Indian journal of endocrinology and metabolism
May 1, 2026 · via Europe PMC
Effect of Pre-breakfast Whey Protein Supplement on Post-breakfast Glycaemic Excursion and Insulinotropic Response in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.
Barasara SR, Chauhan YV, Gada JV, Sanamandra P, Rahate SS, Paranjape JJ, Bhagwat NM.
AI summary — for doctors, generated from the abstract only
In a small study of 10 patients with type 2 diabetes, drinking a whey protein supplement 30 minutes before breakfast significantly reduced post-meal blood sugar spikes and boosted insulin and gut hormone responses compared with water.
What was studied
A small single-center, within-subject comparative study gave 10 patients with type 2 diabetes either a water pre-load (control) or a 30g whey protein pre-load 30 minutes before a standardized breakfast, then measured blood glucose, insulin, GLP-1 (an incretin hormone), and C-peptide responses after breakfast and lunch to evaluate whey protein's acute effects on post-meal glucose control.
Key findings
- 10 patients with type 2 diabetes were studied (mean age 47.8, BMI 29.2, HbA1c 7.4%, disease duration 3.2 years).
- Compared with water, whey protein pre-load significantly reduced post-breakfast and post-lunch glucose excursions (glucose incremental area under the curve: 48,329 vs 54,743 with water, a lower spike with whey protein).
- Whey protein also enhanced insulin, GLP-1, and C-peptide responses compared with water, according to the study's conclusions, though the specific numeric values for these additional markers were not fully legible in the available abstract text.
- The study concluded that pre-breakfast whey protein supplementation reduced postprandial glucose excursions and enhanced insulin/incretin responses.
Clinical relevance
The findings suggest that a simple, low-cost whey protein pre-load before breakfast could be a practical dietary strategy to help reduce after-meal blood sugar spikes in people with type 2 diabetes, which clinicians might consider as an adjunct to standard dietary advice, pending confirmation in larger studies.
Who should care
Limitations
Very small sample size (10 patients) studied acutely on a single occasion for each condition, which limits statistical power and the ability to assess longer-term or real-world effects; exact statistical values for several secondary outcomes were not fully legible in the available abstract text.
A simple whey protein drink before breakfast reduced blood sugar spikes after meals in a small study of patients with type 2 diabetes, suggesting a low-cost dietary strategy worth further study.
This is an AI-generated summary of the published abstract, not a clinical recommendation. It may not reflect the full text or subsequent updates — verify against the original source before acting on it.
Abstract
Introduction
Postprandial glucose excursions can contribute to increased cardiovascular risk, microvascular complications, and glycaemic variability in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Nutritional interventions play a major role. Whey protein, known for its insulinotropic and incretin-stimulating effects, could be an effective supplement. The objective of the study was to evaluate the acute effects of pre-breakfast whey protein supplementation on postprandial glucose, insulin, GLP-1, and C-peptide responses in patients with T2DM.
Methods
This single-centre, prospective, within-subject comparative study included two test visits per participant: a water pre-load (control) and a whey protein pre-load (30 g in 250 mL water) given 30 min before breakfast. Uniform breakfast and lunch meals were provided, and blood samples were collected up to 2 h after lunch. Plasma glucose, insulin, GLP-1, and C-peptide were recorded, and the incremental area under the curve (iAUC) was calculated.
Results
Ten patients with T2DM were studied (mean age 47.8 years, body mass index 29.2 kg/m², glycated haemoglobin 7.4%, disease duration 3.2 years). Compared with water, whey protein significantly reduced post-breakfast and post-lunch glucose excursions (glucose iAUC 48,329 vs. 54,743; P P P P < 0.01) iAUCs. The effect persisted through the second meal.
Conclusion
Pre-breakfast whey protein supplementation reduced postprandial glucose excursions and enhanced insulin and incretin responses in T2DM. It may serve as a practical and low-cost dietary approach to improve postprandial glycaemic control.
DOI
10.4103/ijem.ijem_994_25
PMID
42540950
PMCID
PMC13427001
Research metadata (titles, abstracts, authors, publication dates) is sourced from Europe PMC, which aggregates content from PubMed/MEDLINE, PubMed Central, and other providers under the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM/NCBI). NLM does not claim copyright on abstracts; the original journal publishers or authors may hold rights to the full articles. AI-generated summaries are derived only from the abstract, never the full text, and are always labeled as AI-generated.
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