Glucerna

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Glucerna is the brand name of a family of tube feeding formula, bottled or canned shakes, and snack bars manufactured by Abbott Laboratories. [1] It was introduced to the public in 1989. [2] These medical nutritional products are meant for people with diabetes and are promoted for their ability to satisfy hunger without causing rapid increases in glucose concentration in the bloodstream.

Contents

Products

Tube feeding products include Glucerna 1.0Cal, Glucerna 1.2Cal, and Glucerna 1.5Cal. Bottled or canned products include Glucerna Shake, Glucerna Advance Shake, Glucerna HungerSmart Shake, Glucerna Snack Shake, and Glucerna Therapeutic Nutrition Shake. Snack bar products include Glucerna Mini Snack Bars and Glucerna Crispy Delights Nutrition Bars.

Composition and properties

Glucerna products are formulated with fat, protein, vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates including CarbSteady, proprietary carbohydrate blend containing sucromalt that is characterized by a reduced glycemic index of approximately 53. [3] [4] Some Glucerna products contain chromium picolinate, and phytosterols. There is evidence that phytosterols may help lower cholesterol, [5] but the efficacy of chromium supplementation has not been fully agreed among experts. [6] [7]

The glycemic index of Glucerna shakes is approximately 31 relative to a value of 100 for pure glucose, [8] while the snack bar has been found to produce less than a third of the glycemic response of a conventional snack bar. [9] A scientific review concluded that diabetic snack bars, such as Glucerna snack bars, can be useful for weight control and for blunting hyperglycemia but are not suitable for treating hyperglycemia. [9]

Like most premade foods, Glucerna products can be expensive compared with alternative healthy foods prepared at home. [10] [ unreliable source? ]

Related Research Articles

The following is a glossary of diabetes which explains terms connected with diabetes.

Hyperglycemia Too much blood sugar, usually because of diabetes

Hyperglycemia is a condition in which an excessive amount of glucose circulates in the blood plasma. This is generally a blood sugar level higher than 11.1 mmol/l (200 mg/dl), but symptoms may not start to become noticeable until even higher values such as 13.9–16.7 mmol/l (~250–300 mg/dl). A subject with a consistent range between ~5.6 and ~7 mmol/l is considered slightly hyperglycemic, and above 7 mmol/l is generally held to have diabetes. For diabetics, glucose levels that are considered to be too hyperglycemic can vary from person to person, mainly due to the person's renal threshold of glucose and overall glucose tolerance. On average, however, chronic levels above 10–12 mmol/L (180–216 mg/dl) can produce noticeable organ damage over time.

Blood sugar level Concentration of glucose present in the blood (Glycaemia)

The glycaemia, also known as blood sugar level, blood sugar concentration, or blood glucose level is the measure of glucose concentrated in the blood of humans or other animals. Approximately 4 grams of glucose, a simple sugar, is present in the blood of a 70 kg (154 lb) human at all times. The body tightly regulates blood glucose levels as a part of metabolic homeostasis. Glucose is stored in skeletal muscle and liver cells in the form of glycogen; in fasting individuals, blood glucose is maintained at a constant level at the expense of glycogen stores in the liver and skeletal muscle.

Glycemic index Number assigned to food

The glycemic index is a number from 0 to 100 assigned to a food, with pure glucose arbitrarily given the value of 100, which represents the relative rise in the blood glucose level two hours after consuming that food. The GI of a specific food depends primarily on the quantity and type of carbohydrate it contains, but is also affected by the amount of entrapment of the carbohydrate molecules within the food, the fat and protein content of the food, the amount of organic acids in the food, and whether it is cooked and, if so, how it is cooked. GI tables, which list many types of foods and their GIs, are available. A food is considered to have a low GI if it is 55 or less; high GI if 70 or more; and mid-range GI if 56 to 69.

The glycemic load (GL) of food is a number that estimates how much the food will raise a person's blood glucose level after eating it. One unit of glycemic load approximates the effect of eating one gram of glucose. Glycemic load accounts for how much carbohydrate is in the food and how much each gram of carbohydrate in the food raises blood glucose levels. Glycemic load is based on the glycemic index (GI), and is calculated by multiplying the grams of available carbohydrate in the food by the food's glycemic index, and then dividing by 100.

