Supplementation of conventional therapy with the novel grain Salba (Salvia hispanica L.) improves major and emerging cardiovascular risk factors in type 2 diabetes: results of a randomized controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether addition of Salba (Salvia hispanica L.), a novel whole grain that is rich in fiber, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), and minerals to conventional treatment is associated with improvement in major and emerging cardiovascular risk factors in individuals with type 2 diabetes.


METHODS
Using a single-blind cross-over design, subjects were randomly assigned to receive either 37 +/- 4 g/day of Salba or wheat bran for 12 weeks while maintaining their conventional diabetes therapies. Twenty well-controlled subjects with type 2 diabetes (11 men and 9 women, aged 64 +/- 8 years, BMI 28 +/- 4 kg/m2, and A1C 6.8 +/- 0.9%) completed the study. This study was set in the outpatient clinic of the Risk Factor Modification Center, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Canada.


RESULTS
Compared with the control treatment, Salba reduced systolic blood pressure (SBP) by 6.3 +/- 4 mmHg (P < 0.001), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) (mg/l) by 40 +/- 1.6% (P = 0.04), and vonWillebrand factor (vWF) by 21 +/- 0.3% (P = 0.03), with significant decreases in A1C and fibrinogen in relation to the Salba baseline but not with the control treatment. There were no changes in safety parameters including liver, kidney and hemostatic function, or body weight. Both plasma ALA and eicosapentaenoic polyunsaturated fatty acid levels were increased twofold (P < 0.05) while consuming Salba.


CONCLUSIONS
Long-term supplementation with Salba attenuated a major cardiovascular risk factor (SBP) and emerging factors (hs-CRP and vWF) safely beyond conventional therapy, while maintaining good glycemic and lipid control in people with well-controlled type 2 diabetes.
Vuksan
Vladimir
V
Risk Factor Modification Centre, St. Michael's Hospital, 70 Richmond St. East, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5C 1N8. v.vuksan@utoronto.ca
Whitham
Dana
D
Sievenpiper
John L
JL
Jenkins
Alexandra L
AL
Rogovik
Alexander L
AL
Bazinet
Richard P
RP
Vidgen
Edward
E
Hanna
Amir
A
D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D001939:Bread; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications*; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004043:Dietary Fiber; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D002523:Edible Grain; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D019934:International Normalized Ratio; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D011517:Prothrombin Time; D012307:Risk Factors; D027544:Salvia; D016037:Single-Blind Method
D001786:Blood Glucose; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D004043:Dietary Fiber; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D007328:Insulin; D008055:Lipids