The Effect of Probiotic Yogurt on Glycemic Control in Type 2 Diabetes or Obesity: A Meta-Analysis of Nine Randomized Controlled Trials.

Nutrients. 2019;11(3)
Full text from:

Plain language summary

The metabolic disorders type 2 diabetes and obesity are highly prevalent worldwide. There are multiple merging treatments for type 2 diabetes and obesity, but the management of both conditions remains challenging. The aim of the study was to review the effects of probiotics on glycaemic outcomes in type 2 diabetes or obesity. The study is a meta-analysis of RCTs that utilized probiotic yoghurt as a main intervention in participants with type 2 diabetes or obesity. Nine studies were included in the meta-analysis, seven of which were conducted in subjects with type 2 diabetes and the rest were conducted in subjects with obesity. Results indicate that probiotic yoghurt provides no significant improvement compared with the control in glycaemic markers. Authors conclude that their study did not demonstrate the benefits of consuming probiotic yoghurt compared with conventional yoghurt for improving glucose control in patients with type 2 diabetes or obesity.

Abstract

Probiotic yogurt is suggested as a nutritional approach in type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obesity. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the effects of probiotic yogurt on glycemic outcomes in T2D or obesity. The databases used to search for RCTs included Medline and Scopus. The RCTs were eligible if outcomes included selected glycemic markers. In nine eligible trials, 237 and 235 subjects were in treatment (probiotic yogurt) and control (mostly conventional yogurt) groups, respectively. There was no significant difference for pooled unstandardized mean difference (USMD) hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) by probiotic yogurt compared with the control in T2D (USMD: -0.366; 95% CI: -0.755, 0.024, p = 0.066) and obesity (USMD: 0.116, 95% CI: -0.007, 0.238, p = 0.065). Similarly, there were no effects of probiotic yogurt on fasting blood glucose, fasting insulin, or insulin resistance (estimated by homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR)) in either T2D or obesity. In conclusion, the present meta-analysis has not demonstrated the benefits of consuming probiotic compared with conventional yogurt for improving glucose control in patients with diabetes or obesity. Larger trials are needed to verify the benefits of probiotic and/or conventional yogurt or other probiotic fermented milk (e.g., kefir) on glycemic markers in patients with diabetes and obesity.

Lifestyle medicine

Fundamental Clinical Imbalances : Hormonal ; Digestive, absorptive and microbiological
Patient Centred Factors : Triggers/Probiotic yoghurt
Environmental Inputs : Diet ; Nutrients
Personal Lifestyle Factors : Nutrition
Functional Laboratory Testing : Blood
Bioactive Substances : Probiotics

Methodological quality

Allocation concealment : Not applicable
Publication Type : Journal Article ; Review

Metadata