Gum Acacia supplementation improves adiponectin levels and HbA1c/adiponectin ratio in women with type 2 diabetes: A randomized controlled trial

Background: Adiponectin contributes to the regulation of glucose homeostasis and lipid profiles and plays a role in maintaining average body weight. At high serum concentrations, adiponectin sensitizes cells to insulin and exerts favorable effects on type 2 diabetes patients. Gum Acacia (GA) has shown beneficial impacts on serum glucose and lipid profile in both humans and animals. This study aimed to test the effects of oral GA consumption on serum adiponectin levels, glycemic parameters, and the glycosylated hemoglobin/adiponectin ratio in diabetic women. Methods: Seventy-three diabetic women (type 2) with an HbA1c ≥ 6.5% were participated in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. The intervention group (34 patients) received 30.0 g per day of GA, whereas the control group (39 patients) received 5.0 g of placebo per day. The intervention period was 12 weeks. Participants were interviewed and examined clinically before, during and after the intervention. The parameters analyzed before and after the intervention were BMI, serum adiponectin, fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, and the HbA1c/adiponectin ratio.  Results: Before the intervention, the mean age was 49±1.1 years, BMI was 28.3±0.6 kg/m2, HbA1c was 8.8±0.3%, adiponectin was 5.4±0.12 µg/ml, and the HbA1c/Adiponectin ratio was 1.8±0.06. All baseline parameters showed nonsignificant differences between the intervention and placebo groups. Following GA administration, both BMI and HbA1c were significantly reduced by 2.5% and 3.8%, respectively. The mean serum adiponectin level significantly increased by 7.4% from baseline in the GA group. The mean change in the HbA1c/adiponectin ratio was 0.3 µg/ml following the intervention (P < 0.01). Compared to that in the placebo group, the HbA1c/adiponectin ratio significantly decreased by 16.6% from baseline in the GA group versus an insignificant increase of 25.2% in the placebo group.  Conclusions: Gum Acacia consumption improved the glycemic profile and increased the serum adiponectin concentration in diabetic women at a dosage of 30.0 g/day for three months. This study uniquely explores the impact of Gum Acacia (GA) on serum adiponectin levels and the HbA1c/adiponectin ratio in type 2 diabetic women. Demonstrating a significant increase in adiponectin and a reduction in the HbA1c/adiponectin ratio following GA supplementation, this study provides novel insights into GA's potential as a dietary intervention for improving glycemic control in diabetic populations.  Keywords: Gum Acacia, Adiponectin, Dietary intervention, Type 2 diabetes mellitus