Intermittent Fasting & Diabetes: Does It Work?
Fasting is not a new phenomenon. Many faiths recommend spiritual strengthening through periods of prayer and fasting—sometimes a day, sometimes seven, sometimes more. In the early 1900s scientists used fasting to treat diseases such as diabetes, obesity and epilepsy, although much of the published research was in laboratory animals. Recently, fasting—particularly intermittent fasting—is experiencing renewed interest as a medical treatment for disease rather than medication. What is Intermittent Fasting? Intermittent fasting is not a diet but rather a pattern of eating. It involves periods of eating and fasting. These cycles can be done every day or even one day a month. Two of the most popular types of intermittent fast are the 5:2 fast and the time restricted feeding fast. The 5:2 fast, also known as The 5:2 Diet or The Fast Diet, calls for eating normally five days a week and restricting calories—500 calories per day for women and 600 calories per day for men—on the other two days. These fast days do not have to be right in a row. Time-restricted feeding calls for eating food within a narrow window of time, typically a six to eight-hour window. Then fasting the remaining 16 to 18 hours a day. For example, with an eight-hour window, food is eaten between 11 AM to 7 PM. Research shows this type of fast is more manageable because most of the fasting period is overnight and into the morning. Join the conversation and share this story Does Intermittent Fasting Work? There is an emerging body of evidence that shows the benefits of intermittent fasting for type 2 diabetes and obesity are similar to those of a calorie restricted diet, but easier to follow. Research shows intermittent fasting is beneficial in reducing inflammation, lowering blood pressure, lowering h Continue reading >>
Intermittent Fasting And Diabetes: Can If Improve Insulin Sensitivity?
Type 2 diabetes is a diseases that kills many. Intermittent fasting has been indicated as a potential treatment, but does it stand up to scrutiny? Type 2 Diabetes is an incredibly damaging disease that causes a huge amount of damage to both life and to our national healthcare expenses. Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States. It has annual costs of $245,000,000,000. This is a huge problem for our nation and for 29.1 million people. There was early on some evidence in rats and mice that intermittent fasting could help with insulin sensitivity and potentially with diabetes, and the question is whether or not that same effect is seen in humans. First things first we need to briefly discuss how Type 2 Diabetes develops. (Remember I am not a doctor or medical professional) First of all we will discuss how insulin functions in a healthy individual and then how it is warped in a person who develops Type 2 diabetes. Healthy: A person consumes foods that increase blood sugar (especially carbohydrates) The pancreas (specifically the beta islet cells) read the increase in blood glucose and release insulin. Your cells see the increase in insulin and take it as a signal to bring the glucose in the blood into the cell for energy Blood sugar levels fall to normal. Diseased: A person consumes food (frequently or of the type that chronically raises blood sugar levels) The pancreas reads the chronically elevated levels and produces more and more insulin The cells gradually become ‘resistant’ to the signal of the insulin and it takes more and more insulin for them to bring in the gluocose. Pancreas produces more insulin in order to try to drive the glucose into the resistant cells The elevated insulin levels damage the pancreas’ ability to produce insulin Continue reading >>
Type 2 Diabetes And The Diet That Cured Me
Why me? At 59 I was 10st 7lb, 5ft 7in, and had never been overweight. I ran and played cricket regularly and didn't drink alcohol excessively. Yet at a routine check-up I was told that I had type 2 diabetes. In 10 years I could be dependent on insulin, it could affect my sight, feet, ears, heart and I had a 36% greater chance of dying early. In type 1 diabetes, the body produces none of the insulin that regulates our blood sugar levels. Very high glucose levels can damage the body's organs. Patients with type 2 diabetes, however, do produce insulin - just not enough to keep their glucose levels normal. Because I was fit and not overweight (obesity is a major risk factor in type 2 diabetes; however, a number of non-obese people, particularly members of south Asian communities, are also prone to it), my doctor told me I could control my condition with diet alone. Desperate for information, I headed to the web, where I found a report about a research trial at Newcastle University led by Professor Roy Taylor. His research suggested type 2 diabetes could be reversed by following a daily 800-calorie diet for eight weeks. When our bodies are deprived of normal amounts of food they consume their own fat reserves, with the fat inside organs used up first. The idea of Taylor's diet is to use up the fat that is clogging up the pancreas and preventing it from creating insulin, until normal glucose levels return. With my GP's blessing and a home glucose-testing kit, I began my experiment. The diet was strict: three litres of water a day, three 200-calorie food supplements (soups and shakes) and 200 calories of green vegetables. Thanks to my doctor's dietary guidance, and running three times a week, I had already lost a stone. Yet my glucose levels were still above 6mmol/L (millimols Continue reading >>
