2023 Volume 76 Issue 3 Pages 141-147
Blood glucose homeostasis is maintained by appropriate insulin secretion and signaling in response to blood glucose elevations caused by ingesting food. The ability to secrete insulin is generally lower in East Asian people, and maintaining the insulin secretory function of pancreatic β-cells is therefore essential for preventing type 2 diabetes in this population. The two intestinal incretin hormones, gastric inhibitory peptide/glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide (GLP-1), act directly or indirectly on pancreatic β-cells to promote cell proliferation, inhibit cell death, and amplify glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. The use of incretin to maintain blood glucose homeostasis and prevent diabetes is a promising pharmacological strategy that would be achievable using functional foods. This article summarizes the role of insulin and incretin hormones on type 2 diabetes, and highlights functional foods that promote incretin secretion or mimic its actions, and could therefore contribute to diabetes disease management or prevention.
