Effect of Camel’s Milk Intake on Control of Diabetes: A Randomized Controlled Trial
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- Category: Vol. 82, December 2014
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Effect of Camel’s Milk Intake on Control of Diabetes: A Randomized Controlled Trial, OSSAMA A. MOSTAFA and HASSAN M. AL-MUSA
Abstract
Aim of Study: To investigate the impact of camel’s milk intake on control of diabetes.
Patients and Methods: A total of 250 diabetics were randomized into either a treatment group (who received of 250mL camel milk twice weekly in addition to their regular treatment for diabetes, n=150) or a control group (who received their regular treatment only, n=100). Fasting, postprandial blood glucose and HbA1c levels were measured at baseline, 3 and 6 months.
Results: There were significant improvements in the blood glucose levels and HbA1c levels in the treatment group only. Repeated measures of blood glucose levels and HbA1c levels revealed no significant changes in the control group, compared with significant improvements in the treatment group (p<0.001 for both blood glucose and HbA1c levels). Side effects attrib-uted to camel’s milk intake were minimal and self-limited. The total cost of camel’s milk intake/patient/month is less than 11 US$.
Conclusions: Camel’s milk intake by diabetic patients is accompanied by significant improvements in blood sugar and glycemic control. Future studies are needed to quantify the exact dosage and frequency of intake in diabetic patients with different types and different disease severity. Further studies are also needed to decide the exact mechanism by which these improvements occurred, the optimal dose of camel’s milk intake, its impact upon diabetes-related com-plications and its possible role in preventing diabetes.
This study has been fully supported by the Deanship of Scientific Research, King Khalid University, Saudi Arabia, (No. 13) of the first University Project for Research.