Highlights: 

  • Glucose and Insulin Levels 
  • Second-Meal Effect
  • Metabolic Health Implications

In 2012, a group of scientists led by Dr. Daniel König tested Almased in a group of 11 overweight or obese men with metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance.

In this trial, which was called “The Breakfast Study,” after an overnight fast participants received either Almased as a meal replacement or a standard breakfast. Four hours after the start of the intervention, all subjects ate a standard lunch. 

Glucose and Insulin Levels 

In the first two hours after breakfast, glucose levels were significantly lower for the meal-replacement.  

In addition, area under the curve (AUC) glucose was markedly lower in the first four hours after breakfast for the supplemented participants. 

After lunch, insulin concentrations were decreased in the supplemented participants compared to the non-supplemented subjects; AUC insulin was also significantly lower. 

One fascinating finding in this study was the significantly increased fat oxidation in the supplemented group versus those who just had the standard breakfast.

Happy full man touching tummy smiling in kitchen                                                                                                  

The Second-Meal Effect                       

In addition, the levels of the hunger hormone, ghrelin, were significantly decreased in the two hours after breakfast in the supplemented group. 

König and his team noted these benefits even up to several hours after breakfast, in fact until after lunch, a benefit known as the “second meal effect.” 

The authors believe that the significantly greater decrease in ghrelin levels, along with a trend towards higher peptide-YY concentrations, in the post-meal period likely contributed to the greater and longer satiety found after the Almased meal replacement. 

Potential Benefits for Your Patients 

It is known that fat burning is decreased in people who are obese, especially in those with metabolic syndrome, and it is believed to lead to intracellular fat accumulationlipo-toxicity and insulin resistance 

The authors write that the increase in fat oxidation after the meal replacement “could account not only for better weight loss but also for the observed rapid improvement in metabolic risk factors,” which has exciting implications for diabetes risk.

Sources

König D, Muser K, Berg A, Deibert P. Fuel selection and appetite-regulating hormones after intake of a soy protein-based meal replacement. Nutrition. 2012 Jan;28(1):35-9. doi: 10.1016/j.nut.2011.02.008. Epub 2011 Jul 20. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21778035/ 

Bornet FR, Jardy-Gennetier AE, Jacquet N, Stowell J. Glycaemic response to foods: impact on satiety and long-term weight regulation. Appetite. 2007 Nov;49(3):535-53. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2007.04.006. Epub 2007 May 3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17610996/ 

Tovar AR, Torres N. The role of dietary protein on lipotoxicity. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2010 Mar;1801(3):367-71. doi: 10.1016/j.bbalip.2009.09.007. Epub 2009 Oct 1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19800415/ 

Holloway GP. Mitochondrial function and dysfunction in exercise and insulin resistance. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2009 Jun;34(3):440-6. doi: 10.1139/H09-028. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19448712/ 

Kelley DE. Skeletal muscle fat oxidation: timing and flexibility are everything. J Clin Invest. 2005 Jul;115(7):1699-702. doi: 10.1172/JCI25758. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1159159/ 

Holloway GP, Bonen A, Spriet LL. Regulation of skeletal muscle mitochondrial fatty acid metabolism in lean and obese individuals. Am J Clin Nutr. 2009 Jan;89(1):455S-62S. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.2008.26717B. Epub 2008 Dec 3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19056573/ 

Rogge MM. The role of impaired mitochondrial lipid oxidation in obesity. Biol Res Nurs. 2009 Apr;10(4):356-73. doi: 10.1177/1099800408329408. Epub 2009 Feb 3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19190032/ 

Abdul-Ghani MA, DeFronzo RA. Mitochondrial dysfunction, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Curr Diab Rep. 2008 Jun;8(3):173-8. doi: 10.1007/s11892-008-0030-1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18625112/ 

König D, Deibert P, Frey I, Landmann U, Berg A. Effect of meal replacement on metabolic risk factors in overweight and obese subjects. Ann Nutr Metab. 2008;52(1):74-8. doi: 10.1159/000119416. Epub 2008 Mar 4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18319587/ 

Berg A, Koenig P, Landmann U, Frey I, Kloock B, Gollhofer A. Favorable metabolic properties of a soy-honey-yoghurt product for meal replacement in overweight subjects with atherogenic risk. Atheroscler Suppl. 2008; 9(1):253. doi: 10.1016/S1567-5688(08)71015-8 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1567568808710158?via%3Dihub