Those living with type 2 diabetes may find relief from daily insulin injections through a low-carb diet, according to a new study.
Just six months on a strict, low-carb diet – meaning less than 26% of your daily calories come from carbohydrates – can reduce blood sugar levels to the point where medication is no longer needed, according to with results based on data from more than 1,357 participants with metabolic disease.
What’s more, the diet induced weight loss and fewer diabetic episodes, too, compared to people on other recommended diets, such as low fat.
However, over the 12-month interval, the researchers found a drop in the benefits provided by the low-carb diet. They point out that previous research included in the analysis, published on Wednesday in the BMJ, may have its limitations and suggest that more studies are needed on how low-carb diets can be used to alleviate some diabetic symptoms.
For example, doctors may prescribe a short-term, low-carb diet “for the control of type 2 diabetes, while actively monitoring and adjusting diabetes medication as needed”.
The low-carb diet, made famous by weight loss guru Robert Atkins, later became controversial when ex-starch supporters complained about their pounds coming back in a rage as soon as carbohydrates were reintroduced. The studies ended up linking the fad diet to other health issues, such as cardiac arrhythmia and premature death.
Still, the regime is still popular today, with benefits that scientists still don’t fully understand. A 2019 study suggested that the diet could strengthen the lungs against the flu by stimulating the production of protective mucus in the lining of the organs – a “totally unexpected discovery”, said a researcher at the time.