Abscisic Acid: A Novel Nutraceutical for Glycemic Control

Area of Science:

• Plant hormone research
• Metabolic regulation
• Nutritional science

Background:

• Abscisic acid (ABA) is a plant hormone found in fruits and vegetables.
• ABA plays a role in human glucose homeostasis.
• A significant portion of the population may have insufficient ABA intake due to low fruit and vegetable consumption.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the scientific literature on abscisic acid's role in glycemic control over the past 15 years.
• To explore the mechanisms, preclinical, and human translational findings related to ABA and glucose metabolism.
• To assess the potential of ABA for managing glucose homeostasis and preventing diabetes.

Main Methods:

• Review of in vitro, preclinical, and human translational studies on ABA and glycemic control.
• Analysis of findings on ABA's proposed receptor, lanthionine synthetase C-like 2.
• Examination of ABA's interplay with insulin and glucagon-like peptide-1.

Main Results:

• Dietary ABA was first shown to improve glucose tolerance and reduce inflammation in mice in 2007.
• ABA and its receptor may play a significant role in the human physiological response to glucose.
• Intervention studies in healthy individuals demonstrated that low-dose ABA improves glycemia and insulinemia after glucose load.
• Evidence suggests ABA response may be impaired in diabetic individuals.

Conclusions:

• ABA shows promise for improving glucose control and potentially preventing diabetes.
• Addressing widespread dietary ABA deficiency may benefit human glucose regulation.
• Further large-scale clinical studies in diverse populations are necessary to confirm ABA's efficacy.