A study has found that a low-carb diet could help patients with prediabetes maintain low blood sugar. According to Dr. Giulio Romeo, a study author, and Harvard’s Adult Diabetes Section associate medical director, the study has found that a change in diet could be beneficial for health. However, he wonders if this is a real change to make. Moreover, it could be more sustainable in the long term.
How researchers conducted the study
About 96 million people in the U.S. have prediabetes. The disease presents elevated blood glucose levels and increases the risk of developing diabetes. Fortunately, it is easier to treat.
For the study, researchers gathered 150 patients with prediabetes or non-severe diabetes. All the participants were overweight, with an average body mass index (BMI) of 35. About 75% were women, and 59% were black. These figures represent those at the highest risk for diabetes.
The study lasted six months, with the researchers putting half the respondents on a low-carb diet and regular dietary counselling. The rest of the group continued their typical diets. The first group maintained a carbohydrate intake of less than 40g daily and an intake of less than 60g for the last three months.
Since they have reduced carb intake, researchers recommended taking proteins and saturated fats. As a result, their diets included little cheese, low-carb milk, Greek yogurt, seeds, nuts, avocados, olive oil, eggs, lean meat, poultry, fish, and non-starchy vegetables. To make this easier, the team provided the participants food during the study period while advising them to avoid others.
Results of the study
The researchers took the participants’ blood samples at the beginning of the study, at three months, and after six months. They found that those on a low-carb diet had improved A1C and fasting blood glucose and lost about 13 pounds. Although the improvement didn’t seem significant, it represents a 60% reduction in the risk of developing diabetes.
The results also showed that white participants were more likely to benefit from low-carb diets than their black counterparts. As a result, the team concluded that the response to the diet was different across races. Nevertheless, doctors could advise patients with prediabetes not to change their diets and improve blood glucose levels.
