A low-carb diet may allow people with type 2 diabetes to stop taking medications to lower their blood sugar. This was shown by a study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM).
Beta cells in the pancreas produce and secrete insulin, a hormone that controls blood sugar levels. In type 2 diabetes, these cells may respond less effectively to rising sugar levels. A new study of 57 patients found that a low-carbohydrate diet may improve beta cell function. Cereals and all sweet and flour products are rich in carbohydrates.
The volunteers were divided into two equal groups. For 12 weeks, they followed either a high-carbohydrate (55% carbohydrates and 20% fat) or low-carbohydrate diet (9% carbohydrates and 65% fat). After 12 weeks, beta cell function improved in the carbohydrate-restricted group. In the case of some indicators, the increase in efficiency was twice as high.
Scientists believe that if followed for a longer period of time, a low-carb diet can lead to remission and cessation of diabetes medications. They plan to test this in future studies.
