Better Blood Sugar Outcomes
In a 2012 study referenced above (König, 2012), compared with a high GI/low-protein standard breakfast, Almased was associated with lower glycemia and insulinemia and relatively higher fat oxidation in the post-prandial period.
The authors said that this, together with beneficial effects on appetite-regulating hormones, could help to explain the beneficial role of high-protein meal replacements for “weight reduction and improvement of metabolic risk factors.”
In 2020, in a predefined subanalysis of a randomized, controlled international multicenter trial (Almased Concept against Overweight and Obesity and Related Health Risk (ACOORH) (Röhling, 2020), 141 adults with diabetes were randomized into either a control group with lifestyle intervention only or a lifestyle intervention group that included Almased. Almased replaced three meals per day for the first week, two meals per day during weeks 2 to 4, and one meal per day for weeks 5 to 26. Follow-up was performed after 52 weeks.
After the 26 weeks, significantly more patients taking Almased converted to normoglycemia by the 52-week follow-up than did patients who had the lifestyle intervention alone.
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, January; 28(1):35–39. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21778035/
Röhling M, Kempf K, Banzer W, Berg A, Braumann KM, Tan S, Halle M, McCarthy D, Pinget M, Predel HG, Scholze J, Toplak H, Martin S, ACOORH Study Group. Prediabetes conversion to normoglycemia is superior adding a low-carbohydrate and energy deficit formula diet to lifestyle intervention-A 12-month subanalysis of the ACOORH Trial. Nutrients. 2020, July 7;12(7):2022. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7400892/
Almased and Glycemic Control
In a 2017 study by Kerstin Kempf and a group of German researchers, a 12-week telemedical lifestyle intervention (TeLiPro) was carried out in patients with advanced type 2 diabetes.
It included weekly phone calls by trained diabetes educators who talked about diet, exercise, and options for overall lifestyle changes.
For the first 12 weeks, the TeLiPro group also received Almased in place of three meals a day for the first week, two meals a day for weeks 2 to 4, then one meal a day for weeks 5 to 12.
The results? The HbA1c levels in the LGHP diet group were, on average, reduced by 1.1, from 8.4% to 7.3%.
In this group, there were also significant reductions in fasting blood glucose, body weight, body mass index, blood pressure, cardiovascular risk factors, and requirements for diabetes medications — a 20% lower need for medications and a nearly 50% reduction in insulin needs.
These improvements were even seen after 52 weeks of follow-up.
Source:
Kempf K, Altpeter B, Berger J, Reuß O, Fuchs M, Schneider M, Gärtner B, Niedermeier K, Martin S. Efficacy of the Telemedical Lifestyle intervention Program TeLiPro in advanced stages of type 2 Diabetes: A randomized controlled trial. Diabetes Care. 2017, May 12;40(7):863– 871. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28500214/
Supports HbA1c and Fasting Blood Glucose
In a 2018 study by Kempf and colleagues (Kempf, 2018), patients with type 2 diabetes were slotted into a moderate group (which replaced two meals a day with Almased for one week), a stringent group (which replaced three meals a day with Almased for one week) or an observational group with standard care.
Both groups re-introduced a low-carb lunch adapted to results of self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) in weeks 2 to 4. After week 4, breakfast was re-introduced until week 12. After week 12, until the week 52 follow-up, participants were asked to continue replacing one meal with Almased per day.
Both Almased groups achieved improvements in HbA1c, fasting blood glucose, blood pressure and weight within 12 weeks. Of special note, the clinically relevant Hba1c reduction was seen in the stringent group up to 52 weeks, even though this group shifted to one meal per day for the last 51 weeks.
This long-term reduction in HbA1c that persists long after the initial week of full meal replacements suggests that Almased may help to beneficially “reset” certain aspects of metabolism.
Source:
Kempf K, Röhling M, Niedermeier K, Gärtner B, Martin S. Individualized meal replacement therapy improves clinically relevant long-term glycemic control in poorly controlled type 2 diabetes patients. Nutrients. 2018, August 4;10(8):1022. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6115894/