Study: Dealing with type 1 diabetes with a very low-carbohydrate, eucalorous diet
Study: Dealing with type 1 diabetes with a very low-carbohydrate, eucalorous diet
The following study is about examining the effects of a eucaloric, very carbohydrate-low diet (EVLCD) for the control of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). It is researched whether a change from a carbohydrate rich, low -fat diet to eucaloric, low -carbohydrate, high -fat nutrition and moderate protein -rich diet affects diabetes control that has insulin use and lipid. The study showed that the eucaloric, low-carbohydrate diet led to a significant reduction in hemoglobin A1c value, insulin consumption and LDL values without causing unwanted side effects. The study was carried out on 33 T1DM patients and lasted one year.
Details of the study:
Reference
Little A, Cum B, Pisciotta, L, et al. Security and effectiveness of eucaloric, very carbohydrate-low diet (EVLCD) for type 1 diabetes: a one-year retrospective experience from real life. nutrients . 2022; 14 (15): 3208.
Study goal
to find out whether the changeover of patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) from a low-carbohydrate/low-fat diet to eucaloric, low-eggs, low-fat and moderately protein-rich nutrition would affect their diabetes control, the use of insulin, etc. Lipide
Key to take
This retrospective case study showed that a low-eucaloric, low-carbohydrate diet significantly lowered the hemoglobin-a value
Design
Retrospective case series of T1DM patients treated in a single clinic
Participant
The study included 33 T1DM patients under insulin therapy; 23 were female. The average age was 41.6 years and the average time with diabetes was around 14.3 years.
Intervention
The participants voluntarily changed from a carbohydrate rich (> 200 g/day; 55 % of calories) and low -fat (20 % of calories) diet to a low -carbohydrate (<50 g/day; 5 % of calories) diet. Fats rich (70 % of calories), eucalorial diet. There was no difference in the proportion of calories in protein between the diets (25 %). The intervention lasted one year.
studied study parameters
included the study parameters (initial value) and after (1 year): hemoglobin a 1c
The participants carried out an assessment of the glucose and ketone beam mirror at home and after each meal and recorded the amount of insulin used. The researchers collected blood sugar data from the patients every week. primary result
In this retrospective observation study there was no previously defined primary result. The authors stated: "Our goal is to evaluate blood sugar control, i.e. the amount of insulin that is necessary to maintain blood sugar control and the security of EVLCD."
most important findings
glycemic control:
A
Insulin consumption:
The average dosage of rapidly acting insulin decreased significantly from 18.3 iu (± 9.5 iu) per day to 10.3 iu (± 6.5 iu) per day ( p <0.001). This dramatic reduction led to a statistically significant reduction in total insulin consumption of 36.7 IU (± 14.9 iu) per day to 28.9 iu (± 9.1 iu) per day ( p <0.001).
side effects:
At the beginning of the study, 54.5 % of patients reported on at least one episode of level 2 hypoglycaemia last year, and 30.3 % reported a severe hypoglycaemia last year. At the end of the study, 24.2 % of the patients reported on a single episode of level 2 hypoglycemia, while the EVLCD was maintained in the previous year ( p <0.001).
transparency
This study was carried out in hospitals in Italy, smaller in clinics of the main author. The authors stated that there is no conflict of interest.
Effects and restrictions for practice
This was a fascinating study that showed that their diabetes could be better checked if T1DM patients converted from a low-carbohydrate diet. In particular, they had to use insulin that seemed much less fast - from an average of 18.3 IE to 10.3 IE - and their basal insulin remained the same; Their LDL values sank significantly (98.5 to 84.4 mg/dl; p = 0.005); The BMI was stable; And the blood pressure was stable. There was a statistically significant decline in episodes of severe hypoglycaemia from before to afterwards. Due to the study, there were no side effects or negative reactions.
The study was small, but the results were good, statistically significant and encouraging. Another restriction was the voluntary change in diet, which was particularly motivated in adult patients. The clinical staff also observed the patients closely, and such precise monitoring could have improved the results.
The nutrition itself was limited - vegetables, olive oil, fish, white meat, eggs, nuts, butter and cheese.
The diet itself was limited - vegetables, olive oil, fish, white meat, eggs, nuts, butter and cheese. In order to provide more variety, the diet also strangely contained low -carbohydrate foods - bread, pasta, rice, rusks and sweets - all with a carbohydrate content of less than 5 %. You have not given any further information about these products to help us understand what you insist to ensure a low -carbohydrate diet.
I personally am not surprised by this study, since I have been using a low -carbohydrate diet for 30 years since I have been using the book by Dr. Readed Richard Bernstein and gave lectures with him. Bernstein had the idea of applying a low-carbohydrate diet for diabetics, since he himself was a type 1 diabetic and thereby improved his health and glucose control enormously. It is good to see more studies that show logic, clarity, feasibility, security and effectiveness of a low -carbohydrate diet of diabetics. One can only hope that one day in the future, conventional doctors will also have this enormously strong light bulb.