Muffin test could help in diabetes diagnosis

A new study has revealed that offering a so-called “muffin test” to people at risk of developing type 2 diabetes could help doctors in their diagnosis of the metabolic condition. The usual diabetes checks, such as the oral glucose tolerance test, involve monitoring levels of blood sugar in the body, but with this test eating a muffin rather than a glucose drink could make the test easier for patients.
The oral glucose tolerance test means people have to fast overnight before drinking a sugary solution to see how the body reacts and the quantity of sugar that stays in the bloodstream. It is claimed that the muffin test, however, could offer GPs a better idea of how the body is able to deal with real food for their diagnosis.
The study of 73 women in their 40s and 50s showed that the muffin test could provide a diagnosis of women that had impaired glucose tolerance, and that it was also less expensive than the regular sugar drink used. With the muffin test used in the research, over half of those found to have impaired glucose tolerance would have been missed using a regular blood test carried out after fasting.
However, there are concerns about standardisation and shelf life when using muffins instead of a glucose drink to test for diabetes, as the former is better in both respects.