EFFECTS OF PROBIOTIC SUPPLEMENTATION ON METABOLIC SYNDROME COMPONENTS IN TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS PATIENTS – A CASE-CONTROL STUDY

Introduction. Probiotics are well-known adjuvants, used as complementary therapeutic agents in health (e.g. metabolic or gastrointestinal) disorders, considering their beneficial role on gut microbiota, and their support in immunity. The objective of the study. This research followed the impact of probiotic supplementation on some clinical parameters related to metabolic syndrome (MS) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) (weight status, body mass index, carbohydrate/ lipid profiles). Materials and methods. The comparative monitoring of the parameters was conducted over a 3- month period, on 41 subjects diagnosed with both MS and T2DM, who were separated into two groups, as follows: the study group (probiotics associated with allopathic treatment) and the control group (without probiotics). Results. Administration of dietary probiotics had a major impact on body weight, weight loss being significantly enhanced in the probiotic group than in the diet-only group (p=0.01). The effect of dietary probiotic administration on glucidic and lipidic profile was small (effect size (ES) 0.26 and 0.33, respectively), but better than in the control group, in whom the evolution was insignificant (ES 0.10 and 0.10, respectively). From a statistical point of view, the differences were insignificant (p>0.05). Conclusions. In the metabolic profile management of patients suffering from both MS and T2DM, probiotics administration had beneficial results, as highlighted by the results of the present study