Overweight and prediabetic? Artichoke extract may help Original paper

Impaired fasting glycemia (IFG) increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, with a 70% higher risk in men and a 40% higher risk in women over a 10-year period compared to people with normal blood sugar levels. According to research in cells and animals, Cynara scolymus (or artichoke extract) may have hypoglycemic (blood sugar lowering) effects. However, research that examines the effects of Cynara scolymus in humans is lacking.

This 8-week double-blind randomized controlled trial recruited 54 overweight and obese adults 45–55 years of age with newly detected IFG and impaired glucose tolerance. The participants took tablets containing either a placebo or 1,000 mg of artichoke extract (triple standardized to contain ≥5% caffeoylquinic acids, ≥1.5% flavonoids, and >1% cynaropicrin).

The primary outcome was change in fasting glycemia. The secondary outcomes included body composition parameters, blood pressure and blood lipid content, markers of glucose control, and markers of liver function.

After statistical adjustment for age, sex, and BMI and after multiple comparisons correction, artichoke extract improved fasting glycemia (-13%), some blood lipid parameters (including HDL-C and LDL-C cholesterol), some markers of glucose control (including indicators of insulin resistance), and some body composition parameters (including waist circumference and visceral fat mass).

The improvements in fasting glycemia and most secondary outcomes were large enough to be clinically relevant. In fact, the improvement in homeostatic model assessment (an indicator of insulin resistance) was almost 35%, which is a very large improvement.

This was a relatively well conducted study, with a double-blind randomized design and multiple comparisons adjustment, which improves our confidence in the findings. However, the study used a specific population (overweight and obese adults with newly detected IFG and impaired glucose tolerance), and therefore, the results may not apply to other populations. In addition, the treatment consisted of a specific standardized artichoke extract that may not reflect the typical composition of other formulations.