Glycated hemoglobin is a form of hemoglobin (Hb) that is chemically linked to a sugar. Most monosaccharides, including glucose, galactose and fructose, spontaneously bond with hemoglobin, when present in the bloodstream of humans. However, glucose is less likely to do so than galactose and fructose, which may explain why glucose is used as the primary metabolic fuel in humans.

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease in cats whereby either insufficient insulin response or insulin resistance leads to persistently high blood glucose concentrations. Diabetes affects up to 1 in 230 cats, and may be becoming increasingly common. Diabetes mellitus is less common in cats than in dogs. Eighty to ninety-five percent of diabetic cats experience something similar to type 2 diabetes but are generally severely insulin dependent by the time symptoms are diagnosed. The condition is treatable, and if treated properly the cat can experience a normal life expectancy. In type 2 cats, prompt effective treatment may lead to diabetic remission, in which the cat no longer needs injected insulin. Untreated, the condition leads to increasingly weak legs in cats and eventually to malnutrition, ketoacidosis and/or dehydration, and death.

The term diabetes includes several different metabolic disorders that all, if left untreated, result in abnormally high concentration of a sugar called glucose in the blood. Diabetes mellitus type 1 results when the pancreas no longer produces significant amounts of the hormone insulin, usually owing to the autoimmune destruction of the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas. Diabetes mellitus type 2, in contrast, is now thought to result from autoimmune attacks on the pancreas and/or insulin resistance. The pancreas of a person with type 2 diabetes may be producing normal or even abnormally large amounts of insulin. Other forms of diabetes mellitus, such as the various forms of maturity onset diabetes of the young, may represent some combination of insufficient insulin production and insulin resistance. Some degree of insulin resistance may also be present in a person with type 1 diabetes.

Chromium deficiency is described as the consequence of an insufficient dietary intake of the mineral chromium. Chromium was first proposed as an essential element for normal glucose metabolism in 1959, and was widely accepted as being such by the 1990s. Cases of deficiency were described in people who received all of their nutrition intravenously for long periods of time.

Isomaltulose Chemical compound

Isomaltulose is a disaccharide carbohydrate composed of glucose and fructose. The glucose and fructose are linked by an alpha-1,6-glycosidic bond. Isomaltulose is present in honey and sugarcane extracts. It tastes similar to sucrose with half the sweetness. Isomaltulose, also known by the trade name Palatinose, is manufactured by enzymatic rearrangement (isomerization) of sucrose from beet sugar. The enzyme and its source were discovered in Germany in 1950, and since then its physiological role and physical properties have been studied extensively. Isomaltulose has been used as an alternative to sugar in foods in Japan since 1985, in the EU since 2005, in the US since 2006, and in Australia and New Zealand since 2007, besides other countries worldwide. Analytical methods for characterization and assay of commercial isomaltulose are laid down, for example, in the Food Chemicals Codex. Its physical properties closely resemble those of sucrose, making it easy to use in existing recipes and processes.

The Montignac diet is a high-protein low-carbohydrate fad diet that was popular in the 1990s, mainly in Europe. It was invented by Frenchman Michel Montignac (1944–2010), an international executive for the pharmaceutical industry, who, like his father, was overweight in his youth. His method is aimed at people wishing to lose weight efficiently and lastingly, reduce risks of heart failure, and prevent diabetes.

Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors (AGIs) are oral anti-diabetic drugs used for diabetes mellitus type 2 that work by preventing the digestion of carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are normally converted into simple sugars (monosaccharides) by alpha-glucosidase enzymes present on cells lining the intestine, enabling monosaccharides to be absorbed through the intestine. Hence, alpha-glucosidase inhibitors reduce the impact of dietary carbohydrates on blood sugar.

The insulin index of food represents how much it elevates the concentration of insulin in the blood during the two-hour period after the food is ingested. The index is similar to the glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL), but rather than relying on blood glucose levels, the Insulin Index is based upon blood insulin levels. The Insulin Index represents a comparison of food portions with equal overall caloric content, while GI represents a comparison of portions with equal digestible carbohydrate content and the GL represents portions of a typical serving size for various foods. The Insulin Index can be more useful than either the glycemic index or the glycemic load because certain foods cause an insulin response despite there being no carbohydrates present, and some foods cause a disproportionate insulin response relative to their carbohydrate load.

