Effects of Polyphenols on Glucose‐Induced Metabolic Changes in Healthy Human Subjects and on Glucose Transporters

• Published in: Molecular nutrition & food research Vol. 66; no. 21; pp. e2101113 - n/a
• Main Author: Williamson, Gary
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.11.2022; John Wiley and Sons Inc
• Subjects: Acute effects; Amino acids; apples; beta-galactosidase; beverages; Blood; Blood glucose; Blood Glucose - metabolism; digestive enzymes; dihydrochalcone; Fatty acids; flavonoid; Food consumption; food research; Glucose; Glucose - metabolism; Glucose Transport Proteins, Facilitative; Glucose transporter; Glucose Transporter Type 2; Healthy Volunteers; Hormones; Humans; Incretins; Insulin; Insulin - metabolism; Intestine; Lactase; Metabolism; microvilli; nutrition; OGTT; Oleuropein; olives; Oxidative stress; Phenolic compounds; Phenols; Phlorhizin - pharmacology; Polyphenols; Polyphenols - chemistry; Polyphenols - pharmacology; post prandial; Review; Reviews; secretin; Small intestine; sugar; flavonoid; insulin; OGTT; sugar; dihydrochalcone; post prandial
• ISSN: 1613-4125; 1613-4133; 1613-4133
• DOI: 10.1002/mnfr.202101113

Dietary polyphenols interact with glucose transporters in the small intestine and modulate glucose uptake after food or beverage consumption. This review assesses the transporter interaction in vitro and how this translates to an effect in healthy volunteers consuming glucose. As examples, the apple polyphenol phlorizin inhibits sodium‐glucose linked transporter‐1; in the intestinal lumen, it is converted to phloretin, a strong inhibitor of glucose transporter‐2 (GLUT2), by the brush border digestive enzyme lactase. Consequently, an apple extract rich in phlorizin attenuates blood glucose and insulin in healthy volunteers after a glucose challenge. On the other hand, the olive phenolic, oleuropein, inhibits GLUT2, but the strength of the inhibition is not enough to modulate blood glucose after a glucose challenge in healthy volunteers. Multiple metabolic effects and oxidative stresses after glucose consumption include insulin, incretin hormones, fatty acids, amino acids, and protein markers. However, apart from acute postprandial effects on glucose, insulin, and some incretin hormones, very little is known about the acute effects of polyphenols on these glucose‐induced secondary effects. In summary, attenuation of the effect of a glucose challenge in vivo is only observed when polyphenols are strong inhibitors of glucose transporters. Certain dietary polyphenols inhibit glucose uptake in the gut, leading to blunted blood glucose spikes after a high sugar meal. Certain polyphenols inhibit glucose transporters in the gut. Strong inhibition of glucose transporters leads to blunted blood glucose spikes.