New research from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, shows that adults with Type 2 diabetes who follow a low-carbohydrate diet might experience improvements in their beta-cell function, potentially helping them manage their condition more effectively and potentially reduce or eliminate the need for medication.
More than 38 million Americans have diabetes, and more than 90 percent of them have Type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes usually presents in people who are 45 or older. However, it is becoming more common in children, teenagers and young adults too.
People with Type 2 diabetes have a compromised beta-cell response to blood sugar, possibly due in part to eating too many carbohydrates. Beta-cell failure or insufficiency on top of insulin resistance is responsible for the development and progression of Type 2 diabetes.
“This study shows that people with Type 2 diabetes on a low-carbohydrate diet can recover their beta-cells, an outcome that cannot be achieved with medication,” said lead study author Barbara Gower, Ph.D., chair of the UAB Department of Nutrition Sciences. “People with mild Type 2 diabetes who reduce their carbohydrate intake may be able to discontinue medication and enjoy eating meals and snacks that are higher in protein and meet their energy needs.”
The study compared two groups of adults with Type 2 diabetes: one group followed a low-carb diet, and the other followed a high-carb diet. Researchers wanted to see how these diets affected beta-cell function and insulin secretion.
The study found that the low-carb diet improved beta-cell function and insulin secretion, even after accounting for any weight loss. This means the benefits of the low-carb diet were not just because people lost weight.