Effects of an inulin‐chromium complex on glycemic index in obesity

Abstract

To determine the effects of an inulin fructan polymer‐chromium complex (FCC) derived from dahlia root juice on glycemic responses, groups of congenic lean and obese LA/Ntul/ /‐cp rats were administered an oral glucose tolerance (OGT) alone or in combination with measured amounts of the FCC. Glycemic responses and the glucose area under the curve (AUC) of obese rats were significantly impaired compared to similarly‐fed lean littermates. Oral FCC administration resulted in a significant 50% reduction toward normalization of the peak glycemic response during OGT in both lean and obese rats, a 75% reduction in the total glucose area of lean rats and a 50% reduction of the total glucose area of obese rats. The greatest segment of the reduced glucose area occurred during the post absorptive phase of the OGT response in both phenotypes. The results of this study are consistent with an acute FCC‐mediated improvement in glycemic control in a congenic obese animal model of impaired glucose tolerance, and suggest that the FCC complex may be a useful nutritional adjunct in the dietary treatment of obesity and other glucose‐intolerant states as they may occur in man and animals. Institutional Support.