An accurate screening method for potential diabetes therapy has been developed

Monash Nutrition researchers have developed an advanced technique to measure the rate at which carbohydrates are digested in humans, which will benefit future research into the discovery and development of new therapeutics for those with or at risk of diabetes and other metabolic diseases.

The new protocol overcomes some key barriers for scientists. Preliminary methods for testing the effects of chemicals on carbohydrate digestion predominantly using animal models and microbes, yielding results that are not representative of human digestion or imprecise due to interference with the test substance.

The latest findings are now published in Protocols of nature magazine.

According to Diabetes Australia, one Australian is developing diabetes mellitus every 5 minutes and counting.

The carbohydrates we eat are quickly digested in our intestines to produce sugar, which is then absorbed into the bloodstream. It is important for the body to maintain blood sugar levels within a certain target range, as uncontrolled and persistently high blood sugar levels can lead to the development of metabolic diseases, particularly type 2 diabetes.

The total annual cost of diabetes in Australia is approximately $15 billion.

Co-author of the paper, Dr Michael Houghton from Monash University’s Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Foodstuffs says blood sugar spikes can be controlled by slowing down the digestion of carbohydrates.

“There are several TGA approved drugs that are very effective for this, but they often cause uncomfortable side effects such as bloating and diarrhoea, so we are looking for new ways to control blood sugar levels without this discomfort can have a big impact on the 1.8 million Australians currently living with diabetes,” Dr Houghton said.

Until now, researchers have tested the effect of food and plant extracts on the rate of carbohydrate digestion, reaching results using calorimetric measurements, which rely on the reaction of sugar products with a colored reagent. Test extracts often affect the results, but with the new protocol more accurate results can be obtained by direct measurement sugar production.

There is a lot of research that shows that nutrients in the diet can be beneficial, and early results suggest that natural chemicals from plants can be a compromise by controlling the digestion of carbohydrates and blood sugar levelbut this pathway is still in its early stages and additional funding is needed to further develop this research.

“I am delighted to see this work published, it has been a real team effort and several years. We hope that our final guidance will help researchers working in this field to provide more accurate results that can be translated into successful clinical trials to find better therapeutic agents for those living with diabetes,” said Dr. Houghton.