Diabetic Low Carb Diet

Critical Review Dietary Carbohydrate Restriction As The First Approach In Diabetes Management: Critical Review And Evidence Base

Highlights • We present major evidence for low-carbohydrate diets as first approach for diabetes. • Such diets reliably reduce high blood glucose, the most salient feature of diabetes. • Benefits do not require weight loss although nothing is better for weight reduction. • Carbohydrate-restricted diets reduce or eliminate need for medication. • There are no side effects comparable with those seen in intensive pharmacologic treatment. The inability of current recommendations to control the epidemic of diabetes, the specific failure of the prevailing low-fat diets to improve obesity, cardiovascular risk, or general health and the persistent reports of some serious side effects of commonly prescribed diabetic medications, in combination with the continued success of low-carbohydrate diets in the treatment of diabetes and metabolic syndrome without significant side effects, point to the need for a reappraisal of dietary guidelines. The benefits of carbohydrate restriction in diabetes are immediate and well documented. Concerns about the efficacy and safety are long term and conjectural rather than data driven. Dietary carbohydrate restriction reliably reduces high blood glucose, does not require weight loss (although is still best for weight loss), and leads to the reduction or elimination of medication. It has never shown side effects comparable with those seen in many drugs. Here we present 12 points of evidence supporting the use of low-carbohydrate diets as the first approach to treating type 2 diabetes and as the most effective adjunct to pharmacology in type 1. They represent the best-documented, least controversial results. The insistence on long-term randomized controlled trials as the only kind of data that will be accepted is without precedent in science Continue reading >>

Low-carb Diet Helps To Control Diabetes

The biggest pilot study of a low-carbohydrate diet to treat type 2 diabetes has shown that it may successfully control the condition. A review of more than 80,000 people who ditched their low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet found that their blood-glucose levels dropped after ten weeks. The results have led doctors to call for an overhaul of official dietary guidelines. The study came about as a consequence of an online revolt by patients in which 120,000 people signed up to the “low-carb” diet plan launched by the forum diabetes.co.uk in a backlash against official advice. By rejecting guidelines and eating a diet low in starchy foods but high in protein and “good” saturated fats, such as olive oil and nuts, more than 80 per cent of the… Continue reading >>

Low-carbohydrate Diet Doesn't Reduce Need For Insulin In Gestational Diabetes?

Short post today on a new study suggesting that restricting carbohydrates in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) does not reduce their chances of needing insulin to control blood sugar during pregnancy. Spanish researchers randomly assigned 152 women with GDM to a control diet or a "low carbohydrate" diet. Each of the diets contained at least 1800 calories. The control diet contained 55% of calories from carbohydrate. And the "low carbohydrate" diet? It specified 40% of calories as carbs, or at least 180 grams. Definitely not low-carb, and significantly more than most of these women need, given the increased insulin resistance that is the hallmark of GDM. In addition, compliance was measured with three-day food records kept by the participants in their own homes rather than in a metabolic ward or other controlled setting where the amount of carbs actually consumed could be accurately assessed. The women's food records indicated they consumed between 155-191 grams of carbs daily; however, it's generally accepted that most people tend to underreport the amount of food they eat. The researchers concluded that a low-carbohydrate diet does not reduce insulin needs, but this is misleading given that this diet contained considerably more carbs than the women should have been advised to eat. I've read other studies looking at similar "low carbohydrate" diets that actually weren't low enough to be therapeutic. Part of the problem is that there's no universally accepted definition of that term, but in my opinion, up to 190 grams of carbohydrate daily really seems like a stretch. Had these women been prescribed a diet containing less than 100 grams instead, I'm fairly confident the number requiring insulin would have been much lower than those following the control diet Continue reading >>

Low Carb

Tweet Many people with diabetes are following a low-carb diet because of its benefits in terms of improving diabetes control, weight loss and being a diet that is satisfying and easy to stick to. Low-carb diets are flexible and can be followed by people with different types of diabetes. The diet has allowed many people with type 2 diabetes to resolve their diabetes, that is to get their blood sugar levels into a non-diabetic range without the help of medication. People with type 1 diabetes have also reported much more stable blood sugar levels, making the condition easier to predict and manage. The diet is a healthy way of eating as vegetables and natural, real foods are integral to the diet. Low-carb guidance and support The low-carb diet forum has been cited as a leading resource in providing support and encouragement for people that are looking to achieve lower HbA1c levels and sustain effective weight loss. [127] In 2015, Diabetes.co.uk launched the Low Carb Program which has helped thousands of people with type 2 diabetes to improve their diabetes control and reduce their dependency on diabetes medication. Why follow a low-carb diet? Carbohydrate is the nutrient which has the greatest effect in terms of raising blood sugar levels and requires the most insulin to be taken or be produced by the body. Lowering sugar levels is clearly a benefit for people with diabetes. Lower need for insulin is also particularly useful as lowering insulin in the body can reduce insulin resistance which can help towards reversing type 2 diabetes. Insulin is also the fat storage hormone in the body, so reducing insulin in the body with a low-carb diet can help with losing weight. Benefits of low-carb diets The benefits of a low-carb diet typically include: Lower HbA1c Improved weight lo Continue reading >>

