Overall, Brinkworth’s team found, low-carb diets were gaining at the six-month mark: people on these plans lost, on average, about 7.5 pounds more than those on comparison diets, and their triglycerides (a type of fat in the blood) were lower.
In studies that looked at diabetes remission, 57% of people on low-carb plans went into remission, compared to 31% of people on other diets. Remission meant that the average person’s blood sugar in the past three months was below the threshold for diagnosing diabetes.
At around 12 months, however, most of the benefits of low-carb diets disappeared.
“Despite the blood sugar control benefits that very low carbohydrate diets can offer, they can be very difficult to adhere to,” said Julie Stefanski, a registered nutritionist and certified diabetes educator. She was not part of the study.
The fact is that foods high in carbohydrates are pleasurable, difficult to avoid and offer “emotional connections to our past,” said Stefanski, who is also a spokesman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
In addition to these obstacles, Stefanski said, strict carbohydrate limits can end up depriving people of some nutrients, including fiber and certain vitamins.
“To be successful with a very low carbohydrate diet, people really need a game plan to solve all the problems that arise,” said Stefanski.
She agreed, however, that starting with a strict low-carb plan and then moving on to a moderate diet can work. Stefanski also agreed that people with type 2 diabetes should first talk to their doctor – and possibly consult a nutritionist on how to design a low-carb diet.
In all of the studies, the low-carb plans seemed safe in the short term. The only red flag appeared around a year ago, when dieters tended to have an increase in LDL cholesterol (the “bad” type).
It is unclear, however, what this could mean for their health, Brinkworth said.
Ultimately, Stefanski said, there is no standard diet for all diabetics.
Not all carbohydrates are created equal. Stefanski said that a diet rich in vegetables and other high-fiber foods can help relieve inflammation and benefit people with diabetes.