Fibre Grain Herb Trial in Type 2 Diabetes

Despite the availability of multiple medications for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes, patients often continue to have difficulty attaining blood glucose targets and managing cardiovascular disease risk factors. Recent trends in non-pharmacological therapy have created a growing public interest in dietary supplements.

Research by this group and others support the benefits of whole grains, viscous dietary fibre and ginseng in the management of diabetes. The current study investigates whether the co-administration of a viscous dietary fibre blend, Salba (a grain rich in omega-3 fatty acids), and 2 varieties of ginseng roots will further improve blood sugar control and cardiovascular disease risk outcomes in individuals with Type 2 diabetes already receiving conventional treatments.

Patients with Type 2 diabetes receiving the recommended intervention in accordance with the Canadian Diabetes Association guidelines will be enrolled in a 6-month clinical study. Half of the participants will be randomly assigned to a 4-component intervention that comprises the co-administration of these four dietary/herbal supplements in addition to their usual treatment regimen; the other half will continue their usual treatment regimen in addition to taking high-oat fiber and wheat bran supplements.

The investigators hypothesize that an intensified, multi-targeted intervention with the addition of these dietary and herb components will further improve long-term blood glucose control and cardiovascular disease risk factors beyond conventional therapy. If this combination of viscous fiber, Salba and ginseng is shown to be beneficial, these remedies could complement current conventional therapy for Type 2 diabetes with the goal to further improve health outcomes.