Effect of Raw Camel Milk on Type 2 Diabetic Patients

Abstract

This study was designed to investigate the potential effect of raw camel milk (Camellus dromedaries) as an adjunct to insulin therapy in treating patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) treated by insulin. A total of 43 type 2 diabetic male patients aged (40- 65 years) were randomly selected from volunteers in a local Hospital at Al-Ajeilat city west of Tripoli, Libya. The patients were divided into two groups. Group 1 (n=22) received usual care i.e. diet, exercise and insulin dose ranged from 45 to 60 IU / day and group 2 patients ( n= 21) received 500 ml of  fresh camel milk daily in addition  to  the  same usual  care  (i.e. diet , exercise and  insulin  doses) . The study lasted for 3 months during which fasting blood sugar levels and insulin doses were continuously monitored on biweekly basis for members of both groups. In addition, several other clinical parameters were measured at the beginning and end of the study including: Cholesterol, Triglycerides (TG), Glycosylated haemoglobin (HBA1C), Bilirubin, Glutamate Pyruvate Transaminase (GPT),  Glutamate Oxaloacetate  Tansaminase (GOT), Urea, Creatinine,  and Alkaline – phosphatase (ALK).

Results have shown  that group 2 patients with the exception of  cholesterol experienced a highly significant reduction (p<0.01) in almost  all monitored parameters .This was true for HbA1c: (8.1±0.1 to % 7.0±0.6),  TG: (163.6 ± 4.3 to 160.5 ± 3.9 mg/dl),  GPT:  (18.3±0.8  to 16.1±0.7),  Bilirubin: (0.6±0.03 to 0.50±0.03 mg /dl),  Urea: (31.1±1.5 to   27.2±1. 2 mg/dl),  Creatinine: (0.9±0.1 to 0.7±0.1 mg/dl) and Alkaline- phosphatase (187.8±6.2  to 182.5±6). Comparing the differences between the two groups at the beginning of the trial, most of these parameters were not significantly different except for GOT (12.91±2.39 vs. 15.90±3.62) and Bilirubin (0.55±0.2 vs. 0.6±0.2 mg/dl). On the other hand, at the end of the study the two groups showed significant differences in several parameters.  Group 2 patients being lower in blood sugar (168.5± 3.9 vs. 193.2 ±3.1 mg/dl). This is equivalent to approximately 13.1% reduction. In addition, it was found that treated patients experienced a gradual decline in their daily insulin dose requirement which reached as an overall average approximately 25.01% reduction by the end of the study.

It could be concluded from the present study that consuming camel milk (500 ml/day) would be a useful therapeutic tool adjunct to insulin for type 2 diabetic patients due to its significant effect in reducing blood sugar and insulin daily doses in such patients. Further research however is needed to demonstrate the ability of camel milk to cure and/or protect from other diseases and elucidate the exact mechanism in such regard.

Key words: Camel milk, Diabetic mellitus, therapeutic effect.

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 Corresponding Author: Yahia S. Abujnah. Food Sci. and Tech. Dep., Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tripoli, Tripoli, Libya.

 Phone. +218925028625. Email: abojnah_y74@yahoo.com