Jennifer Abbasi, senior staff writer at JAMA, wrote a perspective on the increasing interest on the ketogenic diet for weight loss and Type 2 Diabetes just two days ago (Jan. 16, 2018).
She first presents some of the findings from a recent controlled feeding study where the coprincipal investigator is David S. Ludwing of the Harvard Medical School. Lustig is known for his opposition to the sugar industry. Having a neuroendocrinology background, some of his arguments appear solid, despite the fact that many scientists, researchers, and strong voices consider him an extremist.
Anyway, this posts and Abbasi's perspective is not about that, it's about the ketogenic diet and how it may help with T2D. She goes into detail about a meta-analysis of 13 studies which suggested that the ketogenic diet may have some advantage over a low-fat diet for weight loss over the long term. Two main arguments in favor of the keto diet are with respect to the changes it elicits in appetite regulation hormones and with a potential metabolic advantage (by not reducing BMR).
I'd say these effects are synergistic. As pointed out by Abbasi:
"There’s also increasing interest in the ketogenic diet for diabetes management. Insulin sensitivity improves on the diet—although the mechanisms are not entirely clear—along with glycemic control." [source]
By no means I am against drugs, but if there is a potentially strong antidiabetic effect with the ketogenic diet, why not start implementing it along with other lifestyle interventions, before taking drugs?
I'm going to answer this myself...Because many people would simply prefer a drug or a pill instead of diligently and drastically reducing carbohydrate intake and being vigilant about each gram of carbohydrate they put in their mouths. It's easier to pop a pill and keep eating a high carbohydrate diet. There's nothing with carbohydrates as the principal supplier of metabolic energy in people who are insulin sensitive, healthy, and fit.
There are other potential benefits of the ketogenic diet that go beyond weight loss and T2D. However, there are many caveats as well. One is that the diet can be very hard to follow at first, reason being most quit in the first 2-3 weeks of trying it.
Second is that it can lead to nutritional deficiencies if one does not inform themselves well at first. A well formulated ketogenic diet that's highly nutritious and energy sufficient can be conceptualized with the help of a nutritionist or an expert knowledgeable on the subject. And there's a scarcity for this person at the moment...
Thirdly, its very different nature and principles may make it very inconvenient socially. However, ll these and the rest of the potential drawbacks can be mitigated and/or minimized with appropriate sufficient information on the subject and on all of its details.
I diverged...The focus of this post was Abbasi's perspective in JAMA. JAMA is known not to be in favor of 'low-carb' and 'keto' diets in the circles of research for these diets, which is why I found it interesting they had this piece as part of their 'medical news and perspectives'. You can read it below:
To stay in touch with me, follow @cristi
Cristi Vlad Self-Experimenter and Author
Hmm I heard about this keto diet, but I didnt know that it will have good effect to those with Diabetes. I thought keto diet is just for weight loss, thanks for sharing this information. My Grandma actually has type 2 diabetes. I will definitely tell her about this! Keep up the good work @cristi
Isn't it reasonable that a diet devoid of carbohydrates improves a condition with an underlying deficit of carbohydrate metabolism?
Howie, I suggest you do some research on low carbohydrates diet in general. Sugar is poison and we are consuming it way too much, it is everywhere. Check your spices. Look how many of them have sugar inside where you wouldn't expect it. For example, garlic salt... See hot salty peanuts in the store? Yes sugar. Industry is using it to enhance the food taste. Food industry is engineering food the way that you crave it once you try it. It is a huge science, companies are spending bilions into learning, how to make you eat more of their stuff. And sugar is part of the recipe. And many chemicals. It is virtually everywhere!
If you start looking at low carbohydrates diet, you are starting to protect yourself and it will have health benefits on many levels. You can reduce seizures with low carbohydrate diet. It helps with both, types 1 and 2 diabetes. How is this possible? Well carbohydrates are causing that blood sugar levels gets too high, too fast. Later blood sugar drops down faster than usually. Both, rises ad drops affects secretion of insulin. What is the best? That you have as stable sugar levels in the blood stream as possible. Stable and low. And how you reach this? Less carbohydrates and by eating food that has low glycemic index, which means your blood sugar will not jump so rapidly.
Bottom line, while yes, your Grandma can use and benefit from low carbohydrate diet and especially from keto diet, so would you and everyone else. Do some research, it is your body, your health that we are talking about. And no one else should care more about it that you. And you know that food industry can care less about your body, only profits are important.
grand post
my mom have diabete but type 1.
As far as I have read, low carbohydrate diet helps both types of diabetes. Idea is, that you try to keep blood sugar levels steady. But do your own research first. And check my other comment a little above. Everyone should benefit from less sugar and carbohydrates intake in general.
Keto diet is the only diet plan that works for me so far...
Hey cristi, I didn't post on your blog so it does not look like I'm trying to fish for more of your upvotes. But there are sometimes things I would like to say, so I'm just letting you know, don't upvote my replys here, you are already too generous and I'm going to chime in here and there ;-)