"Adults controlling their type 2 diabetes through diet alone were recruited from the Bangor, Maine, community. Fourteen subjects (aged 57.9 [+ or -] 10.6 years, 6 women, 8 men, duration of diabetes 6.0 [+ or -] 8.5 years) were randomized to the cranberry group; 13 subjects (aged 52.6 [+ or -] 13.7 years, 6 women, 7 men, duration of diabetes 4.1 [+ or -] 4.9 years) were assigned to the placebo group. Subjects consumed six capsules filled with either cranberry juice concentrate powder or a placebo daily for 12 weeks. Six capsules were equivalent to a 240-ml serving of cranberry juice cocktail. The artificially colored placebo mimicked the cranberry powder in all respects but flavonoid content. Subjects were asked to discontinue use of dietary supplements, but no other diet and lifestyle changes were made during the study.

More than one-half of the subjects had good control of blood glucose levels (7.0 mmol/l) at the beginning of the study. No differences were found between the treatment groups in fasting serum glucose, Hb[A.sub.1c], fructosamine, triglyceride, or HDL or LDL levels after 6 and 12 weeks. Placebo subjects had higher insulin values throughout the study (160 [+ or -] 167 vs. 86 [+ or -] 51 pmol/l at week 12, P 0.05). Different effects might be seen in subjects with poor glucose control, individuals with type 1 diabetes, or people who use medications to control their type 2 diabetes. "