Eating Mushrooms May Improve Blood Sugar Control

Akshay Naik 22 August 2018

Life

Diabetic and pre-diabetic conditions have contributed to severe life-threatening diseases including heart disease and stroke. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in US, 100 million Americans had diabetes or pre-diabetes, in 2017. Now, a new study has found that eating white button mushrooms can affect glucose, or blood sugar, regulation, thereby reducing diabetes and other metabolic conditions, such as obesity. Consumption of these mushrooms is believed to create subtle shifts in the microbial community in the gut which could improve the regulation of glucose in the liver, according to the research.

In diabetes, our body does not produce enough of the hormone insulin which helps regulate blood sugar levels. Insulin helps transfer glucose from blood into the cells to provide them with energy. Diabetes occurs either when there is not enough insulin or the insulin that is made is not effective, resulting in high blood glucose levels. Essentially, the researchers wanted to see whether white button mushrooms could influence the production of glucose in the body.

The study was conducted by researchers working in various departments at the Pennsylvania State University. The team of researchers showed that feeding white button mushrooms to mice changed the composition of gut microbes - microbiota - to produce more short-chain fatty acids, specifically propionate from succinate. Previously conducted research has shown that succinate and propionate can change the expression of genes needed to manage glucose production, said Margherita T Cantorna professor of molecular immunology in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences. Furthermore, “managing glucose better, has implications not only diabetes by other metabolic diseases as well” added Prof Cantrona.

Published in the Journal of Functional Foods, the study showed that mushrooms can alter the gut microbiome and that pre-biotics, which are substances often derived from the foods we ingest, support the activity of microorganisms in the gut to boost the growth of beneficial bacteria.

The research was conducted on two types of mice—one group had microbiota, the other group comprised germ-free mice and did not carry microbiota. The latter acted as the control group. “You can compare the mice with the microbiota with the germ-free mice to get an idea of the contributions of the microbiota,” said Prof Cantorna. “There were big differences in the kinds of metabolites we found in the gastrointestinal tract, as well as in the liver and serum, of the animals fed mushrooms that had microbiota than the ones that didn't.”

The mice were fed a daily serving size of the mushrooms which would be about three ounces for humans. The results of the study suggest that consumption of these mushrooms sets off a chain reaction in the gut bacteria, expanding the population of Prevotella, a bacterium that produces propionate and succinate said Prof Cantrorna. These acids can change the expression of genes that are key to the pathway between the brain and the gut that helps manage the production of glucose or gluconeogenesis.

Beyond the possible benefits of mushrooms as a pre-biotic, Prof Cantrona said that the new study also shows more evidence that there is a close connection between diet and microbiota. “It’s pretty clear that almost any change you make to the diet, changes the microbiota,” said Prof Cantorna.

Although this particular study was done with lean mice, the researchers are keen to observe the reaction in obese mice and, eventually, in humans.

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