Acute Effects of Spirulina on Postprandial Glycemic Responses and Arterial Blood Pressure

Acute Effects of Three Doses of Spirulina in Glucose Beverages on Postprandial Glycemic Responses, Arterial Blood Pressure, and Subjective Appetite Responses: A Randomized Clinical Trial

This study investigated the effects of three doses of spirulina in glucose beverages on postprandial glycemic responses, arterial blood pressure, and subjective satiety.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Blood Pressure; Appetitive Behavior; Potential Abnormality of Glucose Tolerance
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Glucose as reference food; Other: Beverage containing 4g spirulina; Other: Beverage containing 6g spirulina; Other: Beverage containing 8g spirulina

Detailed Description

This study aimed to determine the effects of three different doses (4, 6 and 8 g) of spirulina in glucose beverages on postprandial glycemic responses, blood pressure, and subjective appetite responses in healthy young adults.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 13
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Greece
  • Attica
    • Athens, Attica, Greece, 11855
      • Agricultural University of Athens

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 55 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• healthy
• non-smokers
• men and women
• body mass index between 18 and 24.9 kg/m2
• normal blood pressure (systolic blood pressure <120 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure <80 mmHg)
• normal fasting blood glucose concentrations (<100 mg/dL)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Medical conditions (e.g., cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, kidney or liver conditions, severe clinical depression, gastrointestinal disorders)
• Under medications known to affect glycemia (glucocorticoids, metformin, thiazide diuretics)
• Allergy to spirulina
• Pregnancy
• Lactation
• Competitive sports
• Alcohol abuse
• Drug dependency

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Other
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: Double

