パラチノース⑧の生理学的機能: 消化吸収が続やかであることから得られる機能

摘要

パラチノースをきっかけに研究を続けていく中で，我々は，糖質が健康に与える影響を，エネルギーの量のみで評価するのではなく，エネルギーの質，特に小腸での消化吸収速度に注目して評価することが必要であるという考えに至った。GIは，糖質の質を示す指標の一つである。しかしながら，近年，フルクトースは食後の高血糖を引き起こさない低GIな糖質であるにもかかわらず，摂取により血中中性脂肪濃度が高まり，生活習慣病の要因の一つであるインスリン抵抗性を引き起こすことが報告されており，そのメカニズムに関する研究が進んでいる。%Palatinose is a disaccharide that is digested and absorbed in the small intestine at a rate about one-fifth that of sucrose, resulting in only gradual increases in blood glucose levels. Palatinose is completely absorbed in the small intestine, and is therefore a safe carbohydrate to consume. In addition, palatinose is not only a low-GI carbohydrate, but also suppresses the blood glucose-increasing activity of other sugars when taken in conjunction with these sugars. Some studies reported that when palatinose-containing diets were fed to rats and mice for long durations, visceral fat accumulation was suppressed and insulin sensitivity was improved. These effects were also investigated in obese Japanese-Brazilian subjects. When palatinose blended sugar (a sugar mixed with 90% palatinose instead of sucrose) was taken, the visceral fat area was significantly decreased in the palatinose blended sugar group, while no change was detected in the group given sucrose. In a similarly designed study in obese Japanese subjects, the difference in the changes in visceral fat area was also significant between the groups. In a study in healthy Japanese subjects, compared to the sugar group, the palatinose blended sugar group showed improvements in fasting blood glucose, fasting blood insulin levels, systolic blood pressure, blood leptin levels and HOMA-R (homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance). In a long-term study of a palatinose-containing diet in laboratory animals, the reported findings were suppression of hypertrophy of the pancreatic islets, activation of PPAR-a in the liver, activation of PPAR-y in adipose tissue, and activation of UCP-2 in the liver and adipose tissue. These changes were considered to contribute to the suppression of visceral fat accumulation. Palatinose is thought to produce a long-lasting feeling of satiety because of its slow digestion and absorption. Using a chocolate that only contains sucrose as carbohydrate and another chocolate that contains both palatinose and sucrose, the subjective satiety was assessed on a visual analogue scale (VAS), and changes in blood GLP-1 levels were analyzed. The secretion of GLP-1 was significantly higher in the palatinose-containing chocolate group than in the sugar chocolate group, and the sensation of satiety lasted significantly longer in the former group. These effects are considered to lead to improvement in metabolic syndrome risk factors through effects on dietary instructions, maintaining fat oxidation after exercise, relieving fatigue, etc. The physiological effects induced by the combination of sucrose and palatinose might also lead to the active promotion of sucrose consumption.