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New study suggests following a vegan diet could help control blood sugar for sufferers of type 2 diabetes

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Research has found that following a vegan diet could help people suffering from type 2 diabetes to keep their blood glucose levels under control.

A study supported by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Leicester Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) and NIHR Applied Research Collaboration East Midlands (ARC EM) into the effects of a vegan diet in people with or at risk of developing type 2 diabetes has concluded that a plant-based lifestyle may help control blood glucose levels.

Researchers on the “Plant Your Health” study looked at whether a vegan diet could reduce the production of TMAO as well as improve blood sugar control in the body, and therefore reduce the risk of symptoms of the disease.

TMAO (or trimethylamine N-oxide) is a molecule produced when food, particularly from animal sources, is broken down in the gut.

Its presence is associated with an increased risk of heart disease, which is often linked to type 2 diabetes.

Swapped meals

The study followed 23 individuals who either had or were at risk of developing the disease, or whose weight was defined as clinically obese.

Participants were given a full health check, including TMAO, blood sugar and cholesterol levels. They were then asked to swap their regular meals with like-for-like vegan equivalents over a period of eight weeks and encouraged to keep their physical activity the same.

The study concluded that following a plant-based diet could help people with type 2 diabetes control their blood glucose levels.

The researchers found that on average TMAO levels in participants almost halved after just one week, and remained relatively steady at eight weeks.

However, when participants switched back to their regular diets at the end of the study, TMAO levels had rebounded to their original levels four weeks later.

Blood glucose levels were also found to decrease at weeks one and eight.

Professor Tom Yates, a professor of physical activity and sedentary behaviour at Leicester University, and co-author on the study, said: “Recent research into the causes of type 2 diabetes has found a strong association between a molecule in the blood called TMAO and increased risk of heart disease.

“TMAO is produced as a by-product of how certain foods are broken down in the gut and has been associated with an increase in the build up of plaque in the arteries, which can lead to heart problems.

Connection

“Research has found that TMAO is particularly linked to animal products in the diet such as red meat, eggs and dairy.

“Due to the increased risk of patients with type 2 diabetes also developing heart disease, research suggests that there is a connection between diet, type 2 diabetes and heart functioning.”

Dr Stavroula Argyridou, a registered dietitian who conducted the research, said: “Our findings suggest that a vegan diet could be an effective strategy for reducing TMAO and blood sugar levels in individuals with or at high risk of type 2 diabetes.

“This means it could provide a suitable alternative to a conventional diet that is usually recommended for people with type 2 diabetes. We would need to widen participation to see if these initially promising results are replicated in larger groups of patients, over a longer period of time, and with a control group.”


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