The Future of Diabetes Management by Healthy Probiotic Microorganisms

Background: Diabetes mellitus, a condition of multifactorial origin, is related to the intestinal microbiota by numerous molecular mechanisms. Controlling the vast increase in the prevalence of diabetes needs a natural and safe solution. Probiotics, known as live microorganisms that exert health benefits to the host, have anti-diabetic property.

Objective: This review will highlight the current evidences in probiotic effectiveness and future prospects for exploring probiotic therapy in the prevention and control of diabetes.

Methods: We searched Pub Med and Science Direct by using "Probiotics" and "Diabetes" for searching the studies aiming the application of probiotics and the beneficial effects of probiotics in diabetes prevention and control.

Results: It has been shown that probiotics can increase insulin sensitivity and reduce autoimmune responses by modulating intestinal microbiota and decreasing the inflammatory reactions and oxidative stress. Recent evidences show that probiotics influences the host through modulating intestinal permeability and mucosal immune response, manipulating eating behaviors by appetite-regulating hormones and controlling gut endocannabinoid (eCB) system that is believed to be associated with inflammation and diabetes. Moreover, modulating the intestinal microbiota by probiotics controls host metabolism by affecting energy extraction from food and by biochemically converting molecules derived from the host or from gut microbes themselves.

Conclusion: Experimental and clinical evidences support the hypothesis that the modulation of the gut microbiota by probiotics could be effective in prevention and management of diabetes.