Effect of Probiotic Supplements on Metabolic Control of People With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Greece

The goal of this interventional clinical study is to examine if there will be a change in metabolic indices (glycemic and lipid parameters) among persons with type 2 diabetes (T2D) who will receive a probiotic dietary supplement capsule for 6 months compared to those not receiving such a treatment (they will receive a matching placebo capsule that does not contain active ingredients). The main questions to answer are: 1. Will glycemic indices, i.e., glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and fasting blood glucose, be different in people taking the probiotic treatment, compared to those not taking it, after 6 months? 2. Will other metabolic indices, mostly blood lipid levels (total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL- and LDL-cholesterol) and liver function tests, be different in people taking the probiotic treatment compared to those not taking it after 6 months? 3. Will adiposity measures (weight, waist circumference) be affected by probiotic treatment in the two groups? Studies in animals and humans, mostly of shorter duration (\18 years old) with T2D, followed at the outpatient Diabetes Center of the Laiko General Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, in Athens, Greece, who will be randomized to receive either a probiotic dietary supplement or a matching placebo capsule, once a day. They will be followed every 3 months (as is customary for diabetic patients). They will be monitored regarding their glycemic control (HbA1c and fasting blood glucose), lipid parameters, liver and renal fu