- New research from the University of Pittsburgh Medical University has shown that diabetics have a very low-calorie diet to help control their blood sugar.
- After 6 months, 12% of participants were in remission, meaning they could manage blood sugar without medication.
- This diet was especially helpful for patients who lost the most weight, the researchers found. Follow-up studies are planned to determine the long-term effectiveness of the program.
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Low-calorie diets can also help diabetics control their blood sugar and get remission without medication, according to new research presented at the Virtual Obesity Council on November 2-6.
According to Evan Keller, a medical student at the University of Pittsburgh who led the research, the insulin-producing organ can work to drastically reduce calories by improving insulin sensitivity and reducing stress on the pancreas.
The study tracked data from 88 patients with diabetes who successfully completed the university’s weight loss program. Patients consume 600-800 calories a day for three months, in the form of a high protein meal replacement shake. They then gradually reintroduced other foods, while maintaining a calorie intake and raising blood sugar, such as processed or sugary foods.
By the end of the program, 12% of patients had complete remission of diabetes, meaning they were able to control their blood sugar without the use of any medications. Another 11% of patients were in partial remission, and were able to use fewer drugs.
“We found that the program is effective in achieving diabetes control on or off medication,” Keller said in the presentation.
He added that the patients who lost the most weight saw the biggest benefit for their blood sugar control. By the end of the program, on average, patients lost 17.3% of their initial body weight. But patients with the highest weight loss group tend to have significantly more improvement in blood sugar control than fewer patients.
Keller said the results are promising, but the next phase of research is to follow-up with patients for a 12-month period after the diet program to evaluate its effectiveness over time.
“People want to look at long-term data and see if the cure for diabetes is really sustaining itself.”
Previous evidence shows that fasting can help control diabetes by restricting calories without losing weight
This type of very low calorie diet has always been referred to as a fasting-imitation diet, as it has a similar effect to complete abstinence from food. Previous studies suggest that limiting calorie intake through fasting can also help diabetics manage insulin sensitivity and blood sugar.
In a case study from July, the 57-year-old woman successfully enabled drug-free diabetes without a combination of fasting, calorie restriction and ketogenic diet.
In this study the patient burned 1,500 calories a day, four days a week, and regularly, sometimes 42 hours at a time.
After four weeks in the diet, the patient could stop taking medications such as metformin, antihypertensive, and statins, while she was still able to control her blood sugar levels.
Four months into the program, her blood sugar levels improved significantly, even without medication.
Extreme calorie restriction should only be done with professional supervision
While these results are promising, diets that limit calories over a period of time can be dangerous. Severe calorie restriction can lead to muscle loss and fatigue with a feeling of cold, hunger and irritability.
In extreme cases, it can also lead to serious health consequences, such as irregular heartbeat, dizziness, dangerously low blood pressure, and unconsciousness, which can lead to potential injury or death.
Intensive calorie restriction can also be harmful for people with a history of inconsistent diets.
Consequently, anyone interested in trying a very low calorie diet should consult a medical professional, and follow up regularly to make sure the diet is done as safely as possible.
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