title: Effects of carnosine supplementation on glucose metabolism: Pilot clinical trial.
abstract: Carnosine is a naturally present dipeptide in humans and an over-the counter food additive. Evidence from animal studies supports the role for carnosine in the prevention and treatment of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, yet there is limited human data. This study investigated whether carnosine supplementation in individuals with overweight or obesity improves diabetes and cardiovascular risk factors.
  
  
  
  In a double-blind randomized pilot trial in nondiabetic individuals with overweight and obesity (age 43 ± 8 years; body mass index 31 ± 4 kg/m(2) ), 15 individuals were randomly assigned to 2 g carnosine daily and 15 individuals to placebo for 12 weeks. Insulin sensitivity and secretion, glucose tolerance (oral glucose tolerance test), blood pressure, plasma lipid profile, skeletal muscle ((1) H-MRS), and urinary carnosine levels were measured.
  
  
  
  Carnosine concentrations increased in urine after supplementation (P < 0.05). An increase in fasting insulin and insulin resistance was hampered in individuals receiving carnosine compared to placebo, and this remained significant after adjustment for age, sex, and change in body weight (P = 0.02, P = 0.04, respectively). Two-hour glucose and insulin were both lower after carnosine supplementation compared to placebo in individuals with impaired glucose tolerance (P < 0.05).
  
  
  
  These pilot intervention data suggest that carnosine supplementation may be an effective strategy for prevention of type 2 diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Monash Centre for Health, Research and Implementation, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Melbourne, Australia.|Diabetes and Vascular Medicine Unit, Monash Health, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Barbora
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: de Courten
authors.affiliation: Institute of Experimental Endocrinology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia.|Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Michaela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jakubova
authors.affiliation: Centre for Chronic Disease, College of Health and Biomedicine, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Maximilian Pj
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: de Courten
authors.affiliation: High Field MR Centre, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.|Christian Doppler Laboratory for Clinical Molecular MR Imaging, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Ivica Just
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Kukurova
authors.affiliation: Institute of Experimental Endocrinology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia.|Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vallova
authors.affiliation: Institute of Experimental Endocrinology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Patrik
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Krumpolec
authors.affiliation: High Field MR Centre, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.|Christian Doppler Laboratory for Clinical Molecular MR Imaging, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Ladislav
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Valkovic
authors.affiliation: Institute of Experimental Endocrinology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Timea
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kurdiova
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universitàdegli Studi Di Milano, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Garzon
authors.affiliation: Department of Movement and Sport Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barbaresi
authors.affiliation: Monash Centre for Health, Research and Implementation, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Melbourne, Australia.|Diabetes and Vascular Medicine Unit, Monash Health, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Helena J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Teede
authors.affiliation: Department of Movement and Sport Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Wim
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Derave
authors.affiliation: High Field MR Centre, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.|Christian Doppler Laboratory for Clinical Molecular MR Imaging, Vienna, Austria.|Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krssak
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universitàdegli Studi Di Milano, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Giancarlo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Aldini
authors.affiliation: Institute of Experimental Endocrinology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Jozef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ukropec
authors.affiliation: Institute of Experimental Endocrinology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia.|Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ukropcova
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001835:Body Weight; D002336:Carnosine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005215:Fasting; D005260:Female; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D018149:Glucose Intolerance; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood; D050177:Overweight / Q000097:blood; D010865:Pilot Projects; D010919:Placebos; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D010919:Placebos; D002336:Carnosine; D005947:Glucose