|
Diabetes Diet News
7 May 2009
Yet another trial that shows low-carb is
better for diabetics
Haimoto H, Sasakabe T, Wakai K, Umegaki H.
Effects of a low-carbohydrate diet on glycemic
control in outpatients with severe type 2
diabetes. Nutrition &
Metabolism 2009; 6:21
doi:10.1186/1743-7075-6-21
Published: 6 May 2009
Abstract
We previously demonstrated that a loosely
restricted 45%-carbohydrate diet led to greater
reduction in hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) compared to
high-carbohydrate diets in outpatients with
mild type 2 diabetes (mean HbA1c level: 7.4%)
over 2 years.
To determine whether good glycemic control
can be achieved with a 30%-carbohydrate diet in
severe type 2 diabetes, 33 outpatients (15
males, 18 females, mean age: 59 yrs) with HbA1c
levels of 9.0% or above were instructed to
follow a low-carbohydrate diet (1852 kcal;
%CHO:fat:protein = 30:44:20) for 6 months in an
outpatient clinic and were followed to assess
their HbA1c levels, body mass index and doses
of antidiabetic drugs.
HbA1c levels decreased sharply from a
baseline of 10.9 +/- 1.6% to 7.8 +/- 1.5% at 3
months and to 7.4 +/- 1.4% at 6 months. Body
mass index decreased slightly from baseline
(23.8 +/- 3.3) to 6 months (23.5 +/- 3.4).
Only two patients dropped out.
No adverse effects were observed except for
mild constipation.
The number of patients on sulfonylureas
decreased from 7 at baseline to 2 at 6 months.
No patient required inpatient care or insulin
therapy.
In summary, the 30%-carbohydrate diet over 6
months led to a remarkable reduction in HbA1c
levels, even among outpatients with severe type
2 diabetes, without any insulin therapy,
hospital care or increase in sulfonylureas. The
effectiveness of the diet may be comparable to
that of insulin therapy.
COMMENT:
I have been preaching for over 20 years that
diabetes is a disease of carbohydrate
metabolism, and that type-2 diabetes can be
cured with a low-carb, high-fat diet. By that I
mean cutting calories from carbs to around 10%
of calories and increasing calories from fats
to 60% or more. Over that time, study after
study has demonstrated that this protocol works
and is safe.
The studies over this
period started to reduce carbs and increase
dietary fats only by small amounts, and we are
still only at the stage in this study above of
lowering carbs to 30% and increasing fats to
44%, so there is still some way to go. However,
studies which have cut carbs to as low as 8%
and raised fat intakes to over 60% have shown
that this is entirely safe.[1]
It is possible that
the American Diabetes Association and Diabetes
UK will reverse their dietary guidelines and
stop harming diabetics - but don't hold your
breath. Without diabetics, how would they keep
their jobs? Without diabetics, they would be
redundant.
Reference
1. Sharman MJ,
et al. A Ketogenic Diet Favorably Affects Serum
Biomarkers for Cardiovascular Disease in
Normal-Weight Men. J
Nutr 2002; 132:
1879-1885
|
