Abstract
The effects of indigestible dextrin on lipid and glucose metabolism were investigated in experimental animals and hyperlipidemic patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). In the animal experiment, SD rats were fed for two weeks with a cholesterol-free standard diet, then 5% indigestible dextrin was added for 9 weeks. In the NIDDM patients, 20g of indigestible dextrin was administered with each meal for 12 weeks. Changes in serum lipid levels and fasting plasma glucose concentrations were monitored periodically. In the rats fed indigestible dextrin, levels of serum cholesterol and plasma glucose were significantly decreased at the end of the study. Even in the hyperlipidemic diabetic patients, after 12 weeks of administration of indigestible dextrin, fasting serum cholesterol and plasma glucose concentrations were significantly decreased. These results show that indigestible dextrin as soluble dietary fiber is effective for improving hyperlipidemia and glucose tolerance.
