Scientists are investigating if the extract of a Scottish berry could treat one of the country's most serious health challenges 鈥� diabetes.
Experts are exploring if a concentrated capsule form of the blaeberry 鈥� a small, dark blue berry which is part of the blueberry family and can be found most abundantly in the north and west Highlands 鈥� could be used to combat the disease which affects over 220,000 people in Scotland*.
Overweight male volunteers are being sought for the study which will examine if taking a capsule form of the fruit, improves symptoms in patients with Type 2 diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes develops when the body either does not produce enough insulin 鈥� which helps glucose enter the body鈥檚 cells, where it is used for energy - or the insulin that is produced doesn鈥檛 work properly.
87.4% of diabetics in Scotland have the Type 2 form of the disease, which is closely associated with obesity.
Dr Nigel Hoggard from the 黑料网 Rowett Institute for Nutrition and Health, who is leading the study, said: 鈥淭he exact link between Type 2 diabetes and obesity has never been pinpointed.
鈥淲e think the answer to their connection lies in fat tissue. When fat increases, this is associated with a low grade inflammation, and the release of a number of hormones into the blood.
鈥淚t is these hormones, and how they act on the glucose in our body, which we believe causes Type 2 diabetes to occur.
鈥淲e know that blaeberries 鈥� which come from the same family as blueberries 鈥� are naturally very high in a chemical substance called polyphenols.
鈥淲e believe this substance could reduce the inflammation which occurs when fat increases.
鈥淲e鈥檒l be asking volunteers to take a concentrated form of the berry as a capsule three times daily 鈥� equating to approximately 1 陆 cups of blaeberries - to test whether this helps reduce inflammation associated with the increased fat tissue, and therefore improve their diabetic symptoms.鈥�
Sixty overweight, male volunteers with Type 2 diabetes between the ages of 40 鈥� 70 who live in Aberdeen city, shire or the surrounding area, are being sought for the 3 week study.
Volunteers must be controlling their diabetes through their diet, rather than insulin.
Dr Hoggard added: 鈥淭raditional folk remedies have cited the blaeberry as a natural resource to help combat diabetes for centuries.
鈥淲e hope our study will provide scientific evidence of the way in which potentially a local product could help in controlling one of Scotland鈥檚 most prevalent diseases.鈥�
Those interested in volunteering for the study should contact Dr Hoggard on 01224 716655 or by email at N.Hoggard@abdn.ac.uk.