Gestational diabetes & diabetes in pregnancy
Once-daily supplementation with pre-meal whey protein lowers breakfast postprandial glucose levels in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) throughout the third trimester: a randomised, controlled, clinical trial
Authors' conclusion
Pre-meal WP improves glycaemic management and reduces glucose variability in women with GDM under controlled-living and free-living conditions. Future research should evaluate whether WP can delay or prevent pharmacological treatments such as insulin initiation.
Study context
- Population
- Women with GDM, normotensive, aged ≥18 years, third trimesterrandomised
- Participants
- 62 women
- Comparison
- Pre-meal whey protein vs placebo 30 min before breakfast
- Whey protein (WP)n = 33
- Placebon = 29reference
- Primary endpoint
- Glycaemic variability (CV%)
Methodological detailsdouble-blinded, placebo-controlled, parallel
- Double-blinded
- Placebo-controlled
- Parallel
Primary result
As reported in the abstract
Glycaemic variability (CV%), CGM · early and late third trimester
- SD and CV% lower with WP during the early third trimester
- p<0.05
Further findings
| Outcome | Difference (%) (95% CI) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 h postprandial glucose after breakfast, controlled conditions · early third trimester | −20 (−28% to −11%) | |
| 1 h postprandial glucose after breakfast, controlled conditions · late third trimester | −15 (−24% to −5%) | |
| 1 h postprandial glucose after breakfast, free-living conditions · early third trimester | −14 (−23% to −4%) | |
| 1 h postprandial glucose after breakfast, free-living conditions · late third trimester | −8 (−18% to 3%) | |
| −40−20020Difference, % (linear scale) |
Mean amplitude of glycaemic excursions (MAGE), controlled-living conditions · early and late third trimester
- MAGE lower with WP during both early and late third trimester
- P < 0.05
TIR (glucose 3.5-7.8 mmol/l), free-living · late third trimester
- TIR lower with WP during free-living in the late third trimester
- P = 0.05
Original publication
Once-daily supplementation with pre-meal whey protein lowers breakfast postprandial glucose levels in women with GDM throughout the third trimester: a randomised, controlled, clinical trial. Diabetologia. Published 7 November 2025. doi:10.
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