Skip to main content
ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BHNRC) » Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center » Food Components and Health Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #160942
Title: FASTING GLUCOSE, INSULIN AND THYROID STIMULATING HORMONE (TSH) OF WOMEN AND MEN AFTER CONSUMPTION OF DIETS WITH THREE LEVELS OF B-GLUCAN FROM BARLEY.

Author
item Behall, Kay
item Scholfield, Daniel
item HALLFRISCH, JUDITH - VISITING SCIENTIST RETIRE

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/1/2004
Publication Date: 5/1/2004
Citation: Behall, K.M., Scholfield, D.J., Hallfrisch, J. 2004. Fasting glucose, insulin and thyroid stimulating hormone (tsh) of women and men after consumption of diets with three levels of b-glucan from barley. Meeting Abstract.

Interpretive Summary: none

Technical Abstract: Barley has high amounts of soluble fiber but has not been utilized extensively in the US diet. This study investigated whether consumption of barley would reduce fasting glycemic parameters. After institutional review and approval, moderately hypercholesterolemic subjects (9 post-menopausal women, 9 pre-menopausal women, and 7 men) consumed controlled Step one diets for 17 weeks. After a 2 week adaptation period, whole grain foods containing 0, 3, or 6 g soluble fiber/day from barley were included in the Step one menus. Subjects consumed these diets for 5 weeks each in a Latin square design. Compared to pre-study concentrations, glucose was higher after the wheat/rice diet and lower after the diets containing barley although the changes were not significantly different. Uric acid concentrations after the three whole grain diets increased relative to baseline but concentrations did not differ between the three treatment diets differing in beta glucan content. Insulin concentrations were lowest in the postmenopausal women and did not vary with diet. Compared to pre-study concentrations, men and premenopausal women had higher insulin concentrations after the diets containing barley. TSH concentrations were lowest in the men, and highest in the postmenopausal women. Variations in TSH observed after the diets were not associated with the whole grain or barley content. Although statistically significant differences in insulin and THS were observed between diets or groups, these differences may be too small to be physiologically significant. Consumption of a high whole grain diet, with or without barley, did not appreciably change fasting glycemic parameters.