Study on diet & spa therapy for obesity and diabetes

Obesity is a major risk factor for arterial hypertension, coronary heart disease, dyslipidemia and type 2 diabetes. Spa therapy has long been used to treat obesity and its associated diseases. Enlargement of adipose tissue is associated with dysregulation of adipokine secretion and inflammation of adipose tissue. Adipokines are currently being investigated as potential drug targets in these diseases.

The primary objective of the University of Siena study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of a 3-week program of diet and spa therapy in obese patients with and without type 2 diabetes. The secondary objective was to investigate whether this combined program affects the response of serum levels of leptin, adiponectin, visfatin and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein.

Fifty obese men were included, 21 of whom had type 2 diabetes. During the 3-week study period , patients received a 1,000-kcal diet and participated in mineral baths and whole-body therapeutic mud treatments (15 treatments). Patients were assessed at baseline and at the end of therapy for clinical and biochemical parameters (total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, blood glucose and adipokines).

It was shown that a 3-week spa therapy program in obese patients resulted insignificant reductions in body weight, body mass index, triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, blood glucose, and serum levels of leptin and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein . A cycle of therapeutic mud therapy in combination with a controlled diet could thus be a promising treatment for obesity and type 2 diabetes by reducing body weight and many risk factors for atherosclerosis and metabolic syndrome.