Barlow, Andrew; Beales, Joseph; Ekpo, Idongesit; Krueger, Emily; Lloyd, Trevor; Ross, Mimi; Sheets, Jared; Tessem, Jeffery; (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Tessem, Jeffery (Brigham Young University; Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Science)
One in eleven people worldwide suffer from diabetes, and 12% of the global health expenditure is attributed to its treatment. Despite spending over $300 billion on the treatment of diabetes, none offer curative therapies. Diabetes is characterized by the loss of pancreatic β-cell function, but research has shown changes in diet are beneficial in treating Type 2 Diabetes. Phytochemicals are commonly utilized in these diets, and recent studies show diets high in derived flavanols exert beneficial bioactivity for β-cells. However, given that these phytochemicals are rarely found in circulation, the direct mechanism of action is still under investigation. Gut bacteria metabolize flavanols into smaller, absorbable metabolites, which can be found in circulation. We hypothesize that these gut bacteria derived flavanol metabolites are absorbed and have direct effects on β-cell function. We test this hypothesis by feeding rats control diets or diets rich in the flavanol monomers catechin hydrate and epicatechin or grape seed extract. Here we present data regarding the in vitro effects of these absorbed gut bacteria derived flavanols on β-cell function. This study sheds further light on flavanols and their potential to promote insulin secretion and, ultimately, glucose homeostasis.