Novel Approaches To Diet And Exercise In Obesity And Type 2 Diabetes
There is still a lack of effective obesity treatment options available and current diet and exercise regimes are often unsuccessful for the majority. There is also a paucity of licensed pharmaceutical options available for clinicians to treat obesity with, although new weight loss drugs are emerging. Introduction Despite increased public awareness, numerous public health initiatives and the proliferation of organisations offering dietary advice and support, obesity levels in the UK are still rising.1 Currently, around one quarter of adults in the UK are obese, with around two thirds being overweight.2 The prevalence of obesity among older adults in the UK is generally higher than among young people and is thought to reflect a lifetime of weight gain.3 Obesity is associated with significant comorbidities including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD),4 making it a key public health issue. Importantly, the UK has a very large population of individuals at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes, and the annual conversion rate from this group is 5–10%,5 helping to deliver 700 new cases of diabetes each day. More worryingly, one in five 11 year olds are now obese, highlighting an emerging problem of childhood obesity. The dramatic increases in the incidence of obesity in children is particularly worrying as it introduces the possibility of lifelong obesity, a public health problem we are yet to really see. The increase in childhood obesity introduces the possibility of comorbidities occurring earlier in life.6 The clearest indication of this is the emergence of type 2 diabetes in the young adult (T2DMY), a form of diabetes that is considered to be more aggressive.7 The prevalence of obesity among those with early onset type 2 diabetes is almost double that of o Continue reading >>
- A Novel Intervention Including Individualized Nutritional Recommendations Reduces Hemoglobin A1c Level, Medication Use, and Weight in Type 2 Diabetes
- A Novel Intervention Including Individualized Nutritional Recommendations Reduces Hemoglobin A1c Level, Medication Use, and Weight in Type 2 Diabetes
- Identification of novel biomarkers to monitor β-cell function and enable early detection of type 2 diabetes risk
The Health Benefits Of Intermittent Fasting
Article IF is proving to be a simple and effective strategy for avoiding major dietary changes while achieving strong effects not just for one disease risk factor, but for an array of factors that constitutes the foundation for metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and possibly neurodegenerative diseases. Most importantly it is becoming a way of life for so many people. The Health Benefits of Intermittent Fasting Reduce Insulin Resistance, and Metabolic Syndrome – Lowering Your Risk of Type 2 Diabetes, Heart Disease and Strokes IF has been shown to combat the worldwide problem of “Metabolic Syndrome” defined as having a high amount of visceral fat, combined with insulin resistance, elevated triglycerides, and/ or high blood pressure. Having just one of these conditions doesn’t mean you have Metabolic Syndrome. However, any of these conditions increase your risk of serious disease. Having more than one of these might increase your risk even more. The worst thing about Metabolic Syndrome is that most of the disorders associated with it have no symptoms, although a large waist circumference is a visible sign. Your doctor will not even begin to treat you until your Metabolic Syndrome turns into one of the above diseases. If you have metabolic syndrome or any of its components, lifestyle changes can delay or even prevent the development of serious health problems. It seems that having insulin resistance is one of the biggest risk factors in developing MS, and IF has been shown to reduce Insulin Resistance. In case you don’t know, Insulin along with glucagon are hormones in charge of regulating your blood sugar levels. Every food you eat will raise your blood sugar levels, with different foods having more or less of an effect – processed carbohydrate Continue reading >>
Intermittent Fasting: Not So Fast
