Prebiotic supplementation in patients with type 1 diabetes: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial in Canada

Introduction Type 1 diabetes (T1D) mellitus is caused by autoimmune destruction of insulin-producing beta-cells, requiring exogenous insulin to sustain life. Achieving near normal blood glucose levels with insulin, a primary goal of diabetes management, carries a significant risk of hypoglycaemia. T...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Shyamchand Mayengbam, Raylene A Reimer, Sonia Butalia, Carol Huang, Elizabeth Rosolowsky, Munier A Nour, Josephine Ho, Weilan Wang, Shannon Pyke, Heidi Virtanen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2025-05-01
Series:BMJ Open
Online Access:https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/5/e102486.full
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850182743846027264
author Shyamchand Mayengbam
Raylene A Reimer
Sonia Butalia
Carol Huang
Elizabeth Rosolowsky
Munier A Nour
Josephine Ho
Weilan Wang
Shannon Pyke
Heidi Virtanen
author_facet Shyamchand Mayengbam
Raylene A Reimer
Sonia Butalia
Carol Huang
Elizabeth Rosolowsky
Munier A Nour
Josephine Ho
Weilan Wang
Shannon Pyke
Heidi Virtanen
author_sort Shyamchand Mayengbam
collection DOAJ
description Introduction Type 1 diabetes (T1D) mellitus is caused by autoimmune destruction of insulin-producing beta-cells, requiring exogenous insulin to sustain life. Achieving near normal blood glucose levels with insulin, a primary goal of diabetes management, carries a significant risk of hypoglycaemia. There is compelling evidence that an abnormal gut microbiota or dysbiosis can increase intestinal permeability (IP) and contribute to dysglycaemia seen in T1D. Given that prebiotic fibre can mitigate dysbiosis, reduce IP and improve glycaemic control, we hypothesise that microbial changes induced by prebiotics contribute to gut and endocrine adaptations that reduce glucose fluctuations, including less hypoglycaemia. In a pilot study, we showed that in children who had T1D for at least 1 year, a 3-month course of prebiotic fibre significantly reduced the frequency of hypoglycaemia. The prebiotic group had an increase in Bifidobacterium with a moderate improvement in IP. Importantly, the prebiotic group maintained their serum C peptide level (marker of residual beta cell function) while the placebo group saw a drop. Given that preserving endogenous beta cell function in patients with T1D, particularly in the first year of diagnosis, reduces hypoglycaemia and glycaemic variability, we propose to examine the effect of prebiotic supplementation in patients with T1D.Methods and analysis This is a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Individuals (n=144) with T1D will be randomised 1:1 for 6 months to prebiotic (oligofructose-enriched inulin) or placebo (isocaloric maltodextrin). Participants will have three in-person study visits at baseline, 3 months and 6 months. The primary outcome, frequency of hypoglycaemia, will be determined from continuous glucose monitor (CGM) reports and patient blood glucose logs. Secondary outcomes will include glycaemic variability, time-in-range, glycated haemoglobin, stimulated C peptide, IP, serum inflammatory markers, quality of life and fear of hypoglycaemia ratings, as well as gut microbiome and metabolomics analysis. At 9 months, participant CGM data will be used to assess frequency of hypoglycaemia and glycaemic variability at 3 months postintervention.Ethics and dissemination The study received ethical approval from the University of Calgary Conjoint Health Research Ethics Board (REB21-0852). The University of Alberta subsite was granted ethical approval under the province of Alberta’s research ethics reciprocity agreement as a participating site (REB21-0852; pSite00000066). The University of Saskatchewan subsite was granted ethical approval by the Biomedical Research Ethics Board (#4149). Trial findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations.Trial registration number clinicaltrials.gov NCT04963777.
