Maria Lourdes Joven

Blog3 Ketogenic Diet and Type 2 Diabetes The Ketogenic Diet is not just for those who want to lose weight. And those who want to maintain their weight. Studies have been made and are still ongoing on how the diet is helping those who have Type 2 diabetes. What is the Ketogenic Diet? Foods containing ​carbohydrates​, such as bread, pasta, and fruit, are the body's main fuel source. The body breaks the food down and uses the resulting sugar (glucose) for energy. A ketogenic diet is a high-fat, very low carbohydrate diet. It was initially developed and ​recommended for children with epilepsy​. The diet recommends that people eat 30 grams (g) of carbohydrates or below per day. The goal is to eat 3 to 4 g of fat for every 1 g of carbohydrate and protein. What is Type 2 Diabetes? Type 2 diabetes, once known as adult-onset or noninsulin-dependent diabetes, is a chronic condition that affects the way your body metabolizes sugar (glucose), your body's important source of fuel. With type 2 diabetes, your body either resists the effects of insulin — a hormone that regulates the movement of sugar into your cells — or doesn't produce enough insulin to maintain a normal glucose level. More common in adults, type 2 diabetes increasingly affects children as childhood obesity increases. There's no cure for type 2 diabetes, but you may be able to manage the condition by eating well, exercising and maintaining a healthy weight. If diet and exercise aren't enough to manage your blood sugar well, you also may need diabetes medications or insulin therapy. Signs and symptoms of type 2 diabetes often develop slowly. In fact, you can have type 2 diabetes for years and not know it. Look for: ● Increased thirst and frequent urination.​ Excess sugar building up in your bloodstream causes fluid to be pulled from the tissues. This may leave you thirsty. As a result, you may drink — and urinate — more than usual. ● Increased hunger.​ Without enough insulin to move sugar into your cells, your muscles and organs become depleted of energy. This triggers intense hunger. ● Weight loss.​ Despite eating more than usual to relieve hunger, you may lose weight. Without the ability to metabolize glucose, the body uses alternative fuels stored in muscle and fat. Calories are lost as excess glucose is released in the urine. ● Fatigue.​ If your cells are deprived of sugar, you may become tired and irritable. ● Blurred vision.​ If your blood sugar is too high, fluid may be pulled from the lenses of your eyes. This may affect your ability to focus. ● Slow-healing sores or frequent infections.​ Type 2 diabetes affects your ability to heal ​and resist infections. ● Areas of darkened skin.​ Some people with type 2 diabetes have patches of dark, velvety skin in the folds and creases of their bodies — usually in the armpits and neck. This condition, called acanthosis nigricans, may be a sign of insulin resistance. What happens when a person who has Type 2 Diabetes goes on the Keto Diet? Impact on blood sugar levels Because the ketogenic diet restricts carbohydrates, there is not enough sugar available for the body to use as fuel, so it resorts to using fat. The process of breaking down fat is called "​ketosis​," and it produces a fuel source called ketones. A ketogenic diet helps some people with ​type 2 diabetes​ because it allows the body to maintain glucose levels at a low but healthy level. The reduced amount of carbohydrates in the diet helps eliminate large spikes in blood sugar, reducing the need for ​insulin​. Studies surrounding ketogenic diets have found that they can be helpful in the reduction of HbA1c. This is a 3-month average of blood glucose levels. Impact on need for medication Ketogenic diets may help to reduce blood sugar levels. As such, some people with type 2 diabetes following a ketogenic diet may be able to reduce their medication. However, those following the ketogenic diet, as well as an insulin regimen, may be more at risk of developing ​hypoglycemia​ (low blood sugar). Hypoglycemia occurs when blood sugar levels fall to ​70 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) or less​. Impact on weight The ketogenic diet helps the body burn fat, which is beneficial when trying to lose weight. This may be helpful for those with type 2 diabetes, as well as prediabetes. Research​ has shown that people undertaking a ketogenic diet show an improvement in blood sugar level management. They have also been shown to experience noticeable weight loss. An article from the NCBI Website regarding a study that was made on Type 2 Diabetes and the Keto Diet states that the low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diet (LCKD) may be effective for improving glycemia and reducing medications in patients with type 2 diabetes. There was another study made by NCBI Effect of low-calorie versus low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet in type 2 diabetes​. ​The result was both The Low Calorie Diet and Low Carbohydrate Ketogenic Diet has beneficial effects on all the parameters examined. And that the changes were more significant in subjects who were on the LCKD as compared to those on the LCD. They concluded that the beneficial effects of the Keto Diet over the LCD in obese diabetic subjects. The Keto Diet appears to improve glycemic control. Therefore, diabetic patients on a keto diet ​should be under strict medical supervision because the LCKD can significantly lower blood glucose levels. https://www.everydayhealth.com/type-2-diabetes/diet/ketogenic-diet-diabetes-this-low-carb-dietyou/ https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/317431.php https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/type-2-diabetes/symptoms-causes/syc- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC-/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/-