The Effect of Spirulina platensis versus Soybean on Insulin Resistance in HIV-Infected Patients: A Randomized Pilot Study

Abstract

HIV-infected patients develop abnormalities of glucose metabolism due to the virus and antiretroviral drugs. Spirulina and soybean are nutritional supplements that are cheap, accessible in our community and affect glucose metabolism. We carried out a randomized study to assess the effect of Spirulina platensis versus soybean as a food supplement on HIV/HAART-associated insulin resistance (IR) in 33 insulin-resistant HIV-infected patients. The study lasted for two months at the National Obesity Centre of Cameroon. Insulin resistance was measured using the short insulin tolerance test. Physical activity and diet did not change over the study duration. On-treatment analysis was used to analyze data. The Mann-Whitney U test, the Students T test and the Chi square test were used as appropriate. Curve gradients were analyzed using ANCOVA. Seventeen subjects were randomized to spirulina and 16 to soybean. Each received 19 g of supplement daily. The follow up rate was 65% vs. 100% for spirulina and soybean groups, respectively, and both groups were comparable at baseline. After eight weeks, insulin sensitivity (IS) increased by 224.7% vs. 60% in the spirulina and soybean groups respectively (p < 0.001). One hundred per cent vs. 69% of subjects on spirulina versus soybean, respectively, improved their IS (p = 0.049) with a 1.45 (1.05–2.02) chance of improving insulin sensitivity on spirulina. This pilot study suggests that insulin sensitivity in HIV patients improves more when spirulina rather than soybean is used as a nutritional supplement. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT01141777.

Insulin Sensitivity and Gynaecological Features of Infertile Cameroonian Females with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…Some authors advocate that insulin resistance is always present in these females [18] whereas others estimated the prevalence rate of insulin resistance to vary between 40% to 70% [19]. These results vary due to the diagnostic methods used [12] [20] [21].…”

“…The sample size was determined using a pre-estimate change in insulin sensitivity of 20% between the two groups. The mean insulin sensitivity, M, of a normal non HIV-infected, non-diabetic Cameroonian population is M= 14.3 ± 2.2 mg/kg/min [12]. Choosing α (two-sided) at 0.05, a statistical power of 80%, the minimum sample size was 10 subjects per group.…”

Effects of nutritional education and lifestyle modification on the nutritional status of HIV positive patients: results of a cluster randomized intervention over a period of six months

“…Several studies have confirmed the beneficial effects of these factors in improving nutritional status, though mostly short termed and based on the use of nutritional supplements, which are expensive for HIV patients in resource limitted settings [12][13][14].…”

Study of the Toxicity of ?Spirulina Plus? in HIV1 Infected Patients in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

“…That explains why the United Nations' Organisation for Food and Agriculture (FAO) gave special encouragement to African countries to resort to algae and more precisely microalgae in order to fight against hunger and malnutrition [1]. Spirulina, a multicellular blue alga, enriched with vitamins, minerals, and pigments [2][3][4][5][6][7][8] can easily be grown. Consumed since antiquity on the African and American continents, it is nowadays used in all the continents.…”

“…Burkina Faso, just like other countries, has made the production of spirulina an industry to fight against malnutrition, to contribute to the management of and help to people with HIV. Spirulina is used in persons with HIV because of its nutritional and immunostimulatory effects [2][3][4][5].…”