Use of slow release starch (SRS) to treat hypoglycaemia in type 1 diabetics

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate if slow release starch (SRS) could be used to control/limit hypoglycaemia in type 1 diabetics. Ten type-1 diabetic volunteers were fitted with continuous glucose monitors for two periods of 3 days when undertaking their normal routine or when consuming 60?g SRS before sleep. The average number of nocturnal hypoglycaemic episodes where no SRS was consumed over 3 days was 2.7?±?2.0 but only 0.7?±?1.1 after SRS consumption before sleep. The duration of these events was equivalent to 318?±?282 and 140?±?337?min, respectively. Average nocturnal blood glucose concentration was 7.9?±?1.4?mmol?l-1 without SRS consumption but increased to 9.7?±?2.7?mmol?l-1 when SRS was consumed. These data were highly significant when subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) test on a subject by subject basis. The SRS may be used as a cost effective therapy to avoid hypoglycaemia in patients with type-1 diabetes. This paper reports for the first time the use of a physically modified waxy maize starch (SRS) to prevent/limit the incidence of nocturnal hypoglycaemia in type 1 diabetics.