Vitamin D-fortified yogurt drink may help lower heart disease risk

Daily intake of vitamin D-fortified doogh, which is a Persian yogurt drink, improves inflammatory markers in type-2 diabetics and extra calcium confers additional anti-inflammatory benefits, a new study has found.

Inflammation is known to have a central role in the development of type 2 diabetes and its further complications like coronary heart disease and stroke. Vitamin D carries benefits for skeletal health but evidence of an anti-inflammatory effect from clinical studies in humans remains scarce.

"Our previous research showed that improvement of vitamin D status by regular daily intake of a fortified yogurt drink resulted in lowered blood glucose levels in diabetic patients," Tirang Neyestani, the lead author from Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in Tehran, Iran, said.

"The current study found that consuming a vitamin D-fortified yogurt drink also decreased serum substances like highly sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP) which are known to have an inflammatory role," Neyestani said.

In this study, researchers conducted a double-blind, randomised, controlled trial over 12 weeks in 90 patients with type 2 diabetes.

The study participants were randomly allocated to one of three groups to receive two 250mL bottles a day of either plain doogh, vitamin D-fortified doogh or calcium plus vitamin D-fortified doogh.

Vitamin D levels, insulin resistance, and inflammatory markers such as hsCRP, fibrinogen and adiponectin were measured in blood samples taken from study participants.

"Our study showed for the first time that adiponectin, a substance secreted by fat tissue that has an anti-inflammatory effect, increased when calcium and vitamin D-fortified doogh was consumed.

"Our findings may offer interesting therapeutic options for diabetic patients," Neyestani added.

ALSO READ

Soon, cheap HIV test using DVD scanners

Cure heart failure with synthetic virus via pioneering gene therapy?

Austerity is hurting our health, say researchers

Nutrient-rich kiwi good for the anaemic