I’m sure that at least a few of you have heard or read about the latest trend in weight loss called “intermittent fasting.” The very word “fasting” is probably less than appealing, as it pretty much means you don’t eat or drink anything (except perhaps water) for a specified amount of time. Starvation is not exactly recommended among health professionals. But intermittent fasting is different. Is it something you should try? What is intermittent fasting, anyway? Intermittent fasting has been the talk of the town, so to speak, thanks to two recent books to hit the market: The Fast Diet by Dr. Michael Mosley and Mimi Spencer, and The Overnight Diet by Caroline Apovian, MD. Intermittent fasting essentially means that you skip a meal or severely restrict calories on certain days of the week with the intention of losing weight, controlling blood glucose, and/or decreasing heart disease risk. But on the other days of the week, you can pretty much eat what you want (within reason, of course). For many people, this concept sounds appealing. Limiting calories for a couple days a week doesn’t sound that bad if you can eat what you want the rest of the time. The Fast Diet, also called the The 5:2 Diet has you eat between 500 and 600 calories (women get 500 calories, men get 600 calories) for two days out of the week, spread over two meals of about 250 to 300 calories. These fast days should not be right in a row, and your food choices ideally should be more plant-based and emphasize protein. The premise is that after several hours of fasting, the body burns up its carbohydrate stores and shifts to burning fat for fuel. Many claim that intermittent fasting also helps to blunt appetite. The Overnight Diet emphasizes getting enough sleep; a lack of sleep can disrupt met Continue reading >>
The Benefits Of Intermittent Fasting | Whole New Mom
Have you heard of intermittent fasting? It's a practice that isgrowing in popularity, with articles popping up here and there.Maybe you know someone who has tried intermittent fasting, or you have even tried some aspect of fasting yourself. Before you push it aside as another fad, let's look at what intermittent fasting is, what the benefits ofintermittent fasting are,fasting safety, and more. Intermittent fasting is an ancient practice, in all major religions, that involved abstaining from food for set periods of time for the purpose of health and spiritual focus. My emphasis here ison the health aspect, but I also believe the spiritual focus is a worthy reason to pursue intervals of fasting on a regular basis. I have been practicing intermittent fasting for about 8 months now. The time frames for me have been to fast from supper to supper 1 day/week (so about 24 hours) and then fasting supper to lunch 2 other days (so more like 18 hours). The beauty of intermittent fasting is that you can pick any time frame (most of us fast 12 hours or more naturally from evening until we eat our break fast). One of the biggest benefits of intermittent fasting is weight loss. Over the8 month time period during which I have practiced fasting, I lost 40 lbs. This was in conjunction with a low-carb, high fat diet. I have found that fasting is more simple to implement than any diet. It is free and simple to fast, because you simply dont eat. Most special diets have some complications that require time and money to figure out. Intermittent fasting does not require time or money, which greatly simplifies life. Insulin Resistance, Blood Sugar, and Metabolism Another key area of health that is impacted by intermittent fasting is insulin resistance and blood sugar levels. When someone is ins Continue reading >>
Intermittent Fasting With Type 1diabetes
Intermittent Fasting with Type 1Diabetes Intermittent Fasting. What is it and is it safe to do with type 1 diabetes? I was recently asked to post about intermittent fasting, so here goes nothing. **Please see excerpt at the bottom of this post if you have any doubts!One thing I want to clarify right off the bat, Ive never been a big breakfast eater, so Ive theoretically been intermittently fasting for quite a few years! Intermittent fasting is simply taking an extended period of time off from eating. Most of us do this each night for at least 8-12 hours. Important note: its still important to drink liquids like water, black coffee, or tea. The easiest way that Ive incorporated intermittent fasting into my lifestyle is by following the 16/8 rule. Basically, that boils down to 16 hours of fasting, and an 8 hour time frame to eat. For me, this is simple as I dont eat breakfast, I never really have. So I generally eat my first meal of the day at 12:30 (noon), my last meal at 18:00 (6pm), followed by fasting until lunchtime the next day. Although Dr. Bernstein does not support intermittent fasting, I still do it. It is not an extra choice that I make, I simply just do not eat breakfast (although I do on the weekends). What are the benefits of intermittent fasting? Stable blood sugar. For me, the benefits of fasting from my supper time meal until noon the next day are clear. My blood sugar is stable from 18:00 on day 1 until 12:30 on day 2, all without much effort. That means I eat between 12:30 and 18:00. That ranges from 16-18 hours of stable blood sugars. However, basal rates need to be checked to make sure that intermittent fasting is a safe option. Actually, running a basal test is also, in effect, fasting! Some other benefits that intermittent fasting is thought to pro Continue reading >>
