Effects of Orally Administered Kefir on Blood Glucose Levels and Body Weight in Diet-induced Diabetic Obese Sprague Dawley (SD) Rats

Abstract

This study was designed to demonstrate if the oral administration of kefir had a significant lowering effect on the blood glucose levels and body weight values in diabetic obese male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats. After 7 days of acclimatization period, diabetes mellitus and obesity were induced in the rats by providing them with a high sugar high fat (HSHF) diet for 42 days. Rats detected with elevated fasting blood glucose levels at 150 mg/dl or over, coupled with an additional 25% difference of mean body weight when compared to the normal group, were diagnosed as diabetic and obese. Kefir (10ml/100g) and/or Metformin® (500mg/kg) were administered to the various treatment groups while the control group and diabetic obese (db/ob) non-kefir groups received no treatment. Except in the db/ob temporary kefir group where only body weight values were taken daily for 16 days, blood glucose measurements were taken every 8 days and body weight values were taken daily, for 32 days for all groups. The results showed that oral administration of kefir rendered significantly lower blood glucose levels (105.6 mg/dl) and clinically lower body weight values (311.5g) when compared to the db/ob non-kefir group (198.5 mg/dl and 342.9 g). Kefir administration was found to be more ideal when administration was continued even after blood glucose levels had reached the normal values. Whether kefir was administered together with Metformin® or separately, effects were mostly found to be statistically insignificantly different from each other in terms of body weight or blood glucose values.