Low Carb Diets Help Reduce High Blood Sugar Levels In Diabetics

"Read all about it! Low Carb Diets Help Reduce High Blood Sugar Levels in Diabetics!"That is what newspaper boys should be shouting. So, when your doctors says, "You have type 2 diabetes" he will also say you need to control your high blood sugar and weight. This means you will need to adopt healthy food choices and exercise that will include a low carb diet. There are other diets to choose from like low fat diets. Not choosing one means developing diabetes complications such as heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, obesity, loss of vision, etc. Suddenly, you realize that diabetes is a whole body disease and you will need to follow your doctor's recommendations to live a healthy life. Problems That Face Type 2 Diabetes Sufferers Three of the biggest problems facing type 2 diabetes patients are high blood sugar levels, obesity, and high blood pressure. These problems are not curable only treatable and the best way to treat both is to lose weight. You can start doing this by understanding how carbohydrates and protein affect your body and the value of low carb diets. What Is A Carb? The majority of people today don't understand what a carbohydrate is, only that many of these foods are bad for them. So what is a carb? Carbs are compounds that are broken down by the body to produce different amounts of glucose (sugar). Glucose is used as fuel by all cells of the body. There are three types of carbs including fibers, starches and sugars. When the carbs turn into glucose, it is taken into the cells to be used immediately or stored for later use should there be too much in the body. Fiber has the least available glucose. Starch has more available glucose than fiber. Sugar, as in sugar added during manufacturing or cooking has the most because sugar is sugar. Sugar is a c Continue reading >>

7 Ways To Follow A Low-carb Diet The Right Way

Feeling "hangry," the combination of hungry and angry, is what I hear a lot from patients who believe all carbs are evil, and that if you want to control your blood sugar or lose weight, they all have to go. Strong studies point to carbohydrate restriction as a main treatment for type 2 diabetes, but it doesn't have to be all or nothing. Many of my patients on very low-carb diets can’t sustain them long term. Eventually, they re-gain their weight and their blood-sugar problems come back. Those angry months of deprivation weren’t worth it. There’s a better way, which involves keeping some of the foods you love, and as a result, maintaining your sanity. Any time you eat a carbohydrate, your body has to redirect the glucose from your bloodstream to your cells. It calls on your pancreas, where insulin lives, to get the job done. Insulin’s role is to take the glucose and distribute it to your muscle and fat cells, where it’s either used for energy or stored for fat. When everything goes right, insulin is your friend. Eat too much or consume the wrong things and insulin becomes your enemy. Excess insulin circulating in your body may cause you to gain weight. Here’s how to do low-carb right. 1. Plan your meals around lean proteins and healthy fats. The reason many people fail at low-carb diets is because they are buying foods like low-carb chips, bars and drinks. These options are not always nutrient dense. They can leave you with a lack of satisfaction, increased hunger and the dreaded rebound binge. Instead, opt for real food. Find options that make you less hungry and more satisfied. Focusing on foods that are good sources of protein and healthy fats will help. A 2011 study found increased protein in the diet helped to satisfy hunger and promote weight loss. Cho Continue reading >>

Low-carb Diet For Diabetes: Should You Try It?