5:2 Fasting Diet
Tweet The 5:2 intermittent fasting (IF) diet, more commonly referred to simply as the 5:2 diet, has become one of the more popular diet plan in recent years. Studies have shown that the diet helps with weight loss and may also reduce insulin resistance, both of which are of particular interest for many people with type 2 diabetes or borderline diabetes. One reason for the popularity of the diet is that it allows a certain amount of flexibility, in comparison to low calorie diets, on most days of the week. Theory behind the diet The idea of the diet is that short periods of fasting prompt the body to repair damage but not enter a starvation mode of conserving energy. Whilst the theory has yet to be conclusively proved, clinical studies have shown promising results for the diet, however it has only been examined over relatively short time spans, of less than a year. How the 5:2 diet works The 5:2 intermittent fasting diet is based on a simple idea. 5 days a week you stick to meeting the daily calorie intake advised for people of a healthy weight, that being: 2,500 kcal per day for men 2,000 kcal per day for women For the other 2 days each week, the diet stipulates that you have only around 25% of the values above, which is equal to: 600 kcal on these days for men 500 kcal on these days for women The fasting days can be taken at any time during the week as long as you do not take 2 fasting days consecutively. Benefits of the 5:2 diet Clinical studies have shown that the benefits of intermittent fasting are largely similar to those of a calorie restricted diets. The most commonly reported benefits among people from following the 5:2 diet: Research has shown that periods of fasting can help to improve life expectancy and decrease risks of diseases including nerve disorders, Continue reading >>
Reversing Type 2 Diabetes Through Fasting
Print Friendly or Save as PDF By Dr. Edward Group Guest writer for Wake Up World Type 2 diabetes, sometimes referred to as adult-onset diabetes, doesn’t have to be permanent. Fasting and calorie restriction can help you get control of your blood sugar, lower your blood pressure, and even help reverse type 2 diabetes. But, before we get into how fasting can undo the damage of type 2 diabetes, we first need to understand how type 2 diabetes affects the body. How Does Type 2 Diabetes Develop? Diabetes develops when fat accumulates in areas of the body that shouldn’t accumulate fat. It all starts with an abundance of fat in your muscle tissue. Typically this is caused by a family history, poor diet, or sedentary lifestyle. This fat is called intramuscular fat. It’s like the marbling on a steak, only it’s inside your muscles, and it causes insulin resistance — the characteristic that distinguishes type 1 diabetes from type 2.[1, 2] Even worse, intramuscular fat causes muscles to produce toxic fat metabolites like ceramide and diacylglycerol (DAG). These toxins also contribute to insulin resistance.[3] High Insulin Levels Lead to a Fatty Liver When blood sugar is high, the pancreas produces insulin to lower blood sugar. However, insulin resistance causes the liver to stop responding to insulin.[4, 5] In fact, the liver keeps producing sugar despite a high level of sugar in the blood. Consuming food that’s high in sugar is like throwing gas on the fire, and the abundance of sugar is converted to fat and stored in the liver.[4] When the liver accumulates fat, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) can develop. When non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is present, the liver releases fat into the bloodstream where it’s distributed to other organs and they, just like Continue reading >>
Therapeutic Fasting As A Potential Effective Treatment For Type 2 Diabetes: A 4-month Case Study | Ku | Journal Of Insulin Resistance
Therapeutic fasting as a potential effective treatment for type 2 diabetes: A 4-month case study Journal of Insulin Resistance | Vol 2, No 1 | a31 | DOI: | 2017 Michael Ku, Megan J. Ramos, Jason Fung | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0 Submitted: 22 September 2017| Published: 15 December 2017 Michael Ku, Department of Psychology,Neuroscience and Behaviour, Faculty of Science, McMaster University, Canada Megan J. Ramos, Intensive Dietary Management Clinic, Canada Jason Fung, Department of Medicine, Scarborough GeneralHospital, Canada Lifestyle therapy is an integral part of type 2 diabetes (T2D) management, but there remains no consensus on an optimal diet. The objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of therapeutic fasting as a treatment for T2D. This case follows a male T2D patient treated at the Intensive Dietary Management Clinic in Scarborough, Ontario, over a 4-month period. The patients initial fasting regimen consisted of a 24-h fast, three times a week. Over the course of treatment, the patient gradually extended his fasting period, eventually fasting for 42 h, two to three times a week. By the end of treatment, the patients weight was reduced by 17.8% and his waist circumference was reduced by 11.0%. In addition, the patients glycated haemoglobin levels decreased from 7.7% to 7.2%, and he was able to completely discontinue his insulin treatment, despite over a decade of insulin usage. The patient did not find it difficult to adhere to the fasting schedule and did not experience any hypoglycaemic episodes or other significant adverse effects. These observations suggest that therapeutic fasting may be a viable treatment option for T2D patients. type 2 diabetes; therapeutic fasting; intermittent fasting Continue reading >>
