DIABETES AND METABOLIC CONDITIONS: A GLOBAL HEALTH CONCERN
Type 2 diabetes mellitus, a global health issue affecting millions of people worldwide, is a chronic condition characterized by elevated blood sugar levels due to the body’s inability to properly use the hormone insulin, also called insulin resistance. This disease is highly linked to genetic predisposition, obesity, and inactivity. High blood sugar, or hyperglycemia, can be life-threatening. Without proper management, type 2 diabetes can have some scary complications like heart disease, kidney failure, blindness, nerve damage, and even amputation.
While lifestyle changes like diet and exercise are crucial in managing type 2 diabetes, recent research has shown that supplementation with probiotics or their derivatives, such as metabiotics or postbiotics, may alleviate symptoms, prevent or delay the onset and progression of the disease, and be used as a complement to conventional treatment such as medication.
METABIOTICS, POSTBIOTICS, AND TYPE 2 DIABETES
You likely have heard of probiotics already—they’re well known for improving digestion, balancing the gut microbiome, modulating the immune system, and granting resistance to pathogens. While probiotics contain living bacteria to exert their effects, metabiotics and postbiotics (terms often used interchangeably) contain the structural parts of probiotics with critical metabolic activities.
- Metabiotics are obtained from the lysate (a fluid that contains the contents of broken cells, like the cell wall and DNA fragments) of probiotic strains with a high level of immunomodulating characteristics and well-known peptidoglycan (the substance that makes up bacterial cell walls) structure.
- Postbiotics refer to a preparation of inanimate (probiotic or other) microorganisms and/or their components like short-chain fatty acids (essential for a healthy gut) and other byproducts.
- Metabiotics and postbiotics demonstrate high levels of biological stability and activity, working faster and possibly more efficiently than probiotics. They are not living and, therefore, have the advantage of being safer for immunocompromised patients.
A 2024 study1 by Dr. Liubov Sichel, Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Stellar Biotics, and researchers from O.O. Bogomolets National Medical University, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, and the Center for Innovative Medical Technologies looked at the effectiveness and safety of a new type of probiotic supplementation for people with type 2 diabetes in a randomized clinical trial. For 3 months, subjects were given a twice-daily oral dose of del-IMMUNE V® Defense (100 mg capsule). This all-natural metabiotic/postbiotic supplement uses structural fragments of the probiotic bacteria Lactobacillus rhamnosus DV, which has been shown in preclinical and clinical studies to regulate the immune system and balance the gut microbiome, decreasing overall inflammation in the body and balancing inner homeostasis. You can find more information about this here.
Researchers measured important parameters indicating the severity of type 2 diabetes. One of these was HbA1c, which indicates how much sugar is built up in blood; a high HbA1c means the subject is more likely to develop serious complications. They also measured subjects’ fasting plasma glucose (FPG), functional activity of pancreatic beta cells (the insulin-producing cells), insulin sensitivity (the body’s ability to use insulin properly), and bodily anthropometric indices (measurements used to assess an individual’s health and nutritional status).
After 3 months of taking del-IMMUNE V® and a 3-month follow-up period without it, study subjects taking del-IMMUNE V® had a larger decrease, or improvement, in HbA1c than the placebo group. The del-IMMUNE V® group also had a drop, or improvement, in FPG, whereas the placebo group had a slight increase, or worsening, in FPG. Functional activity of study subjects’ pancreatic beta cells and insulin sensitivity improved in the del-IMMUNE V® group. The researchers observed that glycemic (sugar) control measurements significantly worsened in the placebo group.
Although this trial wasn’t about using del-IMMUNE V® for weight loss, the researchers also observed some interesting changes in weight and bodily measurements. Amazingly, the del-IMMUNE V® group lost approximately 7.45 pounds, while the placebo group had no change in weight. The del-IMMUNE V® group’s BMI decreased by 1.56 kg/m2, and waist circumference decreased by 1.87 cm. Lastly, the del-IMMUNE V® group saw a larger decrease in total body fat and visceral fat (the fat on and around the organs that can cause health issues) than the placebo group. Weight loss can be attributed to the fact that del-IMMUNE V® helps normalize liver functionality, insulin resistance, sugar metabolism, and hormonal status (see below for more information on this) while decreasing inflammation, improving digestion, and supporting the growth of healthy microbiota. These findings were confirmed in a 2024 clinical trial4 in patients with obesity and prediabetes.
