A study has found that very low carbohydrate diets can improve blood sugar levels in people with type 1 diabetes, something that was previously considered debatable.
What has been discussed for decades, and has described as controversial, is now verifiable thanks to a new study that concluded that a diet low enough in carbohydrates could be helpful for people with type 1 diabetes.
The study was published in the scientific journal Pediatrics, and was led by researchers at Boston Children’s Hospital.
In total, 316 people were analyzed, which had been found in a Facebook group that advocates a very low diet in carbohydrates for type 1 diabetes. In the study, 138 people had been effectively diagnosed with diabetes, and 42% ofThe participants were children.They had an average daily carbohydrate intake of 36 grams, which was only 5% of their total calories.That is much less than the 45% recommended by the American Diabetes Association.
The results of those who followed quite low carbohydrates were in fact interesting: participants reported A1C hemoglobin values, which are the main measure of blood sugar, only 5.67%.The objective is to keep it below 7% in people with type 1 diabetes, which means that they need rather small insulin doses.
"The reported sugar control (by the patients of the observed group) were almost too good to be true," said Belinda Lennerz, of the Boston Children’s Hospital, and the main author of the study."It is nothing similar to what we usually see in our clinic specialized in type 1 diabetes."
The idea of a low carbohydrate diet to combat type 1 diabetes is somewhat controversial and has been widely discussed by dietitians, nutritionists and doctors from around the world, since it is generally believed that it could increase the risk of dangerous falls at the levelof blood sugar known as hypoglycemia.But in this study, hospitalization rates for hypoglycemia were only 1%, a lower amount than usual.
However, there were limitations in the study since it was observational, not controlled, and the participants registered a large part of their own data.Therefore, the authors point out that a randomized clinical trial will be needed to see if this diet is as successful as it alleges, and also that it is safe.They also warn that patients with type 1 diabetes should not change their diet without first consulting their respective doctor.