Low carb diets help control type 2 diabetes better

Low carbohydrate diet saves some sufferers from taking medications
Type 2 diabetes is a metabolic disease in which the hormone insulin works worse. The result of this is then increased blood sugar levels. Researchers have now discovered that a diet low in carbohydrates helps people control their condition better. Some sufferers even no longer need medication to regulate their blood sugar.

Researchers found in an investigation that ten weeks later people who were on a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet were finding that their blood sugar levels were dropping. For this reason, the medical community thinks that low carb diets may be a reliable way to better control type 2 diabetes in the future. The researchers will publish the results of their study at the so-called European Obesity Summit in Sweden.

People with diabetes have problems with their blood sugar. They need to be constantly monitored to avoid dangerous effects on their health. Researchers have now found that a change in diet helps to better manage the disease. With a low carbohydrate diet, even some sufferers no longer need to take any medication to control blood sugar. (Image: lieselfuchs / fotolia.com)

Regular examinations in children with diabetes are particularly important
A review of more than 80,000 people who took a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet has now shown that after about ten weeks of this change in diet, the blood sugar level dropped, reports the Telegraph. This makes it much easier to control such a disease. About 75 percent of older children with diabetes do not receive screening to control their condition. These include, for example, eye and foot examinations as well as measurements of growth, blood pressure, kidney functions and cholesterol. If children are not supported in the management of their disease in early life, the danger of life-threatening complications increases for them, the scientists warn, according to the Telegraph.

Benefits of a low-carb diet
Participants in the study had participated in an investigation following a so-called low carb diet plan. In this type of diet, subjects tried to consume low-starch foods. For this they took a lot of protein and healthy saturated fats, such as olive oil and nuts, the authors explain to the Telegraph. More than 80 percent of all subjects claimed to have lost at least 10 percent of their weight through this type of diet. More than 70 percent of participants experienced improvements in blood sugar after ten weeks of dietary change, and a fifth said they no longer needed medication to regulate their blood sugar.

Official dietary guidelines should urgently be revised
Meanwhile, some doctors are pushing for an overhaul of current dietary guidelines. The new study has provided clear evidence of the benefits of a low carbohydrate diet, say the experts. So far, most patients stick to nutritional plans that do not support low carbohydrate diets. Public Health England (PHE) and Diabetes UK still rate that, explain the physicians. Concerned those plans and tried to lose weight. However, the blood sugar remained high and so had the sufferers continue to resort to medication, the authors add to the Telegraph.

In the UK alone, more than 2.7 million people suffer from type 2 diabetes
In the UK alone, over 2.7 million people suffer from Type 2 diabetes. This disease is closely linked to obesity. About 750,000 people are believed to have undiagnosed symptoms of the disease, the experts report. A change in diet could probably help many of those affected to better manage their condition and control their blood sugar more easily. (As)