Is the Keto Diet Good For Diabetes?
The keto diet has been a proven tool to help people lose weight and even fight off inflammation. But there's another chronic condition that the keto diet can successfully treat: diabetes. Specifically, type 2 diabetes.
To understand how the keto diet plays a role in blood sugar, it's important to understand how your body uses carbohydrates. When you eat carbs, they are broken down into simple sugars that enter the blood stream, which causes blood sugar to rise. In someone who isn't diabetic, the pancreas releases more insulin to help the glucose in your blood centre cells where it's then used for fuel.
"By making fat their main fuel source, people living with type 2 diabetes are able to harness the powerful biochemistry of nutritional ketosis to lower their blood sugar and insulin levels, and in the majority of cases reverse the disease's underlying pathology," he told POPSUGAR.
First and foremost, diabetes patients shouldn't make any major changes to their diet without speaking with their doctor, including going on the keto diet. It should be an informed decision made by the person and his or her medical provider, especially if the person is already on glucose-lowering medication. Going into ketosis has a major impact on blood sugar and blood pressure levels, so medication should be adjusted accordingly.
Dr. Phinney also emphasized that keto only works if you're consistent; ultimately, it should be thought of as more of a lifestyle change than a temporary diet.
"If an individual living with type 2 diabetes reverts back to eating a higher carb diet after seeing success with a ketogenic diet, it is likely that their blood sugar levels will promptly return to abnormally high levels, requiring immediate medical attention," he said. "I highly recommended working with an expert nutritionist to determine how to make a ketogenic diet fit into your lifestyle, so it is a long-term solution instead of a quick fix."
When done properly and under medical supervision. a ketogetnic diet can help reverse type 2 diabetes. If you're thinking of giving it a shot, be sure to talk to your doctor or healthcare provider to create an effective, sustainable plan.