Plasma alkylresorcinols C17:0/C21:0 ratio, a biomarker of relative whole-grain rye intake, is associated to insulin sensitivity: a randomized study

• Published in: European journal of clinical nutrition Vol. 68; no. 4; pp. 453 - 458
• Main Authors: Magnusdottir, O K, Landberg, R, Gunnarsdottir, I, Cloetens, L, Åkesson, B, Landin-Olsson, M, Rosqvist, F, Iggman, D, Schwab, U, Herzig, K-H, Savolainen, M J, Brader, L, Hermansen, K, Kolehmainen, M, Poutanen, K, Uusitupa, M, Thorsdottir, I, Risérus, U
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 01.04.2014; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 692/53; 692/699/2743/2037; 692/700/2814; Adult; Aged; alkylresorcinols; Annan klinisk medicin; Biological and medical sciences; Biological markers; Biomarkers; Biomarkers - blood; Blood Glucose - metabolism; Body Mass Index; Body size; Clinical Medicine; Clinical Nutrition; Diabetes mellitus; Diet; Dietary Fiber - administration & dosage; Epidemiology; Fasting; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Glucose; Glucose metabolism; Glucose tolerance; Grain; Healthy Volunteers; High-fiber diet; Homology; Humans; Insulin; Insulin - blood; Insulin Resistance; Insulin secretion; insulin sensitivity; Internal Medicine; Klinisk medicin; Laboratory testing; Linear Models; Measurement; Medical and Health Sciences; Medical sciences; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Metabolic Diseases; Metabolic disorders; Metabolic syndrome; Metabolic Syndrome - diet therapy; Metabolism; Middle Aged; Nutrition and Dietetics; Nutrition research; Näringslära; original-article; Other Clinical Medicine; Physiological aspects; Plasma; Public Health; Regression analysis; Resorcinols - blood; Rye; Secale; Sensitivity; Triticum; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Wheat; whole grain; Europe; insulin sensitivity; alkylresorcinols; whole grain; rye; Consumption; Pancreatic hormone; Randomization; Whole grain; Biological marker; Metabolic diseases; Ratio; Insulin; Blood plasma; Rye
• ISSN: 0954-3007; 1476-5640; 1476-5640
• DOI: 10.1038/ejcn.2014.12

Background/Objectives: Few studies have used biomarkers of whole-grain intake to study its relation to glucose metabolism. We aimed to investigate the association between plasma alkylresorcinols (AR), a biomarker of whole-grain rye and wheat intake, and glucose metabolism in individuals with metabolic syndrome (MetS). Subjects/Methods: Participants were 30–65 years of age, with body mass index 27–40 kg/m 2 and had MetS without diabetes. Individuals were recruited through six centers in the Nordic countries and randomized to a healthy Nordic diet (ND, n =96), rich in whole-grain rye and wheat, or a control diet ( n =70), for 18–24 weeks. In addition, associations between total plasma AR concentration and C17:0/C21:0 homolog ratio as an indication of the relative whole-grain rye intake, and glucose metabolism measures from oral glucose tolerance tests were investigated in pooled (ND+control) regression analyses at 18/24 weeks. Results: ND did not improve glucose metabolism compared with control diet, but the AR C17:0/C21:0 ratio was inversely associated with fasting insulin concentrations ( P =0.002) and positively associated with the insulin sensitivity indices Matsuda ISI ( P =0.026) and disposition index ( P =0.022) in pooled analyses at 18/24 weeks, even after adjustment for confounders. The AR C17:0/C21:0 ratio was not significantly associated with insulin secretion indices. Total plasma AR concentration was not related to fasting plasma glucose or fasting insulin at 18/24 weeks. Conclusions: The AR C17:0/C21:0 ratio, an indicator of relative whole-grain rye intake, is associated with increased insulin sensitivity in a population with MetS.