Untitled

CONFIDENTIAL
Regulatory Affairs &
Nutrition Communication – AJ/Se
28 May 2008
Page 12 of 16
In this retrospective analysis, Livesey also calculated the corresponding GI and II values for
the individual studies (Table 6). He obtained GI values between 32 and 49 with a mean GI
of 37 and II values between 17 and 31 with a mean II of 25.
Table 4: Average GI and II values of isomaltulose (intake as drink solution) calculated by Livesey
(2004) in a retrospective data analysis of published blood glucose measurements.
Study Dose [g] Type of subjects GI II
SUGiRS 50 Healthy 32 27
Macdonald and Daniel
1983
0,25 g/kg b.w. (~17,5) Healthy 45 17
0,5 g/kg b.w. (~35) Healthy 49 28
0,75 g/kg b.w. (~52,5) Healthy 37 31
1,0 g/kg b.w. (~70) Healthy 34 25
Kawai et al 1985 50 Healthy 32 22
Kawai et al 1989 50 Healthy 32 26
GI 37
(32 – 49)
II 25
(17 – 31)
Sucrose is known to cause a fast and high increase in blood glucose and insulin levels
followed by a fast decrease which might include a drop down below baseline as an
overreaction (hypoglycaemic reaction). This is a common pattern for medium to high
glycemic carbohydrates. The physiological characteristics of isomaltulose differ significantly
from those of sucrose.
Isomaltulose is low glycemic
Blood glucose measurements with both healthy and diabetic volunteers showed that – as a
consequence of the lower rate of hydrolysis and subsequent slower absorption from the
small intestine – isomaltulose exerts an overall low blood glucose rise over a longer period
of time. The maximum rise in blood glucose concentration (peak) after isomaltulose was
typically less than half that of sucrose. And also the total blood glucose response to the
consumption of isomaltulose, as reflected by its GI, was significantly lower (about 32% of
glucose) than sucrose (about 68% of glucose), (Sydney University’s Glycaemic Research
Service (SUGiRS) 2002).
For the purpose of comparison, foods or individual carbohydrates are classified – based on
their GI – into high glycemic (GI of 70 or more), medium glycemic (GI of 56-69), and low
glycemic (GI of 55 or less), (Brand-Miller et al 1999, Livesey 2003). A further class of very
low glycemic (GI of 40 or less) was defined as well (Livesey 2003). According to this
classification, isomaltulose is low or even very low glycemic and has the potential to reduce
the glycemic properties of a food.