- Turmeric Extract 100% Effective At Preventing Type 2 Diabetes, ADA Journal Study Finds
- The UK Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS): clinical and therapeutic implications for type 2 diabetes
- Advice to walk after meals is more effective for lowering postprandial glycaemia in type 2 diabetes mellitus than advice that does not specify timing: a randomised crossover study
![Intermittent Fasting Effects On Type 2 Diabetes - [research Report]](https://diabetestalk.net/images/jIZKYcoVsVkTqfGN.jpg)
Intermittent Fasting Effects On Type 2 Diabetes - [research Report]
In a pilot study, Arnason, Bowen, and Mansell (2017) wanted to determine if there are any effects of an intermittent fasting approach on obese subjects suffering from Type 2 Diabetes. Specifically, they looked into the short-term biochemical effects and tolerability of IF. Ten T2D obese (mean BMI 36.9 kg/m2) participants (9 women and 1 man) were included in the study which was designed as follows: baseline period (run-in) - normal eating - 2 weeks intervention period - IF with 18-20 hours of fasting per day - 2 weeks follow-up period - normal eating - 2 weeks Subjects had to self-report (which may not be accurate): number of hours fasted, morning blood glucose levels, food intake, and exercise. More accurate, biochemical and anthropomorphic measures were taken as the subjects have been drawn blood (fasted) on the last day of each phase (baseline, intervention, and follow-up); blood glucose, insulin, CRP, blood pressure, body measurements (weight, height, waist circumference) were also performed. According to the researchers: "Clinical measures revealed that IF decreased mean body weight, BMI, blood pressure, and waist circumference as compared to baseline with significant changes only for body weight (1.4 kg; P = 0.009) and BMI (0.52; P = 0.01)." [source] And, Table 5 (if you read the study) is insightful; IF improves fasting and postprandial glucose levels: "Although short term (2 wk IF intervention), and without oversight (self reported and self controlled eating hours), the intervention resulted in significant improvements in diabetic glucose control. The IF phase yielded a significant increase in the incidence of fasting blood sugars at target (34.1% vs 13.4% baseline), and favorable decreases in postprandial hyperglycemia (39.4% vs 47.4% baseline). ... We did not f Continue reading >>
5 Types Of People Most Likely To Benefit From Intermittent Fasting... And 5 Who Should Avoid It
We hope you enjoy the products we're recommending as much as we do! Just so you know, Prevention may get a share of sales from the links on this page. IF plans might sound wacky to some, but there’s evidence that they work. One study, published in the Journal of Translational Medicine in 2016, found that people who practiced IF for eight weeks lost more body fat than those in the control group. There may also be benefits beyond weight loss: A 2007 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition concluded this dietary approach might help prevent chronic ailments like heart disease and type 2 diabetes. “The majority of studies have been on animals, and we need more research,” says Robin Foroutan, RDN, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. "But if you're in overall good health, it's probably safe to try it out." Lisa Jubilee, CDN, co-founder of Living Proof Pilates in New York City, who follows time-restricted eating herself, believes that IF has multiple benefits for many people, though there are specific groups who should steer clear or work closely with a doctor. How to know which camp you fall into? When in doubt, it's always smart to consult your personal doctor or nutritionist. But here are some indicators to help you sort it out. (Transform your health with 365 days of slimming secrets, wellness tips, and motivation—get your 2018 Prevention calendar and health planner today!) Intermittent fasting might be right for you if… You’re an all-or-nothing kind of person. If you've ever tried to diet, you likely know how it feels when you inevitably fall off the wagon. While some people can get right back on, others end up way off-course. "If you're not perfect and overindulge on dessert, you might think 'OK, I screwed up; now I'm going t Continue reading >>
Is Intermittent Fasting Safe For People With Diabetes?
