Bilberry Extract Shows Anti-Diabetes Advantage
Lee Swanson Research Update
The potential anti-diabetes effects of the berries are linked to the anthocyanin content, which may affect the action of various proteins involved in glucose transport and fat metabolism, according to findings published in the Journal of Nutrition.
Led by Takanori Tsuda from Chubu University, the Japanese researchers looked at how bilberries may influence glucose and lipid metabolism in mice with a genetic predisposition for diabetes. The animals were fed a diet with or without supplemental bilberry extract (27 g/kg diet) for five weeks.
At the end of the study, the results showed that consumption of the bilberry extract was associated with lower blood glucose levels and increased insulin sensitivity. This was linked to an activation of a protein called AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) which stimulates lipid breakdown in the liver and muscles and modulates insulin secretion by the pancreas.
Increases in levels of a glucose transporter were also noted by the researchers, and this was accompanied by a simultaneous activation of an enzyme linked to fatty acid synthesis (acetyl-CoA carboxylase) and inactivation of enzymes that play a role in fat metabolism.
"Our findings provide a biochemical basis for the use of bilberry fruits and also have important implications for the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes," wrote the researchers.
Journal of Nutrition 140:527-533, 2010
March, 2010
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