Role of supplementation in insulin resistance

Abstract

Introduction and Objective. The aim of the review was to characterise the effects of dietary supplements on the improvement of laboratory indicators in insulin resistance. The mechanism of action of such compounds as e.g. anthocyanins, curcumin, berberine, vitamin B12 is described. Review methods. A literature review on supplementation in insulin resistance was conducted, including full-text articles indexed in the PubMed database. An electronic literature search was conducted, restricted to specific years of publication (2007–2022), using search terms in the form of the following key words: ‘insulin resistance’, ‘diabetes’, ‘berberine’, ‘anthocyanins’, ‘fatty acids’, ‘curcumin’, ‘vitamin B12’, and ‘Policaptil Gel Retard’. All retrieved articles were analysed and both original articles and randomised double-blind, placebo-controlled studies were included in the review. Brief description of the state of knowledge. Available data show that IR (Insulin Resistance) is affected by many different factors, such as genetics, age, or obesity. However, the most important aspect is life style. Therefore, treatment consists of changing the diet and increasing physical activity. Some studies report that a combination of such a procedure with carefully selected dietary supplements may prove highly beneficial. The compounds they contain, such as antioxidants, have a free radical scavenging effect and exhibit anti-inflammatory properties. Many valuable studies confirm an impressive role of certain plants in their hypolipidemic, hypoglycaemic and insulin-sensitising actions. Summary. Currently, there is an inceasing evidence confirming the effectiveness of using plant supplements in insulin resistance. The article describes the mechanism of action of some ingredients and plants to improve glucose metabolism and