Affiliations 

  • 1 Department of Nutrition Exercise and Sports, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Faculty of Industrial Sciences and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Pahang, Gambang, Pahang, Malaysia
  • 2 Department of Nutrition Exercise and Sports, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
  • 3 Department of Nutrition Exercise and Sports, Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. Electronic address: ctp@nexs.ku.dk
  • 4 Research Group for NanoBio Science, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs Lyngby, Denmark
Clin Nutr, 2021 Mar;40(3):830-838.
PMID: 32917417 DOI: 10.1016/j.clnu.2020.08.027

Abstract

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Seaweed including brown seaweeds with rich bioactive components may be efficacious for a glycaemic management strategy and appetite control. We investigated the effects of two brown edible seaweeds, Laminaria digitata (LD) and Undaria pinnatifida (UP), on postprandial glucose metabolism and appetite following a starch load in a human meal study.

METHODS: Twenty healthy subjects were enrolled in a randomized, 3-way, blinded cross-over trial. The study was registered under ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier no. NCT00123456. At each test day, the subjects received one of three meals comprising 30 g of starch with 5 g of LD or UP or an energy-adjusted control meal containing pea protein. Fasting and postprandial blood glucose, insulin, C-peptide and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) concentrations were measured. Subjective appetite sensations were scored using visual analogue scales (VAS).

RESULTS: Linear mixed model (LMM) analysis showed a lower blood glucose, insulin and C-peptide response following the intake of LD and UP, after correction for body weight. Participants weighing ≤ 63 kg had a reduced glucose response compared to control meal between 40 and 90 min both following LD and UP meals. Furthermore, LMM analysis for C-peptide showed a significantly lower response after intake of LD. Compared to the control meal, GLP-1 response was higher after the LD meal, both before and after the body weight adjustment. The VAS scores showed a decreased appetite sensation after intake of the seaweeds. Ad-libitum food intake was not different three hours after the seaweed meals compared to control.

CONCLUSIONS: Concomitant ingestion of brown seaweeds may help improving postprandial glycaemic and appetite control in healthy and normal weight adults, depending on the dose per body weight.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRY NUMBER: Clinicaltrials.gov (ID# NCT02608372).

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.