Novel Short-Clustered Maltodextrin as a Dietary Starch Substitute Attenuates Metabolic Dysregulation and Restructures Gut Microbiota in <i>db</i>/<i>db</i> Mice
Haocun Kong, Luxi Yu, Zhengbiao Gu, Caiming Li, Xiaofeng Ban, Li Cheng, Yan Hong, Zhaofeng Li
Abstract
Molecular structure of starch in daily diet is closely associated with diabetes management. By enzymatically reassembling α-1,4 and α-1,6 glycosidic bonds in starch molecules, we have synthesized an innovative short-clustered maltodextrin (SCMD) which slowly releases glucose during digestion. Here, we investigated the potential benefits of the SCMD-containing diet using diabetic db/db mice. As compared to a diet with normal starch, this dietary style greatly attenuated hyperglycemia and repaired symptoms associated with diabetes. Additionally, in comparison with acarbose (an α-glucosidase inhibitor) administration, the SCMD-containing diet more effectively accelerated brown adipose activation and improved energy metabolism of db/db mice. Furthermore, the SCMD-containing diet was a more suitable approach to improving the intestinal microflora than acarbose administration, especially the proliferation of Mucispirillum, Akkermansia, and Bifidobacterium. These results reveal a novel strategy for diabetes management based on enzymatically rebuilding starch molecules in the daily diet.