Regulating blood sugar levels is crucial for preventing and managing diabetes. While medications and lifestyle play a vital role, adding a single vegetable can naturally improve blood sugar control, even for those with diabetes. A new study found that eating a certain vegetable has been linked to improved blood sugar levels in prediabetes, a precursor to type 2 diabetes.A study conducted at the University of Gothenburg found that a compound in broccoli has a more significant effect on blood sugar levels in certain people. The study is published in Nature Microbiology.Broccoli’s role in managing blood sugar
Previous research has found that sulforaphane, a compound found in broccoli, is an antidiabetic agent in type 2 diabetes. A study conducted in 2017 found reduced blood sugar in people with diabetes after they took large doses of sulforaphane extracted from broccoli sprouts. The new study looked at the impact of this compound in controlling blood sugar in people with prediabetes. This condition is a precursor to type 2 diabetes, with slowly rising blood sugar levels due to impaired insulin production.The study
The study involved 89 people with elevated fasting blood sugar, a sign of prediabetes. They were all between 35 and 75 years old and were either overweight or obese.Participants were randomly given either sulforaphane or a placebo for 12 weeks. Neither they nor the researchers knew who got what. By the end, 74 people completed all stages of the study.Significant change in fasting blood sugar
The results of the study were striking. The participants, who consumed the sulforaphane compound had a higher average reduction in fasting blood sugar than those who didn’t. In some participants, the results were even more prominent. Certain participants had more benefits. The group with the greatest improvement after taking sulforaphane had early signs of mild age-related diabetes, a relatively low BMI in the context of the study, low insulin resistance, low incidence of fatty liver disease, and low insulin secretion.Possible precision treatment
Prediabetes affects millions of people across the world, and there is no clear treatment structure currently in place. This is because the condition often remains undetected. Early detection increases the chances of not developing type 2 diabetes. Anders Rosengren stressed the importance of early and individualized interventions to prevent the disease. The treatment of prediabetes is currently lacking in many respects, but these new findings open the way for possible precision treatment using sulforaphane extracted from broccoli as a functional food. However, lifestyle factors remain the foundation of any treatment for prediabetes, including exercise, healthy eating, and weight loss. The results of the study also offer a general model of how pathophysiology and gut flora interact with and influence treatment responses. A model that could have broader implications,” Anders Rosengren said.
