A randomized clinical trial with two enteral diabetes-specific supplements in patients with diabetes mellitus type 2: metabolic effects.

The aim of this study was to investigate whether two specific diabetes enteral formulas could improve nutritional as well as metabolic parameters in elderly patients with diabetes mellitus type 2. A population of 30 elderly patients with diabetes mellitus type 2 with recent weight loss was recruited. At basal time diabetic patients were asked to consume randomly two cans per day of two different specially designed high monounsaturated fatty acid diabetes-specific supplement: one with 49.95% of calories provided by fats (I), the second with a 34% of calories provided by fats (II), for a ten week period. A significative decrease of glucose (119.8 +/- 42 vs 95.1 +/- 16.8 mg/dl: p < 0.05) and Hbalc (8.2 +/- 2.8 vs 5.8 +/- 0.7%: p < 0.05) levels was observed in group I with a significant increase in serum albumin levels (3.1 +/- 0.8 vs 3.5 +/- 0.5 g/dl: p < 0.05). A significant increase of serum albumin (3.1 +/- 0.4 vs 3.7 +/- 0.6 g/dl: p < 0.05) and total proteins (6.3 +/- 0.5 vs 6.9 +/- 0.3 g/dl: p < 0.05) was observed in group II. Patients of group II had a significant improvement in weight (56.5 +/- 16 vs 58.3 +/- 15 kg: p < 0.05), body mass index (21.8 +/- 5.6 vs 22.5 +/- 5.3 kg/m2: p < 0.05) and fat mass (15.7 +/- 6.4 vs 16.9 +/- 6.2 kg: p < 0.05). In conclusion, high monounsaturated fatty acid diabetes-specific enteral supplement improved glucose, HbAlc and albumin levels. A diabetes-specific supplement with lower fat percentage than the first improved weight and protein levels without significative metabolic effects.