Resistant starch and kidney health in diabetes
What it found
Resistant starch may help control blood sugar and protect the kidneys in people with obesity-related diabetes.
The authors say more clinical studies are still needed.
What they found
Animal and lab studies
Gut bacteria and fatty acids
In obesity-related diabetes, fermentable carbohydrates appear to work through short-chain fatty acids and changes to gut bacteria.
Resistant starch and blood sugar
Resistant starch is a type of fermentable fiber that may help with glucose homeostasis in obesity-associated diabetes.
Kidney protection
Resistant starch may have a protective effect on kidney health in obesity-associated diabetes, and the authors looked at how this might work.
Other findings
Replacing simple carbohydrates
Swapping simple carbohydrates for resistant starch could be a highly effective dietary strategy to prevent complications from high blood sugar.
What the authors conclude
“replacement of simple carbohydrates with resistant starch could be a highly effective alternative dietary strategy to prevent secondary complications resulting from hyperglycemia.”
Also in their conclusions
- They say that extensive clinical studies are still warranted.
- They suggest that replacement of simple carbohydrates with resistant starch could be a highly effective alternative dietary strategy to prevent secondary complications resulting from hyperglycemia.
How it was done
Diabetes is expected to reach 439 million people worldwide by 2030. It raises the risk of kidney disease and heart disease, which affect how long people with diabetes live.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This is a review of existing research, not a new study in people.
- It cannot show whether resistant starch will protect kidneys in people with diabetes.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Iowa State University, USA
The paper
- Title
- Resistant starch as a novel dietary strategy to maintain kidney health in diabetes mellitus
- Type
- ReviewThe authors read earlier studies and describe what they found. It isn’t a new study.
- Evidence
- Animals and lab studies
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Koh GY, Rowling MJ (2017). Resistant starch as a novel dietary strategy to maintain kidney health in diabetes mellitus. Nutrition reviews. doi:10.1093/nutrit/nux006PubMed 28444346DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error