The major characteristic of Diabetes mellitus is the improper metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a disease categorized into two types: Type 1 DM which results from the inability of the body to produce sufficient insulin; Type 2 DM which results from the inability to carry out an appropriate insulin response. Due to their close association with the risk of cerebrovascular and cardiovascular disorders, DM and its complications have become the main focus of interest for researchers worldwide.
Traditional methods in the management of DM focus on keeping the blood sugar levels under control using strategies of diet, insulin, oral hypoglycemic drugs, and exercise. Although these methods have proven to be effective, the currently marketed antidiabetic drugs are associated with side effects on patients. As a result, natural food products having antihyperglycemic properties are gaining popularity amongst diabetic patients. Various studies have shown the antihyperglycemic activity of camel milk in type 1 diabetes using both human and animal models whereas studies on patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are limited. Hence, the present study was designed to investigate the effects of camel milk consumption on the blood sugar, lipid profile, HbA1c, and insulin of patients with T2DM. The clinical trial mentioned in this paper consisted of 60 patients with T2DM who used oral antidiabetic drugs assigned into two groups; group 1 were subjected to 500 mL of raw camel milk divided equally two times/day in addition to the antidiabetic prescribed medicines for three months. Group 2 was treated during the same period with the oral antidiabetic medicaments only.
Healthy milking camels (Camelus dromedarius) of the Experimental Station of Chenchou, Arid Land Institute, Medenine, Tunisia were used for the collection of camel milk. The milk was collected after discarding the first few squirts and was preserved at 4°C, in an icebox, and distributed weekly to the patients. Patients in the range of 40 to 65 years of age, with T2DM treated with oral hypoglycemic agents, were included in this study. Pregnant or lactating women, patients requiring insulin injections, and those suffering from cardiovascular, liver, lung, or kidney diseases and thyroid dysfunctions were excluded from the study. The results showed significant effects on Blood Glucose, HbA1c, Cholesterol, and TG Levels in group 1 patients.
A decline in fasting blood glucose (FBG) (from 9.89 ± 0.98 to 6.13 ± 0.55 mmol/L) and postprandial glucose (PPG) (from 15.89 ± 4.34 to 7.44 ± 1.02 mmol/L) in the group 1 was observed. A significant decrease (P < 5.5) in HbA1c levels was seen in the group treated with camel milk (from 9.44 ± 0.16 to 6.61 ± 0.14%, with a percentage decrease of 30%). Total cholesterol and triglycerides also significantly decreased in group 1. No statistical differences in urea and creatinine levels between the two groups were seen during the trial. The three-month trial was completed by a total of thirty participants in each group finished and was included in the statistical analysis. The acceptability of camel milk was good; only two patients in the camel milk-treated group complained of flatulence and were dropped from the assay. Based on this study’s results, camel milk could be useful for glycemic control in T2DM patients using oral hypoglycemic agents. Further studies are needed to isolate the specific bioactive components that are responsible for improving the clinical state of diabetic patients.
Reference:
Amel Sboui, Chiraz Atig, Abdelmajid Khabir, Mohamed Hammadi, Touhami Khorchani, "Camel Milk Used as an Adjuvant Therapy to Treat Type 2 Diabetic Patients: Effects on Blood Glucose, HbA1c, Cholesterol, and TG Levels", Journal of Chemistry, vol. 2022, Article ID 5860162, 6 pages, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/5860162
By Gauri Pillai
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