Flavonoids Improve Insulin Function and Inflammation
Lee Swanson Research Update
New research indicates dietary flavonoids may protect against insulin resistance and inflammation, two hallmarks of type II diabetes. Researchers from the Norwich Medical School at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, UK, examined associations between insulin resistance and inflammatory biomarkers and intakes of total flavonoids and their subclasses. Measures assessed included fasting serum glucose, insulin, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 and adiponectin levels.
In multivariable analyses, higher intakes of anthocyanins and flavones were associated with significantly reduced peripheral insulin resistance. Higher anthocyanin intake was also associated with lower concentrations of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, a marker for inflammation. Subjects with the highest flavone intake also had improved concentrations of adiponectin, a protein involved in regulating glucose levels. The study authors concluded that “higher intakes of both anthocyanins and flavones were associated with improvements in insulin resistance and hs-CRP.”
Jennings A, Welch AA, et al. Intakes of anthocyanins and flavones are associated with biomarkers of insulin resistance and inflammation in women. J Nutr. 2014 Feb; 144(2):202-8. doi: 10.3945/jn.113.184358. Epub 2013 Dec 11.