Tuesday Aug 19 2014 (foodconsumer.org) -- Chinese researchers at Inner Mongolia Agricultural University in Hohhot, P. R. China have found evidence suggesting that a lactic acid producing bacterium Lactobacillus casei - a known probiotic may help prevent pre-diabetes from progressing to become type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Gut microbiota mediated low grade inflammation is associated with the onset of type 2 diabetes mellitus, according to the study report.  The study found treatment with Lactobacillus casei Zhang suppressed high blood sugar or hyperglycemia in rats with insulin resistance induced by a high fat sucrose diet.

The study revealed that hyperglycemia, which is a characteristic of type 2 diabetes mellitus, was associated with type 1 immune response, high serum bile acids and urine chloride ion loss.  This probiotic significantly prevented this chloride ion loss, reduced bile acid producing bacteria and fecal bile acid profiles in the caecal microflora.

The study concluded "the prevention of T2DM (Type 2 diabetes mellitus) onset by L. casei Zhang may be via a microbiota-based bile acid-chloride exchange mechanism." (David Liu PHD)

Zhang Y, Guo X, Guo J, He Q, Li H1, Song Y, Zhang H.  Lactobacillus casei reduces susceptibility to type 2 diabetes via microbiota-mediated body chloride ion influx.  Sci Rep. 2014 Jul 18;4:5654.