When the now 46-year-old Mary Roberts from Lockhart, Texas, was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 2008, her doctor immediately put her on Metformin (glucophage), a drug to help stabilize blood sugar. “When I got the diagnosis, I guess I wasn’t surprised,” says Roberts, explaining that not only was she overweight but her mom had been on insulin for type 2 diabetes. Not wanting to be on medication herself for her entire life, Roberts set out on a path to control the diabetes through diet, but a few years of nutrition classes proved unsuccessful in lowering her blood sugar level. It was after her doctor suggested insulin on top of the high dose of Metformin that Roberts switched gears. “I really wanted to find a way to get healthy,” she says. She found the solution in changing her approach to eating — just not the way she expected. Intermittent fasting (IF) combined with the popular ketogenic diet, which emphasizes dramatically reducing carbohydrate intake, helped her lose weight and lower her A1C. “I feel amazing,” Roberts says. What Is Intermittent Fasting and How Is It Done? Although IF has become more popular in recent years, the diet plan isn’t new. In fact, many religions (including Christianity, Judaism, and Islam) have followers who practice fasting of some variety throughout the year. Fasting is often required for blood tests, medical procedures, or surgery. The reason IF has gained so much attention recently is likely due to the release of new diet books plugging the plans and celebrity endorsements. “I think that it has gained popularity because anytime a person drastically cuts calories from their diet, they’re going to lose weight. And we’re so results driven that by seeing that happen we think, This is a great solution,” says Despina Continue reading >>
Intermittent Fasting
The tradition of eating three meals a day started with the European settlers who wanted to be more civilized than Native American Indians, who only ate when they were hungry. Meals were originally consumed only during daylight hours, but our expanding shift work and schedules have resulted in around the clock eating. As a result of our frequent eating habits and our Standard American Diet (SAD), the United States is one of the fattest countries in the world. We have eaten three daily meals for hundreds of years. This is evidenced by our expanding waistlines, over protruding bellies, large buttocks, and even larger thighs. Cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, and obesity are all diseases of overeating. The human body can store carbohydrates (about 24-36 hours of useable energy) and fats. When your liver has filled its storage capacity for carbohydrates, it then begins to convert excess carbohydrates into fat. Most Americans who eat 3 meals a day and wash it down with a sugary drink are currently in a vicious cycle of storing fat and becoming insulin resistant. Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas which allows our cells to use glucose (sugar) for energy, People with insulin resistance have cells that do not use insulin effectively. This means the cells have trouble absorbing glucose, due to increased fat in the cells which cause a buildup of sugar in the blood. A normal range for a healthy person’s glucose level is anywhere between 70 mg/dL and 99 mg/dL in the morning, after fasting for 8 hours through the night, and less than 140 mg/dL 2 hours after eating. The National Institutes of Health states that a person has pre-diabetes if they have a fasting blood glucose level between 100-125 mg/dL or a two-hour blood glucose level between 140- Continue reading >>
