Mushrooms Modulate Blood Sugar

Low in calories, fat-free, cholesterol-free and very low in sodium, mushrooms promote healthy weight, boost immune function, and serve as a convenient way to achieve Vitamin D levels.  WJA Banukie, from University of Sri Jayewardenepura (Sri Lanka), and colleagues enrolled 88 healthy men and women, in a study in which subjects were randomly assigned to one of four groups: a powdered preparation of American oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) (50 mg/kg/body weight); a powdered preparation of abalone mushroom (Pleurotus cystidiosus) (50 mg/kg/body weight); or two control groups.  The team also assigned 14 type-2 diabetics to receive the mushroom preparations (50 mg/kg/body weight).  The study period was two weeks.  Among the healthy subjects, the oyster mushroom extract reduced fasting glucose by 6.1% and post-meal glucose by 16.4%; and the abalone mushroom extract reduced fasting glucose by 6.4% and post-meal glucose by 12.1%.;  Among the type-2 diabetic subjects, fasting and post-meal glucose significantly improved, while insulin levels increased. Both mushrooms were associated with increases in glucokinase secretion and decreases in glycogen synthase kinase, which promotes the formation of glycogen in the liver from glucose.