Can a Very Low-Calorie Diet Help Control Blood Sugar?
A low-calorie diet may help patients with diabetes control their blood sugar without medication, and even reach remission, according to new research presented at the virtual ObesityWeek conference November 2 to November 6.
Strictly reducing calories may work to help diabetes patients by improving insulin sensitivity and reducing stress on the pancreas, the organ that produces insulin, according to Evan Keller, a medical student at the University of Pittsburgh who led the research.
The study tracked data from 88 patients with diabetes who successfully completed the university’s weight loss program. Patients consumed 600-800 calories a day for three months, in the form of high-protein meal replacement shakes. They then gradually reintroduced other foods, while maintaining a calorie deficit and avoiding foods that spike blood sugar, such as processed or sweetened foods.
Excerpted from Insider