Number of Arms

4

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Glucose as reference food; Thirteen healthy young adults, with BMI between 18 and 29.9 kg/m2 (male: 3, female:10) after 10-14h fast, consumed 50 g available carbohydrates from D-glucose, two times, in different weeks as reference food along with 300 mL water; and 50 g available carbohydrates from beverages containing 4, 6 and 8 g spirulina, tested once, in different visits, along with 300 mL water. There was a washout period of at least two days between visits. Fingertip capillary blood glucose samples were taken at 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120min postmeal. The first glucose sample was taken exactly 15min after the beginning of the consumption of the tested food.	Other: Glucose as reference food; Thirteen healthy, with BMI between 18 and 29.9 kg/m2 (male: 3, female:10) after 10-14h fast, consumed 50g glucose diluted in 250ml, tested two times, in different visits, within 5-10min. Fingertip capillary blood glucose samples were taken at baseline, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120min.; Other: Beverage containing 4g spirulina; Thirteen healthy, with BMI between 18 and 29.9 kg/m2 (male: 3, female:10) after 10-14h fast, consumed 50g glucose and 4g spirulina diluted in 250ml, tested once, within 5-10min. Fingertip capillary blood glucose samples were taken at baseline, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120min.; Other: Beverage containing 6g spirulina; Thirteen healthy, with BMI between 18 and 29.9 kg/m2 (male: 3, female:10) after 10-14h fast, consumed 50g glucose and 6g spirulina diluted in 250ml, tested once, within 5-10min. Fingertip capillary blood glucose samples were taken at baseline, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120min.; Other: Beverage containing 8g spirulina; Thirteen healthy, with BMI between 18 and 29.9 kg/m2 (male: 3, female:10) after 10-14h fast, consumed 50g glucose and 8g spirulina diluted in 250ml, tested once, within 5-10min. Fingertip capillary blood glucose samples were taken at baseline, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120min.
Experimental: Glucose beverage containing 4 g spirulina; Thirteen healthy young adults, with BMI between 18 and 29.9 kg/m2 (male: 3, female:10) after 10-14h fast, consumed 50 g available carbohydrates from D-glucose, two times, in different weeks as reference food along with 300 mL water; and 50 g available carbohydrates from beverages containing 4, 6 and 8 g spirulina, tested once, in different visits, along with 300 mL water. There was a washout period of at least two days between visits. Fingertip capillary blood glucose samples were taken at 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120min postmeal. The first glucose sample was taken exactly 15min after the beginning of the consumption of the tested food.	Other: Glucose as reference food; Thirteen healthy, with BMI between 18 and 29.9 kg/m2 (male: 3, female:10) after 10-14h fast, consumed 50g glucose diluted in 250ml, tested two times, in different visits, within 5-10min. Fingertip capillary blood glucose samples were taken at baseline, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120min.; Other: Beverage containing 4g spirulina; Thirteen healthy, with BMI between 18 and 29.9 kg/m2 (male: 3, female:10) after 10-14h fast, consumed 50g glucose and 4g spirulina diluted in 250ml, tested once, within 5-10min. Fingertip capillary blood glucose samples were taken at baseline, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120min.; Other: Beverage containing 6g spirulina; Thirteen healthy, with BMI between 18 and 29.9 kg/m2 (male: 3, female:10) after 10-14h fast, consumed 50g glucose and 6g spirulina diluted in 250ml, tested once, within 5-10min. Fingertip capillary blood glucose samples were taken at baseline, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120min.; Other: Beverage containing 8g spirulina; Thirteen healthy, with BMI between 18 and 29.9 kg/m2 (male: 3, female:10) after 10-14h fast, consumed 50g glucose and 8g spirulina diluted in 250ml, tested once, within 5-10min. Fingertip capillary blood glucose samples were taken at baseline, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120min.
Experimental: Glucose beverage containing 6 g spirulina; Thirteen healthy young adults, with BMI between 18 and 29.9 kg/m2 (male: 3, female:10) after 10-14h fast, consumed 50 g available carbohydrates from D-glucose, two times, in different weeks as reference food along with 300 mL water; and 50 g available carbohydrates from beverages containing 4, 6 and 8 g spirulina, tested once, in different visits, along with 300 mL water. There was a washout period of at least two days between visits. Fingertip capillary blood glucose samples were taken at 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120min postmeal. The first glucose sample was taken exactly 15min after the beginning of the consumption of the tested food.	Other: Glucose as reference food; Thirteen healthy, with BMI between 18 and 29.9 kg/m2 (male: 3, female:10) after 10-14h fast, consumed 50g glucose diluted in 250ml, tested two times, in different visits, within 5-10min. Fingertip capillary blood glucose samples were taken at baseline, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120min.; Other: Beverage containing 4g spirulina; Thirteen healthy, with BMI between 18 and 29.9 kg/m2 (male: 3, female:10) after 10-14h fast, consumed 50g glucose and 4g spirulina diluted in 250ml, tested once, within 5-10min. Fingertip capillary blood glucose samples were taken at baseline, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120min.; Other: Beverage containing 6g spirulina; Thirteen healthy, with BMI between 18 and 29.9 kg/m2 (male: 3, female:10) after 10-14h fast, consumed 50g glucose and 6g spirulina diluted in 250ml, tested once, within 5-10min. Fingertip capillary blood glucose samples were taken at baseline, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120min.; Other: Beverage containing 8g spirulina; Thirteen healthy, with BMI between 18 and 29.9 kg/m2 (male: 3, female:10) after 10-14h fast, consumed 50g glucose and 8g spirulina diluted in 250ml, tested once, within 5-10min. Fingertip capillary blood glucose samples were taken at baseline, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120min.
Experimental: Glucose beverage containing 8 g spirulina; Thirteen healthy young adults, with BMI between 18 and 29.9 kg/m2 (male: 3, female:10) after 10-14h fast, consumed 50 g available carbohydrates from D-glucose, two times, in different weeks as reference food along with 300 mL water; and 50 g available carbohydrates from beverages containing 4, 6 and 8 g spirulina, tested once, in different visits, along with 300 mL water. There was a washout period of at least two days between visits. Fingertip capillary blood glucose samples were taken at 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120min postmeal. The first glucose sample was taken exactly 15min after the beginning of the consumption of the tested food.	Other: Glucose as reference food; Thirteen healthy, with BMI between 18 and 29.9 kg/m2 (male: 3, female:10) after 10-14h fast, consumed 50g glucose diluted in 250ml, tested two times, in different visits, within 5-10min. Fingertip capillary blood glucose samples were taken at baseline, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120min.; Other: Beverage containing 4g spirulina; Thirteen healthy, with BMI between 18 and 29.9 kg/m2 (male: 3, female:10) after 10-14h fast, consumed 50g glucose and 4g spirulina diluted in 250ml, tested once, within 5-10min. Fingertip capillary blood glucose samples were taken at baseline, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120min.; Other: Beverage containing 6g spirulina; Thirteen healthy, with BMI between 18 and 29.9 kg/m2 (male: 3, female:10) after 10-14h fast, consumed 50g glucose and 6g spirulina diluted in 250ml, tested once, within 5-10min. Fingertip capillary blood glucose samples were taken at baseline, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120min.; Other: Beverage containing 8g spirulina; Thirteen healthy, with BMI between 18 and 29.9 kg/m2 (male: 3, female:10) after 10-14h fast, consumed 50g glucose and 8g spirulina diluted in 250ml, tested once, within 5-10min. Fingertip capillary blood glucose samples were taken at baseline, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120min.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Capillary blood glucose responses	Clinically useful change in blood glucose, defined as the restoration of glucose within normal limits during 2hr glucose tolerance test	2 hours
Blood pressure	Useful change in systolic and diastolic blood pressure before and 2hr after consumption of the three doses of spirulina in beverages	2 hours

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Subjective appetite ratings	Useful change in subjective appetite using visual analogue scales with a score 0 to 10 (given in form of booklet, one scale per page) at baseline, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120. The minimum or maximum score will be evaluated if it is better or worse depending on the appetite variable e.g. hunger, satiety, desire to eat etc.	2 hours

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Agricultural University of Athens

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): June 7, 2022
• Primary Completion (Actual): July 15, 2022
• Study Completion (Actual): July 26, 2022

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: July 30, 2022
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 30, 2022
• First Posted (Actual): August 2, 2022

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): August 2, 2022
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 30, 2022
• Last Verified: July 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: blood pressure; spirulina; subjective appetite; blood glucose responses; blood glucose concentrations
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Congenital Abnormalities
• Other Study ID Numbers: HRBD 54 06/06/2022

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No