Effectiveness of green tea in a randomized human cohort: relevance to diabetes and its complications.

Epidemiological studies have argued that green tea could mitigate diabetes and its complications. This study investigated the phytophenolic profile of Mauritian green tea and its antioxidant propensity. The effect of green tea on the risk factors: waist-hip ratio, glucose level, arterial pressure, antioxidant status, and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in prediabetics was assessed. The experimental group consumed 3 cups of green tea daily for 14 weeks followed by a 2-week washout period. The control group followed a water regimen. Green tea contained high level of phenolics related to its antioxidant power. Green tea suppressed waist-hip ratio of women from a significant increase and suppressed mean arterial pressure of men and women from a significant decrease after week 14. It reduced ALT level in women by 13.0% (P < 0.1) while increasing the antioxidant potential of men and women sera by 2.7% (P < 0.1) and 5.1% (P < 0.1). The study timescale may have been too short to enable demonstration of effects on fasting plasma glucose and HbA1c outcomes. Green tea regimen could form part of a healthy lifestyle that might ameliorate features of metabolic syndrome and subsequent risks for diabetes and its complications. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01248143.

Effects of a short term supplementation of a fermented papaya preparation on biomarkers of diabetes mellitus in a randomized Mauritian population.

OBJECTIVE: Clinical evidence and cellular models have shown an inverse relationship between the intakes of plant and fruit based diets and oxidative stress, suggesting the suitability of natural antioxidants in the management of diabetes mellitus and its complications. METHOD: A randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted at the Cardiac Centre, SSRN Hospital, Pamplemousses, (Mauritius) to determine the effect of a short term supplementation of a fermented papaya preparation (FPP®) on biomarkers of diabetes and antioxidant status in a multi-ethnical neo-diabetic population from November 2010 to March 2011. RESULT: Supplementation of 6g FPP®/day for a period of 14 weeks could improve the general health status of several organs targeted by oxidative stress during diabetes. When comparing experimental to control groups with independent samples t-test, C-reactive protein levels significantly decreased (P=0.018), LDL/HDL ratio was considerably changed (P=0.042), and uric acid levels were significantly improved (P=0.001). ANOVA results also validated the same findings with significant differences in C-reactive protein, LDL/HDL ratio, uric acid and in serum ferritin levels. CONCLUSION: FPP® may present a novel, economically feasible nutraceutical supplement for the management of diabetes and for those at risk for cardiovascular disease, neurological disease and other conditions worsened by overt inflammation and oxidative stress.

Black tea reduces uric acid and C-reactive protein levels in humans susceptible to cardiovascular diseases.

The effect of black tea on the level of uric acid (UA) and C-reactive proteins (CRP) in humans susceptible to ischemic heart diseases was assessed in a prospective randomized controlled study. The study group consumed 9 g of black tea (equivalent to three cups of tea) daily for 12 weeks without additives followed by a 3-week wash-out (with control group consuming equivalent volume of hot water). Black tea consumption induced a highly significant decrease in the high uric acid baseline groups > 6 mg/dL by 8.5%; p < 0.05. For men and women in the base line group > 7 mg/dL, the decrease was 9.4% and 7.1%, respectively. In the low baseline serum uric acid levels there was a non-significant increase of 3.7% and 15% in men and women, respectively. C-reactive protein in the high risk group > 3mg/L was significantly decreased by 53.4% and 41.1% in men and women, respectively. For the non-supplemented group in this range the changes were 3.7% decrease for men and 2.9% increase for women. Tea supplementation-associated decrease in plasma uric acid and C-reactive protein levels may benefit humans at high risk of cardiovascular events and may augment drug therapy.