New research trial aims to prevent diabetes onset

A scientific trial to investigate if probiotics and a low calorie diet may help to prevent type 2 diabetes has received the all clear.

Dr Rinki Murphy, a University of Auckland researcher, has received $149,000 from the Health Research Council of New Zealand.

“The study will look at what dose of probiotics improves markers of diabetes amongst people who have pre-diabetes based on a specific blood test,” said Dr Murphy.

“The 44 people who agree to the trial will participate over a period of 12 weeks and will contribute blood samples and MRI scans which will identify which dosage of probiotic works best to reduce the symptoms, and by how much.”

Dr Murphy said she hoped one of the four doses of probiotics being tested would improve markers of pre-diabetes, as the disease was becoming increasingly prevalent.

Diabetes New Zealand CEO Steve Crew said the organisation was supportive of any research around type 2 diabetes.

“Type 2 diabetes is genetically predisposed, however it is widely reported that weight and lifestyle plays a part in the disease.”

Mr Crew said that over the last eight years, the prevalence of diabetes was increasing by seven per cent each year on average, with 40 people being diagnosed each day in New Zealand.

“If you asked academics and clinicians, they would certainly say they’d like more funding and support.”

Weight loss coach Donna Turner said she believed a change in lifestyle, and moderation in consumption of food and drink, could help to improve diabetics’ lives.

Ms Turner thought a low calorie diet, like the one proposed in the research trial, would help with the offset of type 2 diabetes.

“I am not a dietitian or nutritionist, however I lost 50kg when I was 20, and had I not, I was almost surely going to end up with type 2 diabetes. I know what it’s like to need to lose weight so I have a different understanding to your average dietitian.”

Ms Turner has helped several diabetics lose weight through her website Weight Loss For Life.

Julie Langlois lost 56kg after working with Ms Turner, and said the change it made on her diabetes was immeasurable.

“I just made the decision that enough was enough, I didn’t want to be taking insulin four times a day anymore.”

Ms Langlois said living with type 2 diabetes was a constant worry as to how to balance blood sugar levels.

“One night I had a dinner party. I shot the amount of insulin I needed to eat the food I wanted to eat, but in the end I didn’t eat the amount of food I was going to. Come three o’clock the next morning I woke up dizzy, disorientated and totally out of it.

“I managed to go downstairs and get some sugar, but my doctor said to me afterwards I should have called an ambulance. It’s very real, you can black out and even die.”

Ms Langlois said she only checks her insulin levels once in the morning now just to be sure.

She praised the work Ms Turner did with her to lose weight and get control of her type 2 diabetes.