The Effect of Soy Nuts on Glycemic Control, Lipid Profile and Insulin-Resistance in Type 2 Diabetic Patients

Abstract

Type 2 diabetes has a high prevalence and a growing trend. The use of a proper diet treatment is one of the therapeutic approaches of patients. The use of the soy has shown the effective results in glycemic control of patients with type 2 diabetes; however, data are paradoxical. The present study aimed to examine the effectiveness of soy nuts on glycemic control, blood pressure and lipid profile and insulin-resistance of the diabetic patients. Methods: In this case-control study 69 type 2 diabetic patients were randomly divided into two groups: intervention (n = 35) and control (n = 34). The patients in the intervention group substituted 60 grams of soy nuts as a part of the daily protein requirement for eight weeks. In contrast, the patients in the control group received usual diet of diabetes (no soy). The drugs received by patients had not been changed during the intervention period. Before and at the end of the intervention, Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), serum insulin levels, insulin-resistance, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-c), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-c) and total cholesterol, and triglycerides (TG) were measured in the patients. Insulin-resistance was calculated by Homeostatic model assessment-IR formula (HOMA-IR). Results: Soy consumption significantly lowered FPG (P = 0.03), HbA1c (P P = 0.01), insulin-resistance (P = 0.01), total cholesterol (P P = 0.01), but did not have any significant effect on systolic blood pressure (P = 0.4), diastolic blood pressure (P = 0.2), HDL-c (P = 0.4) and TG (P = 0.2). Conclusion: Consumption of soy nuts in type 2 diabetic patients can cause an improvement in the glycemic control and insulin-resistance, and the lipid profile does not have any significant effect on blood pressure.