INFORM are delighted to announce the funding award for a BIV Project “Can prebiotic water improve glucose control in post-menopausal women”, led by Dr Michael Patterson.
Project Team:
Dr Michael Patterson – University of Roehampton (PI)
Professor Adele Costabile – University of Roehampton
Mr Mohsin Laginaf – The Prebiotic Company Ltd
This project focuses on the rising risk of glucose intolerance and type 2 diabetes in post-menopausal women—an issue driven largely by hormonal changes that impair insulin sensitivity. Poor glucose regulation at this life stage also increases vulnerability to weight gain, inflammation, and mental health decline, making effective, accessible interventions urgently needed.
Project Aims:
This project aims to:
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Test whether daily consumption of a novel prebiotic water (containing chicory inulin and soluble corn fibre) can improve glucose control in overweight, prediabetic post-menopausal women.
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Assess changes in fasting glucose, oral glucose tolerance, insulin response, body weight, and inflammatory markers over a 4-week period.
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Evaluate effects on gut microbiota diversity to understand potential mechanisms linking prebiotics with metabolic health.
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Generate high-quality pilot data to underpin future large-scale intervention studies.
Potential Impact:
This project could generate early evidence that a simple, palatable prebiotic intervention improves metabolic health in post-menopausal women, offering a novel strategy to reduce diabetes risk and support healthy ageing. It strengthens the Roehampton–industry partnership, provides essential feasibility data for future funding, and advances innovation in menopause-focused gut–metabolic functional foods.
The project will commence in January 2026.
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