Grapefruit juice has been linked to a decreased risk of diabetes in mice in a study by researchers at the University of California.
Grapefruit juice has been linked to a decreased risk of diabetes in mice in a study by researchers at the University of California.
Published in PLOS ONE, the study into consumption of grapefruit juice and induced insulin resistance , found that when mice consumed grapefruit juice and a high-fat diet they weighed 18.4 per cent less after 100 days than mice who were given a drink of water and glucose with a high-fat diet. It also found that mice who drank grapefruit juice had higher levels of insulin sensitivity, which has been linked to a lower risk of developing diabetes.
The study, also found that grapefruit juice lowered blood sugar levels in mice as effectively as metformin, a drug commonly used to treat type 2 diabetes. However, as none of the mice had diabetes, NHS Choices pointed out that 'people with diabetes should not swap their metformin for grapefruit juice on the basis of this study.' The British Dietetic Association warned that people with diabetes should not try grapefruit-based diets.
The study was commissioned after previous research found that consuming grapefruit juice had positive effects on weight, blood sugar and insulin levels.
The study was published in the peer-reviewed journal PLOS ONE and was funded by the California Grapefruit Growers Cooperative.