Fasting diet reduces risk markers of type 2 diabetes, study finds (Better than simple calorie reduction)

Medical Xpress / University of Adelaide / Nature Medicine ^ | April 6, 2024 | Leonie Heilbronn et al

[ConservativeMind]

A fasting diet which focuses on eating early in the day could be the key to reducing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Researchers compared two different diets: a time restricted, intermittent fasting diet and a reduced calorie diet to see which one was more beneficial for people who were prone to developing type 2 diabetes.

"Following a time restricted, intermittent fasting diet could help lower the chances of developing type 2 diabetes," said Professor Leonie Heilbronn.

"People who fasted for three days during the week, only eating between 8am and 12pm on those days, showed a greater tolerance to glucose after 6 months than those on a daily, low-calorie diet.

"Participants who followed the intermittent fasting diet were more sensitive to insulin and also experienced a greater reduction in blood lipids than those on the low-calorie diet."

Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body's cells don't respond effectively to insulin and it loses its ability to produce the hormone, which is responsible for controlling glucose in blood.

It's estimated that nearly 60 percent of type 2 diabetes cases could be delayed or prevented with changes to diet and lifestyle.

Almost 1.3 million Australians are currently living with the condition, for which there is no cure.

There were more than 200 participants recruited from South Australia in the 18-month study.

Participants on both the time restricted, intermittent fasting diet and the low-calorie diet experienced similar amounts of weight loss.

"This is the largest study in the world to date and the first powered to assess how the body processes and uses glucose after eating a meal, which is a better indicator of diabetes risk than a fasting test," said first author Xiao Tong Teong, a Ph.D. student.

[ConservativeMind]

This is an easy to implement diet, but should be done with your doctor, if a Type 2 diabetic, as it will influence your blood sugar.

[ConservativeMind]

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[Leaning Right]

Good article, and for me quite important.

Thanks, ConservativeMind, for posting. It is very much appreciated.

[Maine Mariner]

Ditto!

[gov_bean_ counter]

Good catch. Thanks.

[fso301]

Participants on both the time restricted, intermittent fasting diet and the low-calorie diet experienced similar amounts of weight loss.

Would be interesting to know what the BMIs were at the beginning of the study. I know someone borderline type 2 that is not overweight. Therefore, I'm not sure if this information would be of benefit to him versus the standard intermittent fasting, exercise and nutritious food.

[Valpal1]

Yes. The purpose of fasting is to reduce insulin resistance of your cells. Not eating is the only way to achieve this. For most T2’s when you eat and how often is vastly more important than what.

For decades they have been giving T1 and T2 diabetics the same nutritional advice and it’s killing T2’s, because they actually produce plenty of insulin, but they have become insensitive to it because their body is awash with it from constant eating.

[zeestephen]

Re: 12 PM

Is that 12 Noon or 12 Midnight?

[ConservativeMind]

Noon

[Secret Agent Man]

Multiple bene fits to intermittent fasting. Some even better ones if you can do a 3 or 5 day water fast.

[MayflowerMadam]

I wish I could do this. I would be dizzy and mumbling by 8 pm with blood sugar issues.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

We’re not diabetic, so we do this. We eat a low-carb supper at 6pm, then no food until Noon the next day. (An 18 hour ‘fast’ for those of you in Rio Linda, LOL! Miss You, Rush!)

We’re not losing any weight, but we’re not GAINING any and our blood sugars and blood pressures are good. :)

[Campion]

You just have to stick it out a bit longer. Eventually you switch over to burning fat and most of those issues dramatically improve.

I've been on a total fast (only water & electrolytes) from Thursday noon to Friday night since early February. Thursday night I feel like I have a mild case of flu, but when I get up on Friday I'm mostly back to normal; I just fatigue a little easier than normal.

[Fractal Trader]

8:00 AM to 12:00 PM is too difficult for most people, including myself. I shoot for the 16 hours off diet, and mostly succeed.

[goodnesswins]

Eating only between 8am and Noon is “easy”....???? Noon to 6pm would seem much easier to me.

[LizzieD]

This is not surprising. The trick is how often you raise your insulin levels. You may lose an equal amount of weight on a calorie restricted diet, but if you’re eating every two hours, your insulin just keeps kicking in.

[Valpal1]

If you are on insulin you will need to monitor that carefully, but if you’re not, you might fight increasing your salt intake helpful. I suck on rock salt when I get woozy, also increase your fluids. Fasting can deplete your salrs and is also dehydrating.