Abstract

Background: Acceptable results have been observed in Cuban, and Chinese diabetic type 2 patients treated during 21 days with Ma-Pi 2 vegetarian macrobiotic diet. The study aim was to evaluate the reproducibility of these results in Tamale, Ghana, as a part of the multicenter study promoted by UPM, A Macrobiotic Point, Italy.

Methods: A 21 day dietary intervention was carried out in 23 adult patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The diet consisted of whole cereals, vegetables, legumes, sesame seeds, seaweeds, soy fermented products and green tea. Patients were hospitalized during the study in the Tamale Teaching Hospital. In order to evaluate the effect of the diet, records of anthropometric measurements, body composition, biochemical indicators, blood pressure, clinical evaluation and medication adjustments, were carried out. Data at onset and at termination were compared.

Results: Despite the limitations of the intervention (small and non random selected sample, physical inactivity, and vegetable scarcities), significant reductions were recorded on: glycosemia, 47%; fructosemia, 27%; leukocytes, 20%; blood urea, 23%; and insulin consumption, 44%. The urine pH increased by 10%, which was evidence of a lower metabolic acidosis level after the diet.

Conclusions: The fast improvement of the glucose metabolic control, parallel to the significant reduction in insulin consumption evidenced the therapeutic benefit of the Ma-Pi 2 diet. These encouraging results, though preliminary, should be additionally extended in further research addressed to describe the underlying metabolic mechanisms. An additional study with a control group receiving the prescribed standard diet for type 2 diabetic patients is recommended.

Keywords: Type 2 diabetes mellitus, macrobiotic diet, ma-pi diet, therapy, adults