar lipids were consumed at breakfast and effects on the biomarkers were investigated in the postprandial period and following a standardized lunch. Twenty young, healthy subjects consumed in total four different breakfast meals in a crossover study design. The breakfasts consisted of 1. White wheat bread (WWB) with an added 7.5 g of oat polar lipids (PLL); 2. WWB with an added 15 g of oat polar lipids (PLH); 3. WWB with and added 16.6 g of rapeseed oil (RSO) as a representative of commonly consumed oils; and 4. WWB consumed alone, included as a reference. All products with added lipids contained equivalent amounts of fat (16.6 g) and available carbohydrates (50 g). Rapeseed oil was added to the oat polar lipid meals to equal 16.6 g of total fat. The standardized lunch was composed of WWB and meatballs and was served 3.5 h after the breakfast. Test variables (blood glucose, serum insulin, triglyceride (TG), free fatty acids (FFA), ghrelin, GLP-1, PYY, and GIP) were measured at fasting and repeatedly during the 5.5 h after ingestion of the breakfast. After breakfast, PLH substantially lowered postprandial glucose and insulin responses (iAUC 0-120 min) compared with RSO and WWB (p < 0.05). Furthermore, a reduced glycaemic response to lunch (210-330 min) was observed following the PLH breakfast compared to all of the other breakfasts served (p < 0.05). Oat polar lipids (PLH) significantly reduced TG and ghrelin and increased circulating gut hormones GLP-1 and PYY compared to RSO (p < 0.05). The results show that exchanging part of the dietary lipids with oat polar lipids has the potential to improve postprandial blood glucose regulation and gut hormones and thus may have a preventive effect against type 2 diabetes.

Impact of rye-based evening meals on cognitive functions, mood and cardiometabolic risk factors: a randomized controlled study in healthy middle-aged subjects.

BACKGROUND: Whole grain (WG) intake is associated with reduced risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, whereas type 2 diabetes increases the risk of cognitive decline and dementia. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of short-term intervention with WG rye on cognitive functions, mood and cardiometabolic risk markers in middle-aged test subjects. METHOD: Rye-based breads were provided to 38 healthy test subjects (aged 52-70y) during three consecutive days in a crossover study design, using white wheat flour bread (WWB) as a reference. The rye-based bread consisted of a WG rye kernel/flour mixture (1:1 ratio) supplemented with resistant starch type 2 (RS2) (RB + RS2). The last bread portion was ingested at 2100 h, and cognitive function, mood and cardiometabolic risk markers were determined the following morning, 11 - 14 h post intake. RESULTS: In comparison to WWB, the RB + RS2 product increased ratings of mood parameters (valance, P < 0.001; activation P < 0.05). No differences were seen in the cognitive tests depending on intervention (P > 0.05). RB + RS2 increased insulin sensitivity (P < 0.05), fasting levels of gut hormones (PYY, P < 0.05; GLP-2, P < 0.01) and fasting concentrations of plasma acetate, butyrate and total SCFA (P < 0.001). In contrast, fasting levels of IL - 1ß were decreased (P < 0.05). Insulin sensitivity was positively correlated with working memory test performance (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study display novel findings regarding effects of WG rye products on mood, and glucose and appetite regulation in middle-aged subjects, indicating anti-diabetic properties of WG rye. The beneficial effects are suggested to be mediated through gut fermentation of dietary fiber in the RB + RS2 product. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was retrospectively registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, register number NCT03275948 . Registered September 8 2017.

Gut microbiota mediated benefits of barley kernel products on metabolism, gut hormones, and inflammatory markers as affected by co-ingestion of commercially available probiotics: a randomized controlled study in healthy subjects.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Barley kernel based products have been shown to induce benefits on blood glucose regulation, cardio-metabolic risk markers and appetite regulating hormones in a time perspective of 11-16 h after intake. The mechanisms have been assigned to gut fermentation of indigestible carbohydrates. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate if the modulatory effects of barley on markers of metabolic- and appetite regulation are affected by a dietary background including a mixture of commercially available probiotics. METHODS: Barley kernel bread was included in the normal diet of 21 healthy subjects in two 4-day intervention periods; with (BB-pro) or without (BB) dietary supplement with a combination of probiotics (Bifidobacterium animalis DN-173 010, Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938, and Lactobacillus plantarum 299v). A white wheat flour based bread was included as a reference product (WWB-ref) in a separate 4-day bread intervention period. A cross-over design was applied concerning BB- and WWB-ref; the BB-pro intervention was last in the test sequence. The BB-pro intervention was preceded by 10 days priming with probiotics. The 4 day BB- and WWB-ref intervention periods included dietary supplementation with placebo, and the interventions were preceded with 10 days priming with the placebo. The day after each intervention period, blood samples were collected at fasting and postprandially after a standardized breakfast (0-210 min) for determination of markers of glucose metabolism (blood glucose, serum (s-) insulin), inflammation (s-IL-6, s-IL-18, s-CRP, PAI-1), and concentrations of gut derived hormones involved in satiety and glucose homeostasis (plasma (p-) PYY, p-GLP-1) and intestinal barrier integrity (p-GLP-2). Breath hydrogen was determined as a marker of colonic fermentation. RESULTS: Four days intervention with BB, in comparison to WWB-ref, lowered blood glucose response after a subsequent standardized breakfast (0-210 min, P < 0.05). BB and BB-pro interventions increased p-GLP-1 (0-120 min, P < 0.05) and breath H2 (0-210 min, P < 0.05). BB-pro intervention, in comparison to BB and WWB-ref, increased levels of s-PAI-1 (P < 0.05), and p-GLP-2 (0-210 min, P < 0.05) after the standardized breakfast. CONCLUSIONS: With the exception of increased p-GLP-2 and an unexpected increase in s-PAI-1 concentrations, co-ingestion of a mixture of probiotics did not affect the metabolic outcome of BB; neither positively nor importantly negatively. The study was registered at: ClinicalTrials.gov, register number NCT01718418 (www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01718418).