A diabetic diet is a diet that is used by people with diabetes mellitus or high blood sugar to minimize symptoms and dangerous complications of long term elevations in blood sugar.

The dawn phenomenon, sometimes called the dawn effect, is an observed increase in blood sugar (glucose) levels that takes place in the early-morning, often between 2 a.m. and 8 a.m. First described by Schmidt in 1981 as an increase of blood glucose or insulin demand occurring at dawn, this naturally occurring phenomenon is frequently seen among the general population and is clinically relevant for patients with diabetes as it can affect their medical management. In contrast to Chronic Somogyi rebound, the dawn phenomenon is not associated with nocturnal hypoglycemia.

Postprandial glucose test

A postprandial glucose (PPG) test is a blood glucose test that determines the amount of glucose, in the plasma after a meal. The diagnosis is typically restricted to postprandial hyperglycemia due to lack of strong evidence of co-relation with a diagnosis of diabetes.

1,5-Anhydroglucitol Chemical compound

1,5-Anhydroglucitol, also known as 1,5-AG, is a naturally occurring monosaccharide found in nearly all foods. Blood concentrations of 1,5-anhydroglucitol decrease during times of hyperglycemia above 180 mg/dL, and return to normal levels after approximately 2 weeks in the absence of hyperglycemia. As a result, it can be used for people with either type-1 or type-2 diabetes mellitus to identify glycemic variability or a history of high blood glucose even if current glycemic measurements such as hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and blood glucose monitoring have near normal values. Despite this possible use and its approval by the FDA, 1,5-AG tests are rarely ordered. There is some data suggesting that 1,5-AG values are useful to fill the gap and offer complementary information to HbA1c and fructosamine tests.

Complications of diabetes mellitus include problems that develop rapidly (acute) or over time (chronic) and may affect many organ systems. The complications of diabetes can dramatically impair quality of life and cause long-lasting disability. Overall, complications are far less common and less severe in people with well-controlled blood sugar levels. Some non-modifiable risk factors such as age at diabetes onset, type of diabetes, gender and genetics may influence risk. Other health problems compound the chronic complications of diabetes such as smoking, obesity, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol levels, and lack of regular exercise. Complications of diabetes are a strong risk factor for severe COVID-19 illness.

Diabetes in dogs

Diabetes mellitus is a disease in which the beta cells of the endocrine pancreas either stop producing insulin or can no longer produce it in enough quantity for the body's needs.

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to diabetes mellitus :

References

  1. Abbot Laboratories. "Glucerna Helping people with diabetes find balance" . Retrieved 28 October 2011.
  2. http://www.nutritionnews.abbott/our-history.html
  3. Abbot Laboratories. "The science behind Glucerna" . Retrieved 28 October 2011.
  4. Cargill. "Cargill's sucromalt work with USDA's Agricultural Research Service receives "Superior Technology Transfer Award"" . Retrieved 15 December 2011.
  5. European Food Safety Authority, Journal (2010). "Scientific opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to plant sterols and plant stanols and maintenance of normal blood cholesterol concentrations".
  6. Heimbach, J.T.; Anderson, Richard A. (2005). "Chromium: Recent Studies Regarding Nutritional Roles and Safety". Nutrition Today. 40 (4): 189––195. doi:10.1097/00017285-200507000-00013.
  7. Vincent, John B . (2003). "The Potential Value and Toxicity of Chromium Picolinate as a Nutritional Supplement, Weight Loss Agent and Muscle Development Agent". Sports Medicine. 33 (3): 213–230. doi:10.2165/00007256-200333030-00004. PMID   12656641.
  8. "Glycemic Index for Glucerna, vanilla (Abbott Laboratories Inc, USA)". Diet and Fitness Today. Retrieved 28 October 2011.
  9. 1 2 Rafkin-Mervis, Lisa E.; Jennifer B. Marks (January 2001). "The Science of Diabetic Snack Bars: A Review". Clinical Diabetes. 19 (1): 4–12. doi: 10.2337/diaclin.19.1.4 . Retrieved 28 October 2011.
  10. "Glucerna Review". Diet Spotlight. Retrieved 28 October 2011.