format Article
id doaj-art-ffb5ce1399554ab5a588fac89b882747
institution OA Journals
issn 2044-6055
language English
publishDate 2025-05-01
publisher BMJ Publishing Group
record_format Article
series BMJ Open
spelling doaj-art-ffb5ce1399554ab5a588fac89b8827472025-08-20T02:17:33ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552025-05-0115510.1136/bmjopen-2025-102486Prebiotic supplementation in patients with type 1 diabetes: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial in CanadaShyamchand Mayengbam0Raylene A Reimer1Sonia Butalia2Carol Huang3Elizabeth Rosolowsky4Munier A Nour5Josephine Ho6Weilan Wang7Shannon Pyke8Heidi Virtanen9Department of Biochemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, Newfoundland, CanadaDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, CanadaDepartment of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, CanadaDepartment of Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, CanadaDepartment of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, CanadaCollege of Nursing, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, CanadaDepartment of Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, CanadaFaculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, CanadaFaculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, CanadaDepartment of Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, CanadaIntroduction Type 1 diabetes (T1D) mellitus is caused by autoimmune destruction of insulin-producing beta-cells, requiring exogenous insulin to sustain life. Achieving near normal blood glucose levels with insulin, a primary goal of diabetes management, carries a significant risk of hypoglycaemia. There is compelling evidence that an abnormal gut microbiota or dysbiosis can increase intestinal permeability (IP) and contribute to dysglycaemia seen in T1D. Given that prebiotic fibre can mitigate dysbiosis, reduce IP and improve glycaemic control, we hypothesise that microbial changes induced by prebiotics contribute to gut and endocrine adaptations that reduce glucose fluctuations, including less hypoglycaemia. In a pilot study, we showed that in children who had T1D for at least 1 year, a 3-month course of prebiotic fibre significantly reduced the frequency of hypoglycaemia. The prebiotic group had an increase in Bifidobacterium with a moderate improvement in IP. Importantly, the prebiotic group maintained their serum C peptide level (marker of residual beta cell function) while the placebo group saw a drop. Given that preserving endogenous beta cell function in patients with T1D, particularly in the first year of diagnosis, reduces hypoglycaemia and glycaemic variability, we propose to examine the effect of prebiotic supplementation in patients with T1D.Methods and analysis This is a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Individuals (n=144) with T1D will be randomised 1:1 for 6 months to prebiotic (oligofructose-enriched inulin) or placebo (isocaloric maltodextrin). Participants will have three in-person study visits at baseline, 3 months and 6 months. The primary outcome, frequency of hypoglycaemia, will be determined from continuous glucose monitor (CGM) reports and patient blood glucose logs. Secondary outcomes will include glycaemic variability, time-in-range, glycated haemoglobin, stimulated C peptide, IP, serum inflammatory markers, quality of life and fear of hypoglycaemia ratings, as well as gut microbiome and metabolomics analysis. At 9 months, participant CGM data will be used to assess frequency of hypoglycaemia and glycaemic variability at 3 months postintervention.Ethics and dissemination The study received ethical approval from the University of Calgary Conjoint Health Research Ethics Board (REB21-0852). The University of Alberta subsite was granted ethical approval under the province of Alberta’s research ethics reciprocity agreement as a participating site (REB21-0852; pSite00000066). The University of Saskatchewan subsite was granted ethical approval by the Biomedical Research Ethics Board (#4149). Trial findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations.Trial registration number clinicaltrials.gov NCT04963777.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/5/e102486.full
spellingShingle Shyamchand Mayengbam
Raylene A Reimer
Sonia Butalia
Carol Huang
Elizabeth Rosolowsky
Munier A Nour
Josephine Ho
Weilan Wang
Shannon Pyke
Heidi Virtanen
Prebiotic supplementation in patients with type 1 diabetes: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial in Canada
BMJ Open
title Prebiotic supplementation in patients with type 1 diabetes: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial in Canada
title_full Prebiotic supplementation in patients with type 1 diabetes: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial in Canada
title_fullStr Prebiotic supplementation in patients with type 1 diabetes: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial in Canada
title_full_unstemmed Prebiotic supplementation in patients with type 1 diabetes: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial in Canada
title_short Prebiotic supplementation in patients with type 1 diabetes: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial in Canada
title_sort prebiotic supplementation in patients with type 1 diabetes study protocol for a randomised controlled trial in canada
url https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/5/e102486.full
work_keys_str_mv AT shyamchandmayengbam prebioticsupplementationinpatientswithtype1diabetesstudyprotocolforarandomisedcontrolledtrialincanada
AT rayleneareimer prebioticsupplementationinpatientswithtype1diabetesstudyprotocolforarandomisedcontrolledtrialincanada
AT soniabutalia prebioticsupplementationinpatientswithtype1diabetesstudyprotocolforarandomisedcontrolledtrialincanada
AT carolhuang prebioticsupplementationinpatientswithtype1diabetesstudyprotocolforarandomisedcontrolledtrialincanada
AT elizabethrosolowsky prebioticsupplementationinpatientswithtype1diabetesstudyprotocolforarandomisedcontrolledtrialincanada
AT munieranour prebioticsupplementationinpatientswithtype1diabetesstudyprotocolforarandomisedcontrolledtrialincanada
AT josephineho prebioticsupplementationinpatientswithtype1diabetesstudyprotocolforarandomisedcontrolledtrialincanada
AT weilanwang prebioticsupplementationinpatientswithtype1diabetesstudyprotocolforarandomisedcontrolledtrialincanada
AT shannonpyke prebioticsupplementationinpatientswithtype1diabetesstudyprotocolforarandomisedcontrolledtrialincanada
AT heidivirtanen prebioticsupplementationinpatientswithtype1diabetesstudyprotocolforarandomisedcontrolledtrialincanada