Combining functional features of whole-grain barley and legumes for dietary reduction of cardiometabolic risk: a randomised cross-over intervention in mature women.

The usefulness of dietary strategies against cardiometabolic risk is increasingly being acknowledged. Legumes and whole grains can modulate risk markers associated with cardiometabolic diseases, but their possible additive/synergistic actions are unknown. The objective of the present study was to assess, in healthy subjects, the effect of a diet including specific whole-grain barley products and legumes with prior favourable outcomes on cardiometabolic risk parameters in semi-acute studies. A total of forty-six overweight women (50-72 years, BMI 25-33 kg/m² and normal fasting glycaemia) participated in a randomised cross-over intervention comparing a diet rich in kernel-based barley products, brown beans and chickpeas (D1, diet 1 (functional diet)) with a control diet (D2, diet 2 (control diet)) of similar macronutrient composition but lacking legumes and barley. D1 included 86 g (as eaten)/d brown beans, 82 g/d chickpeas, 58 g/d whole-grain barley kernels and 216 g/d barley kernel bread. Both diets followed the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations, providing similar amounts of dietary fibre (D1: 46·9 g/d; D2: 43·5 g/d), with wheat-based products as the main fibre supplier in D2. Each diet was consumed for 4 weeks under weight-maintenance conditions. Both diets decreased serum total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol levels, but D1 had a greater effect on total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol levels (P< 0·001 and P< 0·05, respectively). D1 also reduced apoB (P< 0·001) and γ-glutamyl transferase (P< 0·05) levels, diastolic blood pressure (P< 0·05) and the Framingham cardiovascular risk estimate (P< 0·05). D1 increased colonic fermentative activity, as judged from the higher (P< 0·001) breath hydrogen levels recorded. In conclusion, a specific barley/legume diet improves cardiometabolic risk-associated biomarkers in a healthy cohort, showing potential preventive value beyond that of a nutritionally well-designed regimen.

Effects of supplementation with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on cognitive performance and cardiometabolic risk markers in healthy 51 to 72 years old subjects: a randomized controlled cross-over study.

BACKGROUND: Higher plasma n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) have been associated with a lower risk of age related cognitive decline, and to beneficially affect cardiometabolic risk factors. A relation exists between metabolic disorders such as diabetes type 2 and cognitive decline. Results regarding the potential effects of n-3 PUFA on risk factors in healthy subjects are divergent, and studies regarding the possible relation between cardiometabolic parameters and cognitive performance are scarce. The objective was to evaluate the effects of five weeks intake of long chain n-3 PUFA on cognitive performance in healthy individuals, and to exploit the possible relation between outcomes in cognitive tests to cardiometabolic risk parameters. METHODS: Fish oil n-3 PUFA (3g daily) were consumed during 5 weeks separated by a 5 week washout period in a cross-over placebo controlled study, including 40 healthy middle aged to elderly subjects. Cognitive performance was determined by tests measuring working memory (WM) and selective attention. RESULTS: Supplementation with n-3 PUFA resulted in better performance in the WM-test compared with placebo (p < 0.05). In contrast to placebo, n-3 PUFA lowered plasma triacylglycerides (P < 0.05) and systolic blood pressure (p < 0.0001). Systolic blood pressure (p < 0.05), f-glucose (p = 0.05), and s-TNF-α (p = 0.05), were inversely related to the performance in cognitive tests. CONCLUSIONS: Intake of n-3 PUFA improved cognitive performance in healthy subjects after five weeks compared with placebo. In addition, inverse relations were obtained between cardiometabolic risk factors and cognitive performance, indicating a potential of dietary prevention strategies to delay onset of metabolic disorders and associated cognitive decline.