Prediabetes, a cluster of metabolic conditions indicative of an increased risk of developing type II diabetes, has long been the target of nutraceutical formulators seeking to mitigate some of the issues associated with the largely diet-related condition. In a clinical trial recently published in the journal Nutrients, researchers found that a probiotic strain isolated from Korean kimchi, Lactobacillus plantarum HAC01, was capable of improving glycemic control in 40 prediabetic participants.
 
Probiotics have caught the attention of those seeking out nutritional solutions to prediabetes, in large part because of their ability to modulate metabolic pathways, such as by populating the gut with more bacteria that can produce short-chain fatty acids, as well as for other enzymes and byproducts released by these bacteria which can prove beneficial to metabolic health. Some meta-analyses have confirmed that alterations to the gut microbiome in humans can increase the risk of developing insulin resistance – however, no clinical trial has provided evidence that probiotic supplementation could reduce such a risk.
 
In the study, the subjects were randomized to receive either a daily dose of the probiotic over an eight-week period, or a matching placebo.
 
The group that had their diet supplemented with Lactobacillus plantarum HAC01 saw significant reductions in 2h-PPG and HbA1c levels compared to the placebo group, both of which are biomarkers of an improved glycemic control – however, fasting plasma glucose, insulin, HOMA-IR, QUICKI, microbiota composition, and fecal short-chain fatty acids were not significantly altered.
 
“Type 2 diabetes treatments currently focus on alleviating insulin resistance through lifestyle changes and medication,” the authors of the study said. “It is difficult, however, to achieve adequate metabolic control with the current generation of treatments, and many patients ultimately fail to respond satisfactorily. There is an urgent need for alternative strategies that both normalize blood glucose levels and increase the rate of treatment success.”
 
The authors concluded that this was the first clinical study to provide evidence that a single-strain probiotic supplement administered over several weeks could have a significant impact on HbA1c levels in prediabetic patients. They suggested that this bacterial strain “has potential as an effective lifestyle intervention to forestall or prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes.”