Effects of Cranberry Extractive on the Lipid Profiles in Subjects With Type 2 Diabetes

Hypercholesterolemia is a notorious risk factor for cardiovascular disease. It had been reported cranberry consumption increased nearly 8% of circulating high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels in non-diabetic subjects. Although characteristics of diabetic dyslipidemia are low HDL and high triglyceride, the benefits of concentrated powder of cranberry juice on lipid profiles were not evident in type 2 diabetic subjects with diet control alone. To the best of our knowledge, the effect of cranberry on lipid profiles in type 2 diabetic subjects using oral anti-diabetic drugs have never been studied, especially total to HDL cholesterol ratio which is important in predicting cardiovascular diseases in Asian and/or diabetic population. Furthermore, cranberry has anti-oxidative effect which is associated with reduction of oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) cholesterol in non-diabetes. Therefore, we conducted a placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized study to assess the effect of cranberry on lipid profiles in type 2 diabetes.

Inclusion criteria

• type 2 diabetic subjects
• age between 50 and 75 years

Exclusion criteria

• glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) less than 7% or more than 10%;
• triglyceride more than 4.5 mmol/L;
• current insulin treatment;
• change of the medications for anti-diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia and anti-platelet in recent four weeks;
• abnormal renal function (serum creatinine > 177 μmol/L;
• abnormal liver function test results (more than two-fold upper limit of normal range);
• severe systemic disease such as immune disorder, cancer, acute or chronic inflammation disease;
• smoking in recent 1 year;
• alcoholism (more than two drinks daily);
• using steroid or drugs with unknown components;
• pregnancy or breast-feeding.