Antioxidants Could Improve Insulin Sensitivity In Some Adults

Approximately 34 percent of adults in the U.S. who are aged 20 years and older are obese, according to the latest statistics from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. However, new research has discovered that natural supplements could improve these individuals' health.

Italian researchers have found that natural antioxidants may have a positive impact on insulin-resistant obese adults, the Cortlandt Forum reports. The results were revealed at The Endocrine Society's 92nd Annual Meeting.

Although previous studies have shown that antioxidants can prevent further damage to cells, this was the first time that scientists looked at how the hormones of obese adults react when subjected to antioxidants, the news provider reports.

The researchers studied 13 women and 16 men who were between the ages of 18 and 66 and were obese. Each of the subjects ate a Mediterranean-type diet which was low in calories.

According to the news source, the participants were assigned to four different groups, three of which involved adding metformin, increasing the amount of antioxidants or a combination of both.

Researchers observed a significant decrease in insulin-resistance for the individuals who were assigned to the antioxidant diet. This was most prevalent in the group which had consumed the majority of these natural supplements.