Many diet-related conditions rely on medication. But the primary treatment for type 2 diabetes is diet and lifestyle change. There is growing evidence a low-carb diet may be a useful alternative to conventional diet advice. In fact, it may even be better. This article provides a transparent look at the best evidence available, and whether you should consider it. What Is A Low-Carb Diet? A low carb diet is an eating pattern that limits carbohydrate foods, such as sugary foods, flour and bread. There are several different versions, but they are generally high in protein, fat and healthy vegetables. The standard American diet is at least 50% carbs, which is about 300 grams per day. Low-carb diets range from about 30% down to 5%. Given the amount of carbs in your diet is the main determinant of blood sugar levels, it makes sense that reducing carb intake could be beneficial for diabetes care (1). Low- Carb and Diabetes: What Do Controlled Trials Show? Randomised controlled trials are considered the “gold standard” of scientific evidence. In this case researchers would feed one group of diabetics a standard American diet (typically 50-60% carbs), and another a strict low-carb diet for several months or more. They can then compare which group does better. A 2015 study looked at 93 type 2 diabetic men and women for one year. Half were randomly put on a high-carb diet (53% carbs) and the others on a low-carb diet (14% carbs, less than 50 grams per day). Each subject’s diet plan was individualised to provide a 30% calorie reduction for weight loss, and all participated in a supervised physical activity program for the year. Both diets showed significant improvements in daily blood sugar stability, diabetes medication usage, weight loss, fat loss, insulin resistance, HDL-ch Continue reading >>

Low-carb Diet For People With Diabetes

If you're living with type 2 diabetes , you may be wondering if you should follow a low-carb diet. In fact, some recent studies suggest that an ultra-low carbohydrate may be able to reverse diabetes. Let's take a look at the role of carbohydrates in a healthy diet for people with diabetes, and what studies to date have been telling us about the impact of low-carb or very low-carb diets on blood sugar. Carbohydrates include sugars and starches and together they make up one group of macronutrients; the other two are protein and fat. When you consume carbohydrates, your digestive system breaks carbohydrates down into individual sugar units that are absorbed into your blood. This triggers the release of insulin , a protein that helps move glucose out of your blood and into your body's cells so it can be used for energy. Sugars that aren't immediately used for energy are either stored for a while or converted to fat (when you eat more food than your body needs). You need to consume carbohydrates every day because they are your body's primary energy source. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2015-2020 recommends you get about half of your daily calories from carbohydrate sources; this includes people with diabetes. This translates to roughly 250 to 300 grams of carbohydrates every day, but it depends on your size, sex, and how active you are. History of Carbohydrates in a Diabetic Diet The amount of carbohydrates recommended in a diabetic diet has had a roller-coaster history, and at the current time remains an area of some controversy. Before insulin or diabetes medications were available, eating a low-carb diet was the only treatment available. That changed with both the discovery of insulin and medications and when we began to Continue reading >>

Lchf For Type 1 Diabetes

I spend a great deal of time in my clinic dealing with the problems of type 2 diabetes. But occasionally, people ask about type 1 diabetes (T1D) as well. The reason why it is so rare for me is that I treat adult patients where T2D outnumbers T1D by at least 9:1. I was looking at a fascinating study that my friend, Ivor Cummins (The Fat Emperor) had alerted me to a few months ago. Dr. Richard Bernstein is a fascinating character. He had developed T1D as a child of twelve and began to have complications by his 30s. He eventually went to medical school in order to learn better how to treat his own disease. Eventually he decided that the proper treatment was a low carb diet. This was in direct contradiction to the prevailing wisdom of the time (1990s), which included treating patients with insulin and a diet high in carbs. Dr. Bernstein opened up a controversial clinic to treat T1D with a low carb diet and also wrote several best selling books discussing the same topic. Over the years, it has proven to be a safe treatment for T1D. While there are few long-term studies, Dr. Bernstein himself is living proof of the low carb T1D paradigm. In many ways, T1D and T2D are exact opposites of each other. T1D typically affects children who are usually quite skinny. T2D typically affects adults who are usually quite obese. This is not absolute, and we are seeing much more T2D in children as their weights have increased. There are also cases of normal or even underweight patients with T2D. But in general, that is the case. T1D is the severe deficiency of insulin where as T2D is the severe excess of insulin. Nevertheless, people often treat both types of diabetes in the same manner. Both are treated with medications or insulin to keep blood glucose in acceptable levels. Wait, you might Continue reading >>

Comparative Study Of The Effects Of A 1-year Dietary Intervention Of A Low-carbohydrate Diet Versus A Low-fat Diet On Weight And Glycemic Control In Type 2 Diabetes

