The 12-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial studied 77 prediabetes patients, who received either a placebo or 300mg/day of DeltaGold, an annatto-derived tocotrienol ingredient by American River Nutrition. All patients were advised to take up regular physical activity.
The trial found that HbA1c—a long-term stable measure of blood sugar control—was reduced from 6.04% to 5.77% in the test group, further away from the 7% threshold at which prediabetes can convert to type 2 diabetes. The placebo group not only didn’t see a decrease, but HbA1c actually increased, from 5.99 to 6.04%. The test group also saw reduced insulin and reduced insulin resistance, whereas the placebo group saw no change in these biomarkers.
A press release from American River Nutrition explains that prediabetes is a state of hyperglycemia, defined by the American Diabetes Association as having fasting glucose levels of 100.8-124.2mg/dl and glucose tolerance of 140.4-198mg/dl following ingestion of oral glucose. HbA1c levels for this condition are in the range of 5.7-6.4%. According to the CDC, prediabetes affected more than 1 in 3 U.S. adults in 2019. The yearly conversion rate from prediabetes to type 2 diabetes mellitus is 5-10%, but the conversion can be prevented with diet- and exercised-based interventions.
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In the press release, Dr. Barrie Tan, President of American River Nutrition said that “studies into metabolic protection consistently underscored delta- and gamma-tocotrienol forms of vitamin E as the most potent for this application, with absence of alpha-tocopherol being key.” Recalling other recently published clinical trials studying annatto-derived tocotrienols in an array of metabolic disorders, Tan observed that “this prediabetes trial compliments two type 2 diabetes mellitus studies published in 2021, with DeltaGold—containing 90% delta- and 10% gamma-tocotrienol—correcting metabolic disturbances brought on by prediabetes and diabetes alike.”Dr. Tan concluded: “For the first time, DeltaGold® tocotrienol was shown to improve primary and secondary outcomes in confirmed prediabetic subjects unambiguously.”
