May 2011

New multicenter trial confirms: breakthrough medical food helps reduce risks for diabetes and heart disease

By Kelley Katke
800-692-9400
www.metagenics.com

One in three US adults meet diagnostic criteria for metabolic syndrome (MetS), placing them at greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and other chronic illnesses. MetS is a cluster of conditions that typically includes at least three of the following: elevated triglycerides (TG), low HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) elevated waist circumference (WC), elevated blood pressure (BP), and/or elevated fasting glucose. Additionally, those with metabolic syndrome and elevated LDL cholesterol (LDL-C)—the primary target for lipid-lowering therapies—have been identified as a higher risk group.

Previous clinical studies conducted by the Functional Medicine Research CenterSM, the clinical research arm of Metagenics, Inc., have shown that a 12-week lifestyle intervention program consisting of a modified, Mediterranean style diet with a low glycemic load and regular aerobic exercise can be enhanced with the addition of a targeted medical food to manage conditions associated with MetS.1,2 In one

head-to-head comparison of the 12-week modified Mediterranean diet and exercise program in subjects with MetS and elevated LDL-C, 43% of the subjects consuming the ingredients of UltraMeal Plus 360° medical food showed a resolution of MetS compared to only 22% of the subjects on the diet and exercise alone.2

To confirm these results, a 12-week, 2-arm randomized trial was conducted at three universities (University of Connecticut-Storrs, University of Florida-Jacksonville, University of California-Irvine) and consisted of 89 women (ages 20 to 75) with elevated LDL-C, elevated TG, and two of the four remaining criteria for MetS. Those with heart, liver, or kidney disease or taking cholesterol- or blood sugar-lowering agents were excluded. Those with type 2 diabetes were not excluded. Both arms followed a modified Mediterranean diet while maintaining normal exercise levels; the medical food arm consumed two servings of UltraMeal Plus 360° daily.

Both groups saw similar, significant decreases in WC, BP, and TG (p

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