UAE: Camel milk has beneficial effects on diabetic patients, study reveals

A new study by researchers at UAE University (UAEU) has shown the beneficial effects of camel milk on diabetic patients.

The research, investigating the antidiabetic properties of camel milk that was published recently by the UAEU professors, revealed that the bioactive peptides extracted from camel milk have positive effects on the human insulin receptor and glucose transport in cells.

Camel milk is a popular commodity in the UAE and in many parts of the world. It is known for its therapeutic properties against a raft of ailments such as diabetes and cancer. It is also widely noted that camel milk reduces the dose of insulin needed to induce glycemic control and improves fasting blood glucose. Camel milk’s antidiabetic properties have been investigated by many researchers worldwide. However, the molecular basis of these properties and the exact active agent are still elusive.

The latest study entitled was conducted by Dr. Mohammed Ayoub’s laboratory from the Department of Biology, College of Science at UAEU, and Dr. Sajid Maqsood’s laboratory from the Department of Food Science, College of Food and Agriculture at UAEU, with support from Zayed Center for Health Sciences, UAEU.

The study aimed at identifying the bioactive antidiabetic agent(s) from camel milk protein fractions and understanding its mode of action at the molecular level.

The research revealed for the first time the profiling and pharmacological actions of camel whey proteins and their derived peptide fractions on the human insulin receptor and their pathways involved in glucose homeostasis. “This sheds more light on the antidiabetic properties of camel milk by providing the molecular basis that constitutes a solid rationale for the use of camel milk in the management of diabetes. In addition, another study further provided evidence in favour of anti-diabetic properties of camel milk proteins wherein anti-hyperglycemic effect was demonstrated in the diabetic rats,” said Dr. Maqsood. “These findings are highly promising and may lead to a breakthrough in the fight against diabetes using camel milk-based functional products,” he added.

Similar research may lead to the emergence of a new generation of antidiabetic compounds which can be used to formulate camel milk-based functional products; and as a result, investigating camel milk’s antidiabetic properties may help in reducing the complications of diabetes and contribute to the battle against of this chronic disease in the UAE and the world.

Besides, such discoveries play a vital role in the economic growth of the UAE, especially in the field of drug discovery related to camel milk-based diabetes treatments, as camels are considered a major economic resource in the country, according to the researchers.

The study represents one of few reports providing further scientific findings on whey protein hydrolysates with potential antidiabetic activity. It was published in the leading dairy research peer-reviewed journal in the world; the .