Research from Tulane University, published in JAMA Network Open, sheds new light on the effectiveness of a low-carbohydrate diet for individuals with prediabetes or diabetes who aren’t using medication.
The study explored whether a low-carb diet could help control these groups’ blood sugar levels.
The study divided participants into two groups: one followed a low-carb diet, while the other continued their usual diet.
After six months, those on the low-carb diet exhibited a more significant drop in their hemoglobin A1c levels, a key indicator of blood sugar levels, compared to those who maintained their regular diet.
Additionally, the low-carb group experienced weight loss and lower fasting glucose levels.
Kirsten Dorans, the lead author from the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, highlighted the potential of a low-carb diet as a preventive and treatment strategy for Type 2 diabetes. She did, however, call for more research to solidify these findings.
This research is crucial, considering the widespread prevalence of diabetes, particularly Type 2, which accounts for over 90% of the 37 million diabetes cases in the U.S.
Additionally, the study holds significance for the 96 million Americans with prediabetes, a condition where blood sugar levels are elevated but not high enough to be classified as diabetes.
Most of these individuals are not on medication to manage their blood sugar levels, making dietary choices a key factor in managing their health.
Participants in the study had blood sugar levels ranging from prediabetes to diabetes but were not on diabetes medication.
Dorans described the decrease in A1c levels observed in the low-carb group as modest but clinically relevant. Notably, about half of the calories in the low-carb diet came from fats, predominantly healthier fats found in olive oil and nuts.
While this study does not conclusively prove that a low-carb diet can prevent diabetes, it opens up new avenues for research into dietary impacts on diabetes and prediabetes.
Dorans points out the existing knowledge gap regarding the effects of a low-carb diet on blood sugar in people with prediabetes.
These findings could pave the way for further studies to determine if a low-carb diet could be an effective strategy for preventing Type 2 diabetes, offering a potential alternative approach for the millions of individuals dealing with prediabetes and diabetes.
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