Sardines in the Diet Showed a Decrease in Type 2 Diabetes in the Elderly

by | Oct 20, 2021 | 2021, Diabetes, Omega - 3, Taurine

Written by Jessica Patella, ND.  A one-year sardine-enriched type 2 diabetes preventative diet in an older population with pre-diabetes provided greater protection against developing type 2 diabetes by improving risk factors as compared to a type 2 diabetes preventative diet alone.

sardinesA total of 10.5% of the U.S. population has diabetes and an estimated 34.5% or 88 million U.S. adults have pre-diabetes 1.  The total estimated cost of diagnosed diabetes in 2017 was $327 billion 2.  Age is considered one the major risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes and the risk increases even more with obesity 3. Because pre-diabetes is reversible, many therapies aim to reduce the number of people that develop diabetes, especially in adults over 60 years of age 3. Recent research found that supplementing the diet with sardines had a protective effect against developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular events 3.

Sardines are one of the richest fish in omega-3 fatty acids and they are also high in protein and taurine. Taurine is an amino acid that has been found to have hypoglycemic, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which may help lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes 3, 4.  As an added benefit, sardines are affordable and have one of the lowest contaminate contents in fish 3.

A total of 152 participants with impaired fasting glucose levels (100-125 mg/dL), 65 years or older were included in the study (71.2 +/- 5.15 years average age).  Participants were randomly divided into a control group (n=77) or a sardine group (n=75).  All participants were given basic dietary guidelines from the American Diabetes Association at the start of the study and then every four months to reinforce nutritional information.  The sardine group was directed to consume 200 g of canned sardines in olive oil each week, divided into 1 serving (100g) twice a week 3.

After 12 months, the results were as follows:

  • Consumption of sardines almost doubled the average consumption of taurine and omega-3 fatty acids from baseline (56 to 98 mg/day and 0.30 to 0.58 g/day, respectively).
  • The sardine group decreased the percentage in the very high-risk group to develop type 2 diabetes, compared to the control group (p=0.035; based on FINDRISC scores).
  • The sardine group increased HDL “good” cholesterol (3.43 mg/dL +/- 7.31, p=0.003) compared to baseline
  • The sardine group decreased triglycerides (-11.13 mg/dL +/-35.33, p=0.006) compared to baseline
  • The sardine group showed an improvement in systolic and diastolic blood pressure compared to baseline (p<0.014, p<0.020, respectively)
  • The sardine group also showed an increase in omega-3s, vitamin D and taurine compared to the control group (p<0.05).

In conclusion, a one-year sardine-enriched type 2 diabetes preventative diet in an older population with pre-diabetes provided greater protection against developing type 2 diabetes by improving risk factors as compared to a type 2 diabetes preventative diet alone 3.  Researchers also pointed out that the diet of 200g of canned sardines seemed to be well tolerated, since there was not an increased dropout rate in the sardine group.

Source: Díaz-Rizzolo, D. A., A. Serra, C. Colungo, A. Sala-Vila, A. Sisó-Almirall, and R. Gomis. “Type 2 diabetes preventive effects with a 12-months sardine-enriched diet in elderly population with prediabetes: An interventional, randomized and controlled trial.” Clinical Nutrition 40, no. 5 (2021): 2587-2598.

© 2021 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. All rights reserved

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Posted October 20, 2021.

Jessica Patella, ND, is a naturopathic physician specializing in nutrition and homeopathic medicine and offers a holistic approach to health. She earned her ND from Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in Tempe, AZ, and is a member of the North Carolina Association of Naturopathic Physicians. Visit her website at www.awarenesswellness.com.

References:

  1. Control CfD, Prevention. National Diabetes Statistics Report, 2020. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, US Dept of Health and Human Services. 2020. 2021.
  2. Association AD. The Cost of Diabetes. American Diabetes Association. Accessed 9/28/21, https://www.diabetes.org/resources/statistics/cost-diabetes
  3. Díaz-Rizzolo DA, Serra A, Colungo C, Sala-Vila A, Sisó-Almirall A, Gomis R. Type 2 diabetes preventive effects with a 12-months sardine-enriched diet in elderly population with prediabetes: An interventional, randomized and controlled trial. Clin Nutr. May 2021;40(5):2587-2598. doi:10.1016/j.clnu.2021.03.014
  4. Schaffer SW, Jong CJ, Ramila KC, Azuma J. Physiological roles of taurine in heart and muscle. J Biomed Sci. Aug 24 2010;17 Suppl 1(Suppl 1):S2. doi:10.1186/1423-0127-17-s1-s2