Health benefits of pistachio consumption in pre-diabetic subjects

Identifier:  TDX:2459

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/TDX2459

Authors:  Hernández Alonso, Pablo

Abstract:
Pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes (T2D) are considered two major public health problems. Pre-diabetes is a metabolic reversible state between normoglycemia and T2D which is characterized by insulin resistance and it is associated to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease and T2D. As nuts are a rich and complex matrix of different macronutrients and micronutrients and other molecules such as antioxidants, they may have a modulatory role of insulin resistance via different targets. Among nuts, pistachios have a rich nutrient profile in antioxidants, fiber and fats which may lead to an improvement in glucose metabolism. Our objective was to analyze the effects of pistachio consumption on parameters related to glucose metabolism and insulin resistance. Additionally, we evaluated the lipid profile, inflammatory, oxidative and other related markers, together with in vitro lymphocytes’ glucose uptake and the expression of certain genes. We also evaluated the modulation of novel disease biomarkers related to glycemic and cardiovascular health such as microRNAs and lipoproteins (size and concentration). Our results showed that chronic pistachio consumption, into the context of a healthy diet, reduced the insulin resistant state of the subjects with pre-diabetes. Importantly, pistachio consumption was also able to improve inflammatory and satiety markers and a set of genes linked to inflammation and glucose transport, together with in vitro lymphocytes’ glucose intake. Finally, we reported a significant improvement in microRNAs related to T2D and pre-D and in lipoprotein profile which may reflect a reduced cardiovascular risk. Overall, pistachio consumption seems effective to ameliorate the pre-diabetes state towards a healthier metabolic profile.