The fact that these results were obtained 3 months after subjects stopped taking del-IMMUNE V® is remarkable, proving that supplementation with probiotic lysate containing cell wall and DNA fragments from L. rhamnosus DV has beneficial effects that are both potent and sustained.
STEATOTIC (FATTY) LIVER DISEASE AND DEL-IMMUNE V®
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), formerly known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), is a comorbidity with type 2 diabetes. The disease is related to insulin resistance, leading to the accumulation of excess fat in the liver, which damages the liver over time. Unfortunately, many don’t know how big of a deal this disease is; it’s the most common chronic liver disease, affecting over a whopping 30% of the global population.
The researchers at O.O. Bogomolets National Medical University, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, and the Center for Innovative Medical Technologies conducted two 2024 randomized clinical trials using del-IMMUNE V® twice daily, this time in people with MASLD2 or NAFLD3. Researchers measured the subjects’ liver fat content by a parameter called the density of liver fat fraction (measured by MRI); their hepatorenal index (HRI), which estimates excess fat in liver cells; and their liver stiffness, which indicates how much scar tissue and damage the liver has due to liver disease.
Remarkably, after 3 months, the del-IMMUNE V® group’s density of liver fat fraction decreased by 33%, while the placebo group receiving basic medical treatment without del-IMMUNE V® had a decrease of only 19%. Additionally, the del-IMMUNE V® group’s HRI index decreased by 6.1%, while the placebo group’s HRI increased by 2%. Lastly, the del-IMMUNE V® group had slightly decreased liver stiffness, indicating a regression of scarring, while that of the placebo group slightly increased.
HOW DEL-IMMUNE V® WORKS ITS MAGIC
So how exactly does an immune-boosting, gut-balancing metabiotic supplement help with type 2 diabetes and a fatty liver? Well, chronic inflammation is believed to play a key role in the development of insulin resistance and, therefore, interconnected conditions like type 2 diabetes, obesity, MASLD, and more.
Metabiotic and postbiotic supplements like del-IMMUNE V® can modulate immune system reactions and interact directly with specific receptors on different cell types, influencing the gut microbiome and contributing to improved metabolic function and better management of blood sugar levels. A balanced immune system and gut microbiome also means your body has less inflammation and oxidative stress—an imbalance in the body between cancer-causing free radicals and antioxidants. In turn, these factors can help prevent or improve many different inflammation-related diseases.
PROMISING IMPLICATIONS FOR THOSE WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES AND FATTY LIVER DISEASE
Both studies show that a new generation of the probiotic-derivative metabiotic, del-IMMUNE V®, can be used in tandem with conventional treatments. Since they are so safe and lack side effects, metabiotic and postbiotic supplements can be the perfect addition to the regimen of someone looking to improve their overall health, including metabolic and mental health.
As with any health-related advice, consult with a healthcare provider before implementing a new supplement into your regimen. del-IMMUNE V® should be used as part of a comprehensive treatment plan that includes diet, exercise, and medication as prescribed by a healthcare provider.
References
1Savytsa, M., Baka, O., Manzhalii, E., Kyriienko. D., Falalyeyeva, T., Sichel, L., Kobyliak, N. (2024). Efficacy and safety of postbiotic supplementation for type 2 diabetes patients: Randomized clinical Trial (DELI Diab study). Endocrine Abstracts. Retrieved from doi: 10.1530/endoabs.99.OC12.6.
2Savytsa, M., Baka, O., Manzhalii, E., Kyriienko. D., Falalyeyeva, T., Zhayvoronok, M., Kovalchuk, O., Deresh, N., Grygoriev, F. (2024). Postbiotic supplementation for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease. Journal of Hepatology 2024 vol. 80(SA) | S78-S836.
3Kobyliak, N. (2024). Probiotic Lysate (Postbiotic and Metabiotic) Supplementation for Adults NAFLD patients. Retrieved from https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05804422.
4Savytska, M., Baka, O., Manzhalii, E., Kyriienko, D., Falalyeyeva, T., Sichel, L., Kobyliak, N. (2024). Efficacy and safety of postbiotic supplementation in patients with obesity/prediabetes: a randomized clinical trial. Clinical Nutrition ESPEN 63 (2024) 979-1311.
