Diabetes Drug Creates Hydrogen Gas That Reduces Inflammation
- Authors
- Atsuko Tamasawa, Kazuki Mochizuki, Natsuyo Hariya, Miyoko Saito, Hidenori Ishida, Satako Doguchi, Syoko Yanagiya, Takeshi Osonoi
- Journal
- European Journal of Pharmacology
- Year
- 2015
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.ejphar.2015.04.051
- Study Type
- Human
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- Japan
- Health Condition
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Body System
- Digestive System
TL;DR
Taking acarbose, a diabetes medication, may lead to more hydrogen gas in the breath and could potentially reduce inflammation in Japanese type 2 diabetic patients.
Key Finding
Increases in hydrogen gas production from acarbose were inversely associated with reductions in peripheral blood interleukin-1β mRNA, a marker of inflammation.
Summary
Researchers gave 16 Japanese type 2 diabetic patients a single dose of acarbose (a diabetes medication) before a meal and measured hydrogen gas in their breath and an inflammation marker called interleukin-1β in their blood. While acarbose increased hydrogen gas production, the study found that greater increases in hydrogen gas were associated with lower levels of the inflammation marker, suggesting hydrogen gas may have anti-inflammatory effects.
Practical Takeaway
This small human study suggests that hydrogen gas produced by acarbose may reduce inflammatory markers in type 2 diabetic patients, but the findings are preliminary and the clinical significance is unclear. The study measured only one dose in 16 patients over a single meal, so larger and longer studies would be needed to determine whether this effect has meaningful health benefits.
Abstract
Acarbose, an α-glucosidase inhibitor, leads to the production of hydrogen gas, which reduces oxidative stress. In this study, we examined the effects of a single dose of acarbose immediately before a test meal on postprandial hydrogen gas in breath and peripheral blood interleukin (IL)-1β mRNA expression in Japanese type 2 diabetic patients. Sixteen Japanese patients (14 men, 2 women) participated in this study. The mean±standard deviation age, hemoglobin A1c and body mass index were 52.1±15.4 years, 10.2±2.0%, and 27.7±8.0kg/m(2), respectively. The patients were admitted into our hospital for 2 days and underwent test meals at breakfast without (day 1) or with acarbose (day 2). We performed continuous glucose monitoring and measured hydrogen gas levels in breath, and peripheral blood IL-1β mRNA levels before (0min) and after the test meal (hydrogen gas: 60, 120, 180, and 300min; IL-1β: 180min). The induction of hydrogen gas production and the reduction in peripheral blood IL-1β mRNA after the test meal were not significant between days 1 (without acarbose) and 2 (with acarbose). However, the changes in total hydrogen gas production from day 1 to day 2 were closely and inversely associated with the changes in peripheral blood IL-1β mRNA levels. Our results suggest that an increase in hydrogen gas production is inversely associated with a reduction of the peripheral blood IL-1β mRNA level after a single dose of acarbose in Japanese type 2 diabetic patients. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.