Is Intermittent Fasting Safe and Effective for Type 2 Diabetes? Here’s What You Need to Know
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Researchers report that intermittent fasting is as effective for losing weight as diets that reduce calorie intake by 25%.
They say the difference was people using intermittent fasting for type 2 diabetes found it easier to lose weight than those told to reduce calories without time restriction dieting.
No adverse health effects of either method of lowering blood sugar were detected in either study group.
This intermittent fasting, also called time-restricted eating, can help individuals with type 2 diabetes with weight loss, while also improving blood sugar control, according to researchers from the University of Illinois Chicago.
Their studyTrusted Source was published today in the journal JAMA Network Open.
In it, investigators report participants who ate only between noon and 8 p.m. each day, with no calorie counting, lost more weight over 6 months than participants told to reