[건강정보] Overcome Type 2 Diabetes with a ‘Low Carbohydrate Diet’
The results of studies on the treatment and prevention of type 2 diabetes using low carbohydrate diets are appearing one after another
Korean Diabetes Association “Recommendation of low carbohydrate diet for diabetic patients, but not liver fasting”
Input 2023.03.14 06:00
Edit 2023.03.14 06:01
When managing type 2 diabetes, studies are showing that maintaining a ‘low carbohydrate diet’ helps to normalize blood sugar levels.
The Korean Diabetes Association recently published the ‘2023 Diabetes Guidelines Review’, recommending a low-carbohydrate diet for diabetic patients. In addition, the British Medical Journal (BMJ) ‘Nutrition Prevention & Health’, ‘Harvard Health Publishing’ Harvard Medical School, ‘Diabetes Care’ American Diabetes Association, etc. low carbohydrate diet’.
Diabetes is a chronic disease caused by abnormalities in the hormone insulin. In the case of a normal person, insulin is produced so that the glucose from the food that is ingested can enter the body’s cells and be used as a source of energy. However, in diabetics, most of the glucose remains in the bloodstream.
Diabetes can lead to long-term complications, so appropriate management measures are necessary. One of the most important things in managing diabetes is ‘diet’. In particular, studies on the intake of carbohydrates that are broken down into glucose are being carried out around the world. Experts are researching which diet is best for managing diabetes.
◇ BMJ Prevention Nutrition and Health
According to the results of a study conducted by Norwood Surgery in the UK, symptoms improved in the first year of onset in 77% of diabetic patients who chose a low-carb diet.
The research team conducted a study based on near-death data from primary care clinics in the UK. The research team followed 186 patients with type 2 diabetes who participated in a low-carb diet program for 33 months.
As a result, 97% of the participants had lower blood sugar levels. In particular, 51% of the patients showed a state of ‘remission’ and in the end they were able to stop taking diabetes medicines. In detail, △35% of 1 to 5-year-old patients and △20% of 15-year-old patients with diabetes achieved remission after starting a low-carbohydrate diet. In addition, the weight of all participating patients decreased by an average of 10 kg.
However, the research team said the results could be biased because only 186 highly motivated patients out of 473 participants took part in the low-carb diet study.
Dr David Unwin, author of this study, said, “Diabetes and obesity are very closely related, and the symptoms of diabetes can be improved by losing weight. It is good to increase the intake of vegetables and fruit, fish, eggs and nuts.”
◇ Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA)
A research team at Tulane University in Louisiana, located in Louisiana, USA, also studied the effects of a low-carb diet on diabetic patients. The study included patients with untreated type 2 diabetes and patients with mild type 2 diabetes. The research team divided 150 patients into a restricted carbohydrate intake group (carbohydrate intake of around 200g per day) and a regular diet control group. The HbA1c of the participating patients ranged from 6.0 to 6.9%.
As a result of the study, the group that maintained the low carbohydrate diet showed a 0.23% reduction in glycated hemoglobin level compared to the control group. Fasting blood sugar dropped by 10.3 more, and weight also dropped by an average of 5.9 kg.
Epidemiologist Kirsten S. Dorans, who was responsible for the study, said, “The group that maintained a low carbohydrate diet had a significant reduction in HbA1c levels. It was reduced by about 60%.”
The results of this study were published through Harvard Health Publishing, and were later published in the ‘JAMA’ network issue, the journal of the American Medical Association, ‘Diabetes and Endocrinology’.
◇ Revised Edition 2023 Diabetes Treatment Guidelines of the Korean Diabetes Association
The Diabetes Association revealed the main content of ‘Diabetes Treatment Guidelines 2023 (8th Edition)’ at a meeting earlier this year.
According to the published content, the 8th edition of the guideline includes dietary therapy for patients with type 2 diabetes.
“We decided to recommend a low-carbohydrate diet because it was judged to be useful in improving blood sugar control and weight loss in type 2 diabetic patients,” said Moon Min-kyung, director of treatment guidelines (Seoul National University Boramae Hospital, Endocrinology department professor) who hosted the presentation. However, he added that a very low carb diet (ultra-low calorie VLCD diet) and intermittent fasting are not recommended.
The ultra-low carbohydrate diet was found to increase the risk of hypoglycemia and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) in diabetic patients. Intermittent fasting also carries a risk of hypoglycemia, suggesting that the risks outweigh the benefits.
According to Director Moon’s explanation, the 8th edition of the guide includes dietary therapy (medical nutrition therapy) △ diabetic screening △ medication treatment for type 2 diabetes △ obesity management △ hypertension management △ dyslipidemia management △ diabetic kidney disease △ review of diabetes in the elderly △ is done in nine episodes, including continuous blood glucose monitoring and insulin pumps.
Meanwhile, the 8th edition of the 2023 Diabetes Guidelines will be presented at the Korean Diabetes Association Spring Conference held in Gwangju in May.
