Background: Diabetes mellitus is a common chronic disease. Dyslipidemia and hypertension are two complications may develop in diabetic patients if hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, and weight gain are not controlled. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of melatonin supplementation on some cardiovascular disease risk factors and new anthropometric indices in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).
Materials and Methods: In this double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, 50 T2DM patients were randomly allocated to intervention and control groups. The intervention and control groups received either 2 tablets melatonin or placebo (250 mg) once a day for 8 weeks. Mean arterial pressure (MAP), pulse pressure (PP), atherogenic index of plasma (AIP), body shape index (ABSI), abdominal volume index (AVI), body adiposity index (BAI), lipid accumulation product (LAP), conicity index, and waist to height ratio (WHR) were evaluated in all patients pre and post-intervention.
Results: Melatonin supplementation for 8 weeks significantly decreased the mean levels of MAP, PP, BAI, AVI, conicity index, and WHR post intervention (p <0.05). Also, the mean changes of MAP, PP, BAI, AVI, and Conicity index were significantly lower in the intervention group compared with the control group (p <0.05). A significant increase (p <0.001) was observed in the mean levels of ABSI in the intervention group. The mean changes of ABSI was significantly greater in the intervention group compared with the control group (p <0.001).
Conclusions: Consumption of melatonin supplement may be effective in controlling arterial pressure and new anthropometric indices (as predictors of obesity) in T2DM patients.
Trial registration: This trial was registered in the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials website at 2019/5/17. (IRCT20190303042905N1).