Journal of internal medicine
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Bedtime uncooked cornstarch supplement prevents nocturnal hypoglycaemia in intensively treated type 1 diabetes subjects.
The present study tests two interrelated hypotheses: (1) that bedtime ingestion of uncooked cornstarch exerts a lower and delayed nocturnal blood glucose peak compared with a conventional snack; (2) that bedtime carbohydrate supplement, administered as uncooked cornstarch, prevents nocturnal hypoglycaemia without altering metabolic control in intensively treated type 1 diabetes (IDDM) patients. ⋯ Uncooked cornstarch, ingested at bedtime, mimicked the nocturnal glucose utilization profile following insulin replacement, with a peak in blood glucose after 4 h. In IDDM patients, bedtime uncooked cornstarch supplement diminished the number of self-estimated hypoglycaemic episodes, without adversely affecting HbA1c and lipid levels. Hence, bedtime uncooked cornstarch ingestion may be feasible to prevent a mid-nocturnal glycaemic decline following insulin replacement in IDDM and, based on the nocturnal blood glucose profile, may also be preferable compared with conventional snacks.