Propionate lowers blood glucose and alters lipid metabolism in healthy subjects

• Published in: The American journal of clinical nutrition Vol. 54; no. 5; pp. 860 - 865
• Main Authors: Todesco, T, Rao, AV, Bosello, O, Jenkins, DJ
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bethesda, MD Elsevier Inc 01.11.1991; American Society for Clinical Nutrition
• Subjects: additif alimentaire; aditivos alimentarios; Adult; adulte; adultos; adults; almidon; amidon; analysis; Biological and medical sciences; blood glucose; Blood Glucose - analysis; blood lipids; Bread; Breath Tests; breathing; carbohydrate metabolism; Carbohydrates; chemistry; Cholesterol, HDL; Cholesterol, HDL - analysis; dietary supplements; Digestion; faeces; Feces; Female; flora microbiana; flore microbienne; food additives; Food Analysis; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; genero humano; genre humain; glicemia; glycaemia; glycemie; heces; hidrogeno; Humans; hydrogen; Hydrogen - analysis; hydrogene; lipaemia; lipemia; lipemie; lipid and carbohydrate metabolism; Lipid Metabolism; Male; mankind; metabolism; metabolisme des glucides; metabolisme des lipides; metabolismo de carbohidratos; metabolismo de lipidos; Metabolisms and neurohumoral controls; metano; methane; Methane - analysis; microbial flora; microorganisms; Middle Aged; pharmacology; Propionate; propionate sel; Propionates; Propionates - chemistry; Propionates - pharmacology; propionates salts; propionatos sales; Reference Values; respiracion; respiration; saliva; salive; sodio; sodium; sodium propionate; Starch; Starch - metabolism; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; lipid and carbohydrate metabolism; Propionate; Human; Short chain; Propionic acid; Oral administration; Glucose; Metabolism; Triglyceride; Fatty acids; Bread; Chemotherapy; Diet; Carbohydrate; Glycemia
• ISSN: 0002-9165; 1938-3207
• DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/54.5.860

Incorporation of 3.3 g sodium propionate per 50 g available carbohydrate portion of bread reduced acutely the blood glucose response area in six healthy volunteers by 47.6 ± 12.4% (P< 0.02). Similarly, in vitro digestibility was reduced by 47.4 ± 1.1% (P< 0.01). One week of dietary supplementation with 9.9 g sodium propionate in bread/d reduced the blood glucose area in comparison with standard propionate-free bread by 38.0 ± 8.7% (P< 0.05), but increased fecal bulk by 28.3 ± 8.7% (P< 0.05) and anaerobic microflora by 0.564 ± 0.165 × 106/g feces (P< 0.05), specifically as bifidobacteria. Day-long breath hydrogen concentrations did not increase after 1 wk on propionate bread but methane production increased in the three methane producers. Although lipid changes were not significant, five subjects showed reduced high-density-lipoprotein and increased triglyceride concentrations, both of which correlated with increased fecal weight (P< 0.05). Because propionate reduces the rate of starch digestion, studies using oral propionate must take into account its action as an enzyme inhibitor.