- Studies have shown that weight loss by reducing carbohydrate intake can lead to the remission of type 2 diabetes, involving the return of blood glucose (sugar) levels to prediabetic levels in the absence of medications.
- A recent study published in BMJ Journal Nutrition, Prevention, & Health showed that a low-carbohydrate diet was effective in achieving glycemic control in people living with Type 3 Diabetes.
Furthermore, more than half of the participants adopting the low-carbohydrate diet achieved type 2 diabetes remission, which meant they were able to eventually stop taking medications.
Study author Dr Urwin of Norwood Surgery, United Kingdom, said
“Incredibly, 77% of those adopting a low-carb approach in the first year of their [type 2 diabetes] achieved remission. This represents a really important ‘window of opportunity’ for further investigation.”
Dr Eckman, endocrinologist at Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck, NJ, not involved in this study, noted that the results are “very significant given the fact that many patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus would like to eventually come off of their medications.”
“This article [in The BMJ journal] provides a blueprint for how many patients were successful in controlling their diabetes with diet alone,” he added. “It will be interesting in the future to hopefully see how this diet can be integrated with our own patients in controlling and managing their diabetes.”
Individuals with type 2 diabetes show inadequate control of blood sugar levels due to the inability of the body to effectively use insulin and absorb sugar.
As a result, individuals with diabetes have elevated blood sugar levels.
Moreover, type 2 diabetes is associated with a progressive decline in the ability to control blood glucose levels, requiring the use of a greater number of medications with time.
Conventionally, doctors have regarded type 2 diabetes as an incurable and lifelong condition. However, recent research has shown that long-term remission of type 2 diabetes is possible.
However, it must be noted that diabetes remission does not imply that the condition is cured and blood glucose levels can potentially revert to diabetic levels.
Although there is a growing number of medications that can help achieve blood sugar control, a significant number of individuals show poor glycemic control.
For instance, recent estimates indicate that approx 2 million individuals in England are at risk of type 2 diabetes.
Excessive intake of energy leads to the accumulation of fat around the liver. The accumulation of fat is associated with reduced sensitivity of the liver to glucose and, subsequently, reduced secretion of insulin by the pancreatic beta-cells.
Studies suggest that reducing energy intake can induce type 2 diabetes remission by reducing the level of liver fats and improving the function of pancreatic beta-cells.
Adopting a healthy diet could help individuals with type 2 diabetes achieve remission, but there is conflicting evidence about the effectiveness of the various diets. One of the dietary approaches to weight loss includes reducing the intake of carbohydrates.
Specifically, such a diet involves limiting the intake of carbohydrates such as bread, rice, sugar and potatoes while promoting the intake of green leafy vegetables, fish, meat, nuts, and fruits.
Besides improving pancreatic beta-cell function and reducing fat accumulation, a low-carbohydrate diet can also help achieve sustained weight loss by reducing hunger and increasing energy expenditure.
This is important because preventing the return of lost weight is one of the biggest challenges for individuals with type 2 diabetes.
