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SCOPE The objective of the present study is to evaluate the effects of milk powder co-supplemented with inulin and resistant dextrin (MPCIR) on elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). METHODS AND RESULTS A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial is carried out among elderly T2DM patients. The subjects recruited from the community are randomly assigned to either the MPCIR group or placebo group for 12 weeks intervention. Each group receives 45 g milk powder with or without inulin and resistant dextrin. Anthropometric and metabolic variables are measured. For the MPCIR group, systolic blood pressure (BP) and diastolic BP are reduced significantly by 5.45 and 4.56 mm Hg (p < 0.001, vs placebo group), respectively. Compared with the placebo group, the fasting and 2-h postprandial plasma glucose levels, glycosylated serum protein, and insulin resistance index of the MPCIR group are significantly decreased by 0.96 mmol L-1 , 1.47 mmol L-1 , 16.33 μmol L-1 , and 0.65 respectively (p < 0.001). The MPCIR group shows an increase by 7.09 μIU mL-1 and 20.43 in 2-h postprandial insulin (p = 0.016) and β-cell function index (p < 0.001), respectively. CONCLUSION MPCIR supplementation helps to improve glycemic control, insulin resistance, and blood pressure.

Phytosterols (PSs) are reported to lower the serum total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations enriched in some fatty foods, such as margarine. However, these high-fat foods are not very suitable for older people. Soy milk is the favorite food for elderly people in China; therefore, we hypothesized that the consumption of soy milk powder supplemented with PSs would decrease the serum cholesterol levels in older Chinese people independent of the genotypes of apolipoprotein E (ApoE). Mild to moderate hyperlipidemic patients (n = 170) were recruited from different communities and treated with placebo soy milk powder or 3.4 g PS esters-enriched soy milk powder (2.0 g/d free PS in 30 g soy milk powder). The fasting serum lipid profiles at the baseline and after 3 and 6 months of intervention were measured. The ApoE genotype was also determined. After 3 months of PS intervention, the serum lipid profile was not changed significantly in either group. The serum total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and non- high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels decreased by 9.3%, 11.4%, and 12.6%, respectively, in the PS group at the end of the intervention (6 months) compared with the control group, whereas the serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglyceride levels were not affected significantly. In the PS group, both the ApoE3 and ApoE4 carriers had a similar response to PS consumption. These findings suggested that PS-fortified soy milk powder was effective in lowering the serum cholesterol levels in older Chinese volunteers with mild to moderate hypercholesterolemia in both the ApoE3 and ApoE4 carriers.