The Effects of the Ketogenic Diet on Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes
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A ketogenic diet, high in fat and low in carbohydrates, can potentially alter how your body stores and uses energy. Additionally, a ketogenic diet may alleviate diabetes symptoms. Specific diets for type 2 diabetes often focus on weight loss, so a high-fat diet as an option might seem crazy.
With the keto diet, your body converts fat into energy instead of sugar. The diet was created in the 1920s to treat epilepsy, but its effects on type 2 diabetes are now also being researched.
The ketogenic diet can improve blood sugar (glucose) levels while reducing the need for insulin. However, it is essential to consult your doctor and dietitian before starting the diet, and medication dosages should be adjusted accordingly.
Understanding "high fat" in the ketogenic diet.
Many people with type 2 diabetes are overweight, so a high-fat diet may seem unhelpful/harmful.
The ketogenic diet The goal is to get the body to use fat for energy instead of carbohydrates or glucose. In the keto diet, you get most of your energy from fat, with very little of the diet coming from carbohydrates.
The ketogenic diet doesn't mean you have to load up on saturated fats. Heart-healthy fats are key to maintaining overall health. ketogenic Here are some healthy foods that are commonly eaten in the diet:
- Eggs
- Fish like salmon
- Avokado
- Olives and olive oil
- Hazelnuts and hazelnut spread
- Seeds
Effects on blood sugar
ketogenic Diet has the potential to lower blood sugar. Since carbohydrates are converted into sugar and can cause sudden spikes in blood sugar in large amounts, managing carbohydrate intake is often recommended for people with type 2 diabetes.
If you already have high blood sugar, eating too many carbohydrates can be dangerous. By shifting the focus to fat, some people experience a decrease in blood sugar.
Monitoring your diabetes
The ketogenic diet may seem simple. However, unlike a typical low-calorie diet, a high-fat diet requires careful monitoring.
To ensure the diet isn't causing any adverse effects, your doctor will need to monitor both your blood sugar and ketone levels. Once your body has adjusted to the diet, you may need to see your doctor once or twice a month for tests and medication adjustments.
Even if your symptoms improve, it's still important to keep up with regular blood sugar monitoring. Testing frequency varies for type 2 diabetes. Consult your doctor to determine the best testing schedule for your condition.
Research on Keto Diet and Diabetes
In 2008, researchers conducted a 24-week study to determine the effects of a low-carbohydrate diet on people with type 2 diabetes and obesity.
At the end of the study, participants following a ketogenic diet saw greater improvement in glycemic control and medication reduction compared to those following a low glycemic diet.
A 2013 review reported that a ketogenic diet may lead to more significant improvements in blood sugar control, HbA1c, weight loss, and insulin requirements than other diets.
A 2017 study found that the ketogenic diet performed better than a traditional, low-fat diabetes diet in terms of weight loss and HbA1c over 32 weeks.
MEAN PERCENT CHANGE AFTER ONE YEAR | ||
| METRIC | VIRT | USUAL CARE |
| Hemoglobin A1c | -17.24 | 2.62 |
| Fasting glucose (mg·dL-1) | -21.83 | 7.23 |
| Insulin, all (mU·mL-1) | -36.83 | 2.95 |
| HOMA-IR (insulin derived), excluding exogenous insulin users | -54.87 | 16.06 |
| Any diabetes medication, excluding metformin (%) | -47.81 | 8.98 |
Hallberg SJ et al. Diabetes Therapy. 2018;9(2):583-612 and Bhanpuri NH et al. Cardiovasc Diabetol. 2018; 17:56.
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