The effects of fortified carrot juice with beta carotene on insulin resistance indices in patients with type II diabetes

Abstract

Background and purpose: The role of beta carotene in glucose metabolism in type II diabetes is unclear. Thus this study was designed to investigate the effect of fortified carrot juice with beta carotene on glycemic indices in these patients. Materials and methods: This randomized controlled double blind clinical trial was performed on 44 patients with type II diabetes. Initially patients were randomly divided into two groups of consuming 200 ml of carrot juice fortified with 10 mg of beta carotene (group A) and another group having 200 ml of carrot juice (group B). Both groups consumed carrot juice daily with their lunch (exchanged with one serving of cereals). Twenty four hour dietary recalls were done on 3 consecutive days and 6 alternate days at the beginning and the end of the study. The serum levels of glucose, insulin and beta carotene in fasting blood samples were measured at the beginning and the end of week 8 and insulin resistance was calculated. Finally food consumption data were analyzed by nutritionist IV and statistical analysis were performed using SPSS version 11.5. Results: The level of beta carotene in serum was significantly increased in group A compared with group B. Glycemic indices were slightly changed during 8 weeks in this study which were not statistically significant. Conclusion: In this group of patients with type II diabetes, consumption of 200 ml carrot juice fortified with beta carotene for 8 weeks caused a significant increment in the levels of serum antioxidants with no significant changes in glycemic indices.