Dose-dependent inhibition of the post-prandial glycaemic response to a standard carbohydrate meal following incorporation of alpha-cyclodextrin.

BACKGROUND This study evaluated the dose-response effects of alpha-cyclodextrin, a cyclic oligosaccharide, on the glycaemic and insulinaemic responses to the consumption of a standard carbohydrate meal. METHODS In a double-blind, randomised, cross-over design, 10 healthy subjects consumed boiled white rice containing 50 g of digestible carbohydrate to which 0 (control), 2, 5 or 10 g of alpha-cyclodextrin was added. Plasma glucose and insulin concentrations were determined prior to and for 2 h after consumption of each meal. RESULTS The area under the plasma glucose curve was negatively related to the dose of alpha-cyclodextrin (r(2)=0.97, p=0.02), with the areas being significantly reduced at the 5- and 10-gram doses compared with the control (p<0.05). alpha-Cyclodextrin did not affect the area under the plasma insulin curve (p=0.39). Higher doses of alpha-cyclodextrin resulted in greater satiety, but were associated with reduced palatability and an increased incidence of minor gastrointestinal complaints (stomach ache, nausea, bloating). CONCLUSION alpha-Cyclodextrin reduces the glycaemic response to a standard carbohydrate meal in a dose-dependent manner and may be useful as an ingredient for reducing the glycaemic impact of such foods.