Chokeberry juice supplementation in type 2 diabetic patients - impact on health status

Recent literature evidence indicates the potential use of chokeberry preparations in the prevention and treatment of some chronic noncommunicable diseases. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of the three months oral chokeberry juice supplementation in type 2 diabetic patients, as well as its influence on hematological parameters and certain parameters of the renal dysfunction. The study was designed as an open-label trial, which included 35 patients who have received the herbal supplement, polyphenol-rich chokeberry juice (150 ml/day, three times a day for 50 ml), in addition to their standard therapy. Chokeberry juice as a rich source of polyphenol compounds could be an effective preventive and therapeutic agent in diabetes mellitus type 2. Hematological and biochemical parameters were measured at baseline, after 3 months with the chokeberry juice supplementation and after the next 3 months without the chokeberry juice supplementation (follow-up period). Significant difference was noticed in the levels of LDL-cholesterol, glycated hemoglobin and serum creatinine (p < 0.05), as well as in the levels of some hematological parameters, such as white blood cell and lymphocyte count (p < 0.01), hematocrit, blood hemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume, hemoglobin and hemoglobin concentration and red blood cell count (p < 0.05). The daily consumption of the chokeberry juice could improve the health status in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, in combination with their standard therapy.