Supplementation of Inulin + L. Acidophilus in Elders with T2DM

Plain-language summary

This study investigates the effects of a symbotic supplement (Inulin + Lactobacillus acidophilus) on cognitive impairment in older adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Diabetes is a chronic disease characterized by insulin deficiency or resistance, leading to hyperglycemia and long-term complications, including cognitive decline. Cognitive impairment in T2DM patients is linked to oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and disrupted insulin signaling in the brain. The gut-brain axis plays a crucial role in cognition, with gut microbiota influencing neuroinflammatory processes. Dysbiosis, common in T2DM, exacerbates cognitive decline. Probiotics like Lactobacillus acidophilus and prebiotics like inulin can restore gut microbiota balance, reduce inflammation, and promote brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) production, improving cognitive function. This randomized, crossover clinical trial will enroll 24 patients aged 50-65 with T2DM and mild cognitive impairment. Participants will be divided into control and experimental groups, with an 8-week intervention phase followed by a crossover. The experimental group will receive 8g of inulin and L. acidophilus daily, while the control group will receive a placebo. Cognitive assessments (MMSE, MoCA), PET-CT imaging, gut microbiota sequencing, and butyrate measurements will evaluate the intervention's effects. The study aims to determine whether symbiotic supplementation can improve cognitive function and metabolic brain activity in T2DM patients. If successful, it may offer an accessible, non-pharmacological approach to mitigating diabetes-related cognitive decline. The research is funded by the Universidad Anáhuac Health Sciences Research Center and international diabetes research organizations.

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