OBJECTIVE To compare the effects of a 1-year intervention with a low-carbohydrate and a low-fat diet on weight loss and glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS This study is a randomized clinical trial of 105 overweight adults with type 2 diabetes. Primary outcomes were weight and A1C. Secondary outcomes included blood pressure and lipids. Outcome measures were obtained at 3, 6, and 12 months. RESULTS The greatest reduction in weight and A1C occurred within the first 3 months. Weight loss occurred faster in the low-carbohydrate group than in the low-fat group (P = 0.005), but at 1 year a similar 3.4% weight reduction was seen in both dietary groups. There was no significant change in A1C in either group at 1 year. There was no change in blood pressure, but a greater increase in HDL was observed in the low-carbohydrate group (P = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS Among patients with type 2 diabetes, after 1 year a low-carbohydrate diet had effects on weight and A1C similar to those seen with a low-fat diet. There was no significant effect on blood pressure, but the low-carbohydrate diet produced a greater increase in HDL cholesterol. Type 2 diabetes affects >20 million people in the U.S. (1). Optimal weight loss strategies in patients with type 2 diabetes continue to be debated, and the best dietary strategy to achieve both weight loss and glycemic control in type 2 diabetes is unclear. Prior studies, done primarily in patients without diabetes, demonstrated weight loss outcomes with low-carbohydrate diets comparable to that with other diets (2–6). Based on the effectiveness of low-carbohydrate diets for weight loss, recent guidelines from the American Diabetes Association state that for short-term weight loss either a low-carbohydrate or low-f Continue reading >>

How To Count Carbs In 10 Common Foods

What are carbohydrates? Carbohydrates are sugar-based molecules found in many foods, from cookies to cantaloupes. If you have diabetes, planning your carb intake—and sticking to the plan—is critical to keep blood sugar on an even keel and to cut your risk of diabetes-related problems like heart disease and stroke. Whether or not you have diabetes, you should aim to get about half your calories from complex carbohydrates (which are high in fiber), 20-25% from protein, and no more than 30% from fat, says Lalita Kaul, PhD, RD, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. How to read a food label The Nutrition Facts label lists the total amount of carbohydrates per serving, including carbs from fiber, sugar, and sugar alcohols. (If you're counting carbs in your diet, be aware that 15 grams of carbohydrates count as one serving.) Sugar alcohols are often used in sugar-free foods, although they still deliver calories and carbs. Sugar alcohols and fiber don't affect blood sugar as much as other carbs, because they're not completely absorbed. If food contains sugar alcohol or 5 or more grams of fiber, you can subtract half of the grams of these ingredients from the number of total carbs. (See more details at the American Diabetes Association and University of California, San Francisco.) How many carbs per day? If you eat 2,000 calories a day, you should consume about 250 grams of complex carbohydrates per day. A good starting place for people with diabetes is to have roughly 45 to 60 grams of carbs per meal and 15 to 30 grams for snacks. While snacks are key for people with diabetes who use insulin or pills that increase insulin production (otherwise, they run the risk of low blood sugar), they aren’t essential for non-insulin users. The goal for anyone with diab Continue reading >>

Can Silicon Valley Cure Diabetes With Low Carbs And High Tech?

Imagine a treatment for Type 2 diabetes that requires neither surgery, medication nor calorie restriction, but rather relies on adherence to a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet, tracked by regular finger-stick checks of blood chemistry and guided remotely by a team of physicians, coaches and algorithms. That’s the premise of Virta Health, a San Francisco-based digital health company formed in 2014 and launched officially today, with $37M in the bank from investors including Dr. Robert Kocher of Venrock. The kickoff follows Tuesday’s publication of the results of an uncontrolled clinical study of several hundred patients in Indiana, who will be treated and followed for two years; the just-published data--an interim report of sorts--represent the first 10 weeks of study, sponsored by Virta. (Disclosure: I am Chief Medical Officer of a genomics data management company, DNAnexus, and do not have a personal, professional or financial relationship with Virta Health; I trained in endocrinology and have previously written about therapeutic approaches to diabetes, including surgery and prevention.) The number of patients with A1c levels below 6.5% (a measure of diabetic control) increased from 52/262 when the study began to 147/262 after 10 weeks. The majority of patients had one or more diabetes medications reduced or eliminated by the end of the study, and the average patient lost 7.2% of his or her starting weight. 90% of patients who started the study remained enrolled after 10 weeks. Finally, the average beta-hydroxybutyrate level (a measure of degree of dietary carbohydrate reduction) was 0.6 mMol/L, “indicating consistent carbohydrate restriction” according to the authors. Tech + Health = Hard The idea of applying emerging technology to stubborn health challenges, s Continue reading >>

