Image Shutterstock. The riskfactors of diseases such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease can be mitigated if your diet fits your personal metabolism. Anouk Gijbels studied the effects of so-called precision nutrition on the metabolism and the heart and blood vessels, the cardiometabolic health. Gijbels obtained her PhD at the end of June.
‘We know that different people respond differently to nutrition, but we don’t yet know what causes this. One theory that explains these differences is based on biology. We wanted to investigate if a diet that fits your personal metabolism or glucose system would make you healthier.’
Round and (un)healthy
Gijbels worked with researchers from Maastricht University to study 242 subjects. ‘The group was overweight or obese, were between 40 and 75 years old and was made up of males and females. None were diagnosed with diabetes, but all had a disrupted glucose system.’ The group represents a section of the Dutch population that appear round but healthy but where there is room for improvement in their health.
All subjects were healthier after twelve weeks
Anouk Gijbels, recently obtained her PhD in precision nutrition
All subjects had a form of insulin resistance: the body responds poorly to the hormone insulin that stabilises the body’s blood sugar level after a meal. In half of the subjects, the resistance was due to disrupted mechanisms in their muscles; in the other half, the liver was the cause. In both these groups, half were prescribed a diet rich in monosaturated fats such as olive oil and nuts, while the other half was prescribed a low-fat, high-fibre and protein diet. Thus, there were four groups.
Healthier
All the participants were followed for twelve weeks. Weight loss was not a goal. Gijbels: ‘After this period, all the subjects were healthier from a cardiometabolic perspective.’ The improvements were most poignant in the groups that had the correct combination of insulin resistance and diet: for those with insulin resistance based in the liver, the monosaturated fat diet, and for those with insulin resistance based in the muscles, the high-fibre and protein diet. ‘Their sensitivity to insulin increased, and we observed fewer ‘harmful’ fats and inflammatory markers in their blood. This does not instantly make them as insulin sensitive as a young, healthy and slender individual, but it is a significant improvement.’
Commercial
Although it would be great, there is not yet a practical application for eating in accordance with your personal metabolism. ‘We now know that the concept works, but not yet how. This is the first study to establish this link, so it must be reproduced to confirm the results.’ Moreover, there is no do-it-yourself test that enables you to determine your metabolism profile. ‘The test we used requires a lab.’
Their sensitivity to insulin increased, and we observed fewer ‘harmful’ fatty acids and anti-inflammatory substances in their blood
Anouk Gijbels, recently obtained her PhD in precision nutrition
Nonetheless, commercial businesses are keenly interested in precision nutrition. ‘They are already using simple markers and sensors such as glucose monitors that are used by some diabetics.’ The microbiome in the intestines (send in a stool sample) is also frequently used to determine the optimal personal diet. Gijbels: ‘To date, however, there is zero to very little scientific substantiation for these methods, The health benefits of precision nutrition are promising, but it is still in its scientific infancy.’
