Effects of spirulina-enriched yogurt on FBS and MDA levels in type 2 diabetic patients

Diabetes is a condition where the body cannot regulate blood sugar levels properly due to insufficient or ineffective insulin. This can cause problems with blood lipids and oxidative stress, which damage cells and tissues. Oxidative stress is measured by MDA, a product of lipid peroxidation. Functional foods are foods that have health benefits beyond nutrition. They can modulate physiological functions, enhance immunity, prevent diseases, or improve health outcomes. One of the functional foods that can prevent or reduce the complications of diabetes is spirulina-enriched yogurt, which has antioxidant and hypoglycemic properties. In this study, we chose low-fat yogurt as a functional food and enriched it with spirulina algae powder. Spirulina is a type of blue-green algae that has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and hypoglycemic properties. It contains various nutrients, such as protein, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals, that can scavenge free radicals and protect cells from oxidative stress. We investigated the effect of daily consumption of spirulina-enriched yogurt on fasting blood sugar (FBS) and serum MDA levels in patients with type 2 diabetes.