Comment by system2

4 days ago

Question: Doesn't a carb-free (carnivor/true keto) diets eliminate diabetes?

High blood sugar is a symptom of the underlying pathology—the lack of insulin in T1, low sensitivity to insulin in T2 (itself typically but not always secondary to other factors such as visceral obesity). Low carbohydrate intake can manage the deleterious effects of T2, but it is not a cure.

Depends on the type. For instance, my diabetes is caused by scarring of the pancreas due to another medical condition, and no diet can undo that.

no. type one diabetics do not produce insulin. the immune system attacks insulin producing cells in the pancreas. there is no "elimination."

No. Though low-carb diets are generally a good idea for those suffering from diabetes, it doesn't eliminate it, and in fact one of the most life-threatening situations a T1 diabetic can be in (hypoglycemia) needs to be addressed by giving them as close to pure sugar as you can manage (and the person themselves might be too out of it to manage on their own - advanced hypoglycemia impairs brain function).

See sources below. The answer is… No! All food requires insulin. This is true for type-1-diabetics and non-diabetics. Fat and protein require insulin, but via a “post-bolus” instead of a “pre-bolus”. Another issue is fat and protein cause insulin resistance.

Here’s a link to an insulin calculator for fat and protein: https://drlogy.com/calculator/warsaw-method

Sources: “The effect of fat and protein was additive, with blood glucose concentrations increasing by 5.4 mmol/L (97.2 mg/dl) at 5 h, the sum of the individual incremental increases for protein and fat” https://diabetesjournals.org/care/article/38/6/1008/37384/Im...

“Meal composition impacts postprandial glucose excursions. Education on the impact of high-fat and high-protein meals and the adjustment of insulin dosing is necessary.” Source: ADA Standards of Care in Diabetes—2024 https://diabetesjournals.org/care/article/47/Supplement_1/S2...

“Match mealtime insulin doses to carbohydrate intake and, additionally, to fat and protein intake.” Source: ADA Standards of Care in Diabetes—2024 https://diabetesjournals.org/care/article/47/Supplement_1/S1...

“Insulin dosing based on carbohydrate plus fat/protein counting reduces the postprandial glucose levels” Source: Pediatric Diabetes Volume 13, Issue 7 p. 540-544 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22765260/

“research and the use of continuous glucose monitoring have shown that other nutritional properties of food, including fat, protein, and glycemic index significantly affect postprandial glucose excursions” https://diabetesjournals.org/care/article/38/6/1008/37384/Im...

Don't get your intel from social media gurus.

  • That applies to vegan militants as well. It is well researched now that low-carb puts T2 diabetes in remission, and calling it bro science won't invalidate it.