Khaberni - A recent scientific study has shown that blueberries contain substances that improve metabolism and reduce complications of gestational diabetes.
Gestational diabetes is known as a metabolic disorder in carbohydrate metabolism that appears during pregnancy and causes elevated blood sugar levels. Although it usually disappears after childbirth, it can increase the risk of complications for both the mother and the fetus.
To determine the best natural methods for treating complications of this health problem, scientists conducted an experiment on laboratory animals, simulating gestational diabetes by subjecting them to a diet high in fats and carbohydrates, and added to it blueberry extract rich in anthocyanins. The results showed that the animals that received this extract had reduced blood glucose levels, decreased insulin resistance, and also reduced inflammation and rates of lipid metabolism disorders.
Examinations also revealed that this effect is associated with changes in gut microbes: where the number of beneficial bacteria, including Lactobacillus bacteria, increased. This was accompanied by a restructuring of bile acid metabolism and activation of signaling pathways that affect the production of the GLP-1 hormone, which regulates blood sugar levels.
The researchers indicated that the results they reached reveal a complex mechanism of the effect of blueberries on the body, not limited to being an antioxidant only, but also extends to its effect on gut microbes and hormonal processes, affirming that these results could be used in the future to develop dietary recommendations to prevent and manage gestational diabetes, but after confirming them through clinical trials on humans.
