Scientists from the University of Southern Denmark and elsewhere found eating a keto diet could benefit blood sugar control and weight loss in type 2 diabetes and common fatty liver disease.
A low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet is one way that some people try to manage their type 2 diabetes.
However, it’s unclear whether this approach is effective and whether it can also help with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
To learn more, researchers conducted a 6-month study that involved 165 people with type 2 diabetes.
They were randomly assigned to follow either a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet or a high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet.
Both groups were allowed to eat as many calories as they wanted and there was no intention of weight loss.
At the end of the 6-month study, the researchers found that the people on the low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet had better control of their blood sugar levels (measured by hemoglobin A1c) and lost more weight than those on the high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet.
Both groups had higher levels of “good” cholesterol and lower levels of triglycerides, which are a type of fat in the blood.
However, the team found the low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet was less favorable for “bad” cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein cholesterol) than the high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet.
The researchers also examined liver biopsies to assess NAFLD, but they did not find any significant differences between the two groups.
It’s important to note that the changes seen in the study were not sustained after the 6-month intervention.
The study had some limitations, such as being an open-label trial (meaning that both the participants and the researchers knew which diet the participants were following) and relying on self-reported adherence.
In conclusion, the study suggests that a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet may be a useful approach for managing type 2 diabetes, but more research is needed to determine whether the benefits are sustained over the long term.
It’s also unclear whether this diet can help with NAFLD. As always, it’s important to talk to your healthcare provider before making any changes to your diet or exercise routine.
The research was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine and conducted by Camilla Dalby Hansen et al.
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