Low-carb Diets & Diabetes

Today's Dietitian Vol. 18 No. 8 P. 24 Research shows they're effective in managing blood glucose in many patients, but they may not work for everyone. Toby Smithson, MSNW, RDN, LDN, CDE, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in the late 1960s when the exchange system was used to plan meals for people with diabetes. Smithson and her mother attended classes where she received an exchange booklet. "The exchange system was how I learned about meal planning," Smithson remembers. The exchange system organizes foods into lists by the amount of carbohydrate, protein, fat, and calories they contain. In the 1960s, experts were recommending that carbohydrate intake be limited to 40% of total calories—which was twice as much as previous recommendations. Advice on meal planning approaches and recommended carbohydrate intake for people with diabetes has gone through several cycles. In the 1990s, experts recommended using carbohydrate counting for meal planning and individualizing carbohydrate content of meals. As a dietitian, certified diabetes educator, and an individual living with diabetes, Smithson stays abreast of the latest diabetes research. After reading several studies on the benefits of low-carbohydrate diets for people with diabetes, she decided to "play around" with the carbohydrate content of her own diet. Smithson found that she was always hungry on the low-carbohydrate diet and observed no significant change in her triglycerides or HDL cholesterol. This isn't to say that Smithson's usual diet was high in carbohydrate, as she averages about 135 g per day. Smithson says, "I'm a hard dietitian on myself." She's diligent with monitoring her carbohydrate intake, uses very little insulin, and is proud to say she controls her blood sugar well and has no diabetes complications. Continue reading >>

Diabetes And Your Diet: The Low-carb Debate

A few years ago, Richard Kahn, the now-retired chief scientific and medical officer of the American Diabetes Association, was charged with organizing a committee to prescribe a diet plan for people with diabetes. He began by looking at the evidence for different diets, asking which, if any, best controlled diabetes. “When you look at the literature, whoa is it weak. It is so weak,” Dr. Kahn said in a recent interview. Studies tended to be short term, diets unsustainable, differences among them clinically insignificant. The only thing that really seemed to help people with diabetes was weight loss — and for weight loss, there is no magic diet. But people want diet advice, Dr. Kahn reasoned, and the association really should say something about diets. So it, like the National Institutes of Health, went with the Department of Agriculture’s food pyramid. Why? “It’s a diet for all America,” Dr. Kahn said. “It has lots of fruits and vegetables and a reasonable amount of fat.” That advice, though, recently came under attack in a New York Times commentary written by Sarah Hallberg, an osteopath at a weight loss clinic in Indiana, and Osama Hamdy, the medical director of the obesity weight loss program at the Joslin Diabetes Center at Harvard Medical School. There is a diet that helps with diabetes, the two doctors said: one that restricts — or, according to Dr. Hallberg, severely restricts — carbohydrates. “If the goal is to get patients off their medications, including insulin, and resolve rather than just control their diabetes, significant carb restriction is by far the best nutrition plan,” Dr. Hallberg said in an email. “This would include elimination of grains, potatoes and sugars and all processed foods. There is a significant and ever growing Continue reading >>

Lchf And Diabetes

Can a Low Carb, High Fat diet be used to manage Diabetes Type-1 or Type-2? Yes! We believe this is far and above the best way to manage diabetes and there is growing interest in returning to carbohydrate restricted diets as a tool in managing diabetes complications long term. If you have Type-1 or Type-2 Diabetes it is important to understand that decreasing your consumption of carbohydrates that raise your blood sugar will decrease your need for insulin and other medication used to lower blood sugars. Taking the same dose of insulin or medication as you did prior to adopting a Low Carb, High Fat diet may result in hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar). If you have Type-1 or Type-2 Diabetes get the approval and supervision of a medical professional before commencing a Low Carb, High Fat diet. A well-formulated Low Carb, High Fat diet can help Type-1 and Type-2 Diabetics achieve long term normalised blood sugar levels. For more resources on LCHF and Diabetes we recommend the works of Dr Richard Bernstein and Dr Jason Fung as well as the videos from Dr. Troy Stapleton, Lisa Scherger and Dr. Wendy Pogozelski below. My Story: Managing Type-1 Diabetes with LCHF “Hi, my name is Fiona and I’m a Type-1 diabetic. I have had diabetes for 23 years. I use an insulin pump to manage my diabetes and had always followed the standard Australian dietary guidelines. I ate whatever I wanted and just gave myself enough insulin to cover the amount of carbohydrates I was eating. After having my two children I had put on a significant amount of weight and it kept creeping up. I needed to change something in my life and it began with the discovery of David Gillespie’s book ‘Sweet Poison’. I read the book and it all just made sense. I quit sugar and found that my blood sugar levels began to Continue reading >>