Diabetes Mellitus is when your body can’t control how much sugar is in your blood. Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes. It causes the bloodstream to have too much glucose.
It eventually results in various disorders such as the disorder of the nervous system, circulatory, and immune systems.
In type 2 diabetes, the pancreas doesn’t make enough insulin, which is the main hormone that controls how much glucose is in the blood. There is enough proof that people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes can benefit from low-carb diets.
A ketogenic diet is one that is high in fat, has a moderate amount of protein, and is low in carbs. But is it suitable for people with diabetes?
First, let’s find out what the ketogenic diet is and how it affects blood sugar.
What is a ketogenic diet?
A keto diet is a high-fat, low-carb diet that helps control blood sugar levels by cutting back on carbs and burning fat for energy. People who want to lose body fat but don’t want to starve themselves can benefit from the ketogenic diet.
Fitness fans no longer do intermittent fasting or follow diet plans that limit how much food they eat. How does a keto diet work? Why is it good for people with diabetes?
Mechanism Of Ketosis
When you don’t eat enough carbs, your body starts to use fat as fuel. When you burn fat, your body changes into a state called ketosis, which is a different way to use energy.
In ketosis, your liver starts to turn fat molecules into small packets of energy called ketones. These energy packets give your body the power it needs to do important things. The keto diet also helps lower insulin levels in the body.
Keto For Diabetes
A keto diet is what you need if you want to lose fat all over your body or control your blood sugar levels. People have different dietary needs based on how much energy they use and how active they are.
Individualized diet plans work best for each person, but the ketogenic diet can be very helpful for some people with diabetes. Here’s why.
Foods that are high in carbs like bread, pasta, milk, fruit, and rice are good sources of energy.
When your body turns carbs into glucose, a hormone called insulin helps control how much glucose is in your blood. It is in charge of getting sugar into the cells.
But in diabetes, the insulin is either not there or does not work well. This makes it harder for the cell to use carbohydrates, which throws off the blood glucose levels.
When the body doesn’t use carbs, there is a lot of sugar in the blood. If you have diabetes, eating a lot of carbs can cause your blood sugar to rise. People with type 1 and type 2 diabetes must eat a low-carbohydrate diet because of this.
The main goal of the keto diet is to cut back on carbs. According to research, a keto diet may help lower the risk of getting diabetes. It can also help people with diabetes control their blood sugar better.
Impact Of Keto Diet On Blood Sugar Levels
On a ketogenic diet, carbs are severely limited, which forces the body to burn fat molecules for energy. People with type 2 diabetes benefit from this process of ketosis because it helps their bodies keep the right level of glucose to stay healthy.
Also, eating fewer carbs helps keep blood sugar levels from going up too quickly. This means that you won’t need as much insulin.
Studies show that a keto diet can also help keep the HbA1c levels in check. This is the amount of glucose that stays in the blood for three months with the hemoglobin.
Benefits Of A Keto Diet For Diabetes
Here are the many benefits of keto for diabetes:
- Improves glycemic control
- Low HbA1c levels
- Lower triglycerides in the body
- Reduces the need for insulin
- Improves heart health
- Helps lose weight
- Improves cognitive function
- Improves cholesterol levels
Can The Keto Diet Reverse Diabetes?
A meta-analysis of many studies found that a keto diet can bring A1C levels back to normal for people with diabetes who have been taking their medications for six months.
People who stopped taking their medications did not notice this. So, the keto diet will only help bring your A1C levels back to normal if you keep taking your medications.
Also, you have to stay on the diet for a full year. So it’s hard to say if the effect lasts if someone doesn’t stick to the diet after a certain amount of time.
When it comes to reversing diabetes, it’s hard to say for sure if ketosis can do that. More research will help us figure out what’s going on here.
Conclusion
People with diabetes can lose weight and keep their blood sugar levels under control by following the keto diet. But studies show that these effects only last for a long time if you stick to the diet. Ketogenesis can have long-term effects that aren’t always good for many people.
But diabetes can only be controlled by making big changes to the way you eat. So, a small decrease in carbohydrate intake is good for people with diabetes.
Also, a moderate amount of carbs is better for you in the long run. But before you stick to a restrictive diet, you should talk to a health professional who can help you come up with a personalized plan.
