Similar metabolic response to animal, plant protein diets

(HealthDay)—For patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), isocaloric diets high in animal protein (AP) or plant protein (PP) are associated with similar improvements in metabolism and cardiovascular risk factors, according to a study published online Feb. 9 in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism.

Stephanie Sucher, from the German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke in Nuthetal, and colleagues compared diets differing in amino acid composition in 44 patients with T2DM. Isocaloric diets containing 30 percent of energy as AP or PP, combined with 30 percent fat and 40 percent carbohydrates, were compared in a randomized parallel group study.

The researchers observed significant decreases in uric acid in both groups, but significantly more in AP versus PP. There were significant improvements in hemoglobin A1c, diastolic blood pressure, and fasting non-esterified fatty acids in PP but not AP. There were significant improvements in AP but not PP for insulin sensitivity, C-reactive protein, and fasting glucose. In both groups, total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol decreased significantly, and there was a decrease from baseline in urinary albumin excretion rate in microalbuminuric subjects.

"Isocaloric diets high in animal or plant protein allow similar improvements of metabolism and cardiovascular risk factors in T2DM patients indicating that the differences in amino acid composition do not affect the metabolic responses to the interventions," the authors write.

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