The Impact of Flaxseed Lignan Complex Consumption on Waist to Height and Hip Ratios, Body Weight, BMI, Insulin Resistance, Percent Pancreatic Beta-Cell Function, Free Fatty Acids, HDL2- HDL3- and Non-HDL-Cholesterol and Lp(a) in Older Human Type 2 Diabetics

Abstract

The variables examined are a waist circumference-associated clinically significant cluster not yet examined for changes due to flaxseed lignan complex ( FLC) administration in people with type 2 diabetes. It was hypothesized that FLC relative to placebo would increase (or better manage) percent pancreatic beta-cell function and plasma HDL2-cholesterol concentration and decrease (or better manage) the waist:height ratio (WHTR), body weight, BMI, waist:hip ratio, insulin resistance, total plasma free fatty acid, Lp(a), HDL3- and non-HDL-cholesterol concentrations. The objective was to test this hypothesis. Sixteen (11 male, 5 female) people with type 2 diabetes (mean age 66 years, mean BMI 31.2 kg/m2) completed this double-blind, randomized, crossover placebo-controlled study. Patients consumed 4 capsules/day of FLC (600 mg secoisolariciresinol diglucoside/day) or placebo for 3 months followed by a 3-month washout period (no exposure to FLC or placebo) followed by 3 months on that (FLC or placebo) to which they had not been previously exposed in this study. All data is reported as mean (SEM). Only WHTR was better FLC managed (60.1 [2.8] [start] – 60.5 [2.8] [finish] [FLC] vs. 60.1 [2.7] [start] – 61.4 [2.7] [finish] [placebo]) (p=0.04) with no other significant differences due to FLC. Diet (including alcohol), smoking, medication (dose and type) and exercise patterns did not change over the course of the study. Better WHTR management has been suggested by some to be an even more powerful indicator of improved metabolic control in type 2 diabetics (compared to waist circumference). However, while it is concluded that FLC significantly better managed the WHTR, it did not affect significantly the other aforementioned dependent variables. The clinical significance, if any, of these findings awaits elucidation.