Curcuminoids Lower Atherogenesis Risk in Type-2 Diabetes Patients

by | Sep 12, 2016 | 2014, Circulatory Health, Curcumin, Diabetes, Pancreatic Health

Written by James C. Morton Jr., Staff Writer. Three and six-month supplementation with curcumin saw a significant decrease (10% and 14%) in atherogenic risk factors in type-2 diabetes patients versus placebo group.

cardiovascular healthType 2 diabetes mellitus is the most common form of diabetes. It’s characterized by the body’s abnormal use of insulin, insulin resistance, and the inability of the pancreas to produce enough insulin to maintain normal blood glucose levels (1). Most patients are in their mid-to-elderly ages, though diabetes also affects young adults and children (2). In the United States there’s more than 20 million with diabetes that also accounts for 20% of the health care spending (3). Type 2 diabetes is a driver for atherogenesis and cardiovascular conditions due to inflammation causing plaque build-up in vessels (4).

The most popular approach to type 2 diabetes consists of using insulin injections, amylin analogue (pramintide), an insulin receptor agonist (albglutide), and monitoring of blood glucose with lifestyle changes. There are various chemical drugs and surgery used to treat atherogenesis with the intent to lower cholesterol, LDL, and triglycerides (5).

Fortunately, a 2014 study (5) reveals that curcumin, a principal curcuminoid compound of turmeric, lowers atherogenesis risk in type 2 diabetes patients. In the study,107 subjects (50 men and 57 women) with type 2 diabetes and an average age of 59.16 were given 1500 mg of curcumin (750 mg twice daily) and 106 subjects (47 men and 59 women) with type 2 diabetes and an average age of 59.58 were given a placebo (starch). Both groups received diet and lifestyle training for 3- and 6-month periods before and after the study, antiatherogenic activities were assessed by pulse wave velocity (arterial stiffness) (6, 7, 8) in addition to levels of anti-inflammatory adipocytokines (increased adiponectin or decreased leptin) (6).

After 3 months, those in the curcumin group had a 10% decrease in pulse wave velocity (1740.5 to 1566.2) compared to no significant change in the placebo group (1745.6 to 1747.1, p<0.05). The curcumin group had a 91% increase in adiponectin (9.24 to 17.61) compared to an 8% decrease in the placebo group (9.91 to 9.09, p<0.01). The curcumin group had a 47% decrease in leptin (17.38 to 9.28) compared to a 6% increase in the placebo group (16.92 to 17.88, p<0.01).

After 6 months, those in the curcumin group had a 14% decrease in pulse wave velocity (1740.5 to 1502.7) compared to a 1% increase in the placebo group (1745.6 to 1746.3, p<0.01). The curcumin group had a 36% increase in adiponectin (17.61 to 23.9) compared to a 2% increase in the placebo group (9.09 to 9.28, p<0.01). The curcumin group had a 38% decrease in leptin (9.28 to 5.80) compared to a 4% decrease in the placebo group (17.88 to 17.19, p<0.01). In 6 months, the curcumin group showed a slight decrease in total cholesterol, LDL, blood glucose, HbA1c, and a slight increase in HDL with no hypoglycemia symptoms (9, 10).

When suggesting how curcumin benefits those with type 2 diabetes, the researchers pointed to curcumin’s strong anti-inflammatory activity that up-regulates adiponectin and reduces leptin, and antioxidative stress activity (11), in addition to reducing the amount of adipose tissue in patients (12).

Source: Chuengsamarn, S. Reduction of atherogenic risk in patients with type 2 diabetes by curcuminoid extract: a randomized controlled trial. J. Nutbio 2014 Sept:25:144-150. doi.org/10.1016/j.jnutbio.2013.09.013.

Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Posted September 12, 2016.

References:

  1. ”Type 2 Diabetes” posted on the American Diabetes Association website.
  2. “Pubmed Health” posted on the Pubmed website.
  3. Center for Disease Control and Prevention website.
  4. “Diabetes antherogenesis” posted on Mayo Clinic website.
  5. Chuengsamarn, S. Reduction of atherogenic risk in patients with type 2 diabetes by curcuminoid extract: a       randomized controlled trial. J. Nutbio 2014 Sept:25:144-150. doi.org/10.1016/j.jnutbio.2013.09.013.
  6. Nichols WW. Clinical measurement of arterial stiffness obtained from noninvasive pressure waveforms. Am J      Hypertens 2005: 18:3S-10S.
  7. Yamashina A. Tomiyama H. Arai T. Hirose K. Koji Y. Hirayama Y. et al. Brachial ankle pulse wave velocity as a marker of atherosclerotic vascular damage and cardiovascular risk. Hypertens Res 2003;26:615-22.
  8. Woolam GI., SchnurPI., Vallbona C. Hoff HE. The pulse wave velocity as an early indicator of atherosclerosis in diabetic subjects. Circulation 1962;25:533-9.
  9. Dean BB. Borenstein JE. Henning JM. Knight K. Merz CN. Can change in high density lipoprotein cholesterol levels reduce cardiovascular risk? Am Heart J. 2004: 147:966-76.
  10. Baum L, Cheung SK, Mok VC, Lam LC, Leung VP, HuiE., et al. Curcumin effects on blood lipid profile in a 6-month human study. Pharmacol Res 2007;56:509-14.
  11. Chainani-Wu N. Safety and anti-inflammatory activity of curcumin: a component of turmeric (Curcuma longa) J Altern Complement Med 2003;9:161-8.
  12. Lyon CJ, Law RE, Hsueh WA. Minireview: adiposity, inflammation, and atherogenesis. Endocrinology 2003; 144:2195-200.