Functional food ingredients for control of gestational diabetes mellitus: a review

Abstract

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is highly prevalent worldwide, with an estimated 10-15% percent of pregnancies affected. Increasing evidence indicates that functional food ingredients (FFIs) may help relieve GDM via multiple mechanisms, such as eliminating free radicals, downregulating inflammation, promoting insulin secretion and signaling, targeting hepatic gluconeogenesis and glycogen storage metabolism, and regulating the intestinal microflora. In this article, the effects of functional food ingredients on GDM and the possible underlying mechanisms of action are reviewed. This review provides reference information that can be useful for the development of novel functional supplements for the control of GDM.

Keywords:
gestational diabetes mellitus; food ingredients; insulin signaling; oxidative stress; intestinal microflora