Effects of Carnosine Supplementation on Cognitive Outcomes in Prediabetes and Well-Controlled Type 2 Diabetes: A Randomised Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial

作者：Rohit Hariharan, Aya Mousa, Kirthi Menon, Jack Feehan, Barbara Ukropcová, Jozef Ukropec, Marian Schön, Arshad Majid, Giancarlo Aldini, Maximilian de Courten, James D. Cameron, Simon Bell, Barbora de Courten · 发表于：Pharmaceuticals · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.3390/ph18050630 · 被引用次数：2 · 研究领域：Biochemical effects in animals、Free Radicals and Antioxidants、Stress Responses and Cortisol

Background: Trends in global ageing underscore the rising burden of age-related cognitive decline and concomitant cardiometabolic diseases, including type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Carnosine, a naturally occurring dipeptide with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-glycating properties, has shown promise in animal models and limited human studies for improving cognitive function, insulin resistance and T2DM, but its therapeutic effects on cognition remain unclear. The aim of this study is to assess the effects of carnosine on cognitive function in individuals with prediabetes or well-controlled T2DM. Methods: This is a secondary analysis of a double-blind randomised controlled trial (RCT), whereby 49 adults with prediabetes or early-stage well-controlled T2DM were randomised to receive 2 g of carnosine or identical placebo daily for 14 weeks. At baseline and follow-up, cognitive function was assessed as a secondary outcome using the Digit-Symbol Substitution Test, Stroop test, Trail Making Tests A & B, and the Cambridge Automated Neuropsychological Test Battery (CANTAB). Results: In total, 42 adults (23 males and 19 females) completed the trial. There were no differences in participant anthropometry or cognitive functioning between carnosine and placebo groups at baseline (all p > 0.1). After the 14-week supplementation period, there were no differences between carnosine and placebo groups in change and follow-up values for any cognitive measures including Stroop,...