Effects of brown seaweeds on postprandial glucose, insulin and appetite in humans - a randomized, 3-way, blinded, cross-over meal study

Summary Background & Aims Seaweed including brown seaweeds with rich bioactive components may be efficacious for a glycaemic management strategy and appetite control. We investigated the effects of two brown edible seaweeds, Laminaria digitata (LD) and Undaria pinnatifida (UP), on postprandial glucose metabolism and appetite following a starch load in a human meal study. Methods Twenty healthy subjects were enrolled in a randomized, 3-way, blinded cross-over trial. The study was registered under ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier no. NCT00123456. At each test day, the subjects received one of three meals comprising 30 g of starch with 5 g of LD or UP or an energy-adjusted control meal containing pea protein. Fasting and postprandial blood glucose, insulin, C-peptide and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) concentrations were measured. Subjective appetite sensations were scored using visual analogue scales (VAS). Results Linear mixed model (LMM) analysis showed a lower blood glucose, insulin and C-peptide response following the intake of LD and UP, after correction for body weight. Participants weighing Conclusions Concomitant ingestion of brown seaweeds may help improving postprandial glycaemic and appetite control in healthy and normal weight adults, depending on the dose per body weight. Clinical trial registry number Clinicaltrials.gov (ID# NCT02608372).