Type 1 diabetes can be managed with a very low-carb diet

A study published in the journal Pediatrics has found that following a very low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet can help manage Type 1 diabetes in young people. This finding was based on the results of an observational trial on children with Type 1 diabetes who followed a low-carb diet.

• The study, led by Belinda Lennerz and David Ludwig of Boston Children’s Hospital, aimed to assess glycemic control among children and adults with Type 1 diabetes who follow a very low-carbohydrate diet.
• The average carbohydrate intake of the participants was 36 grams each day.
• For the study, the researchers carried out an online survey of an international social media group for people with Type 1 diabetes who follow a very low-carbohydrate diet for an average of just over two years.
• They gathered responses from a total of 316 respondents which included adults and parents of children with Type 1 diabetes.
• They measured hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), which is used to determine the average blood sugar levels.
• They also assessed the changes in HbA1c after the self-reported beginning of following a very low-carbohydrate diet, total daily insulin dose, and adverse events.
• Afterward, the researchers reviewed the participants’ medical records and contacted their diabetes care providers.
• Results of the study showed that following a very low-carbohydrate diet significantly reduced blood sugar levels between meals.
• The HbA1c levels of the participants also dropped to 5.67 percent. HbA1c levels lower than 5.7 percent are considered in the normal range.

Overall, the study suggests that following a very low-carbohydrate diet helps control glucose levels and reduces adverse events in people with Type 1 diabetes.

To read more studies on managing blood sugar levels, visit BloodSugar.news.

Journal Reference:

Lennerz BS, Barton A, Bernstein RK, Dikeman RD, Diulus C, Hallberg S, Rhodes ET, Ebbeling CB, Westman EC, Yancy WS, et al. MANAGEMENT OF TYPE 1 DIABETES WITH A VERY LOW–CARBOHYDRATE DIET. Pediatrics. 1 June 2018;141(6). DOI: 10.1542/peds.2017-3349