To main content

Effects of low doses of fish and milk proteins on glucose regulation and markers of insulin sensitivity in overweight adults: a randomised, double blind study

Abstract

Purpose

To examine whether supplementation with low doses of fish or milk proteins would affect glucose regulation and circulating lipid concentrations in overweight healthy adults.


Methods

Ninety-three overweight adults were assigned to receive 2.5 g protein/day from herring (HER), salmon (SAL), cod (COD) or milk (CAS, a casein–whey mixture as positive control) as tablets for 8 weeks.


Results

Seventy-seven participants were included in the analyses. HER and SAL did not affect glucose and insulin concentrations. COD significantly reduced within-group changes in 90 and 120 min postprandial glucose concentrations but changes were not different from HER and SAL groups. CAS supplementation significantly reduced the area under the curve for glucose concentrations (− 7%), especially when compared to SAL group, and reduced postprandial insulin c-peptide concentration (− 23%). Reductions in acetoacetate (− 24%) and β-hydroxybutyrate (− 29%) serum concentrations in HER group were more prominent compared to SAL and COD groups, with no differences between fish protein groups for α-hydroxybutyrate. Serum concentrations of α-hydroxybutyrate (− 23%), acetoacetate (− 39%) and β-hydroxybutyrate (− 40%) were significantly reduced within CAS group, and the decreases were significantly more pronounced when compared to SAL group. Serum lipid concentrations were not altered in any of the intervention groups.


Conclusion

Findings indicate that 2.5 g/day of proteins from fish or milk may be sufficient to improve glucose regulation in overweight adults. The effects were most pronounced after supplementation with proteins from cod, herring and milk, whereas salmon protein did not affect any of the measurements related to glucose regulation.


Clinical trail registration

This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01641055.

Category

Academic article

Client

  • Regional research fund Vestlandet / 212625

Language

English

Author(s)

  • Ida Heir Hovland
  • Ingrid Sande Leikanger
  • Oddbjørg Stokkeland
  • Kaia Hevrøy Waage
  • Svein Are Mjøs
  • Karl Albert Brokstad
  • Adrian McCann
  • Per Magne Ueland
  • Rasa Slizyte
  • Ana Carvajal
  • Gunnar Mellgren
  • Tore Remman
  • Ingmar Johan Høgøy
  • Oddrun Anita Gudbrandsen

Affiliation

  • University of Bergen
  • Nofima, The Norwegian Institute of Food, Fisheries and Aquaculture Research
  • Bevital
  • Bergen Hospital Trust - Haukeland University Hospital
  • SINTEF Ocean / Fisheries and New Biomarine Industry
  • Nutrimar Holding AS
  • Diverse norske bedrifter og organisasjoner

Year

2019

Published in

European Journal of Nutrition

ISSN

1436-6207

Page(s)

1 - 17

View this publication at Cristin