Mushrooms Help Control Blood Glucose Levels, Researchers Say

A new study suggests that mushrooms help in controlling glucose levels.

Previous researches have shown that mushrooms have several health benefits. The latest study from the University of Buffalo found that mushrooms help control glucose levels in healthy participants, especially in females.

"Our results indicate that consumption of mushrooms could be useful in regulating glucose levels," said Peter Horvath, PhD, associate professor, Department of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, UB School of Public Health and Health Professions, one of the study authors, according to a news release. "This alone may benefit individuals attempting to lose weight and who want to exercise for a longer time."

The study included eight men and 10 women aged between 19 and 28 years. Participants had normal blood sugar and fat levels.

The study was a crossover study. Each participant took two weeks to complete three modified Oral Glucose Tolerance Tests (OGTTs). Subjects were given one of the three drinks: only glucose water (G), glucose plus mushroom (MG) or mushroom plus flavored water.

Researchers found that both G and MG led to a spike in glucose levels. However, men and women responded differently to the MG drink; men showed elevated glucose levels for some 30 minutes after consuming the drink, while women had high glucose levels for 60 to 120 minutes.

The combination of mushroom and glucose led to a gradual decline in insulin levels in women, but not in men.

Researchers found that consuming mushroom plus glucose also help reduce rebound hypoglycemia- a phenomenon in which blood sugar levels drop after a person eats food with high glycemic index. People experiencing rebound hypoglycemia will want to eat food high in energy such as sweets. Researchers in the present study say that mushrooms might be able to check the tendency to eat more and so, help reduce food intake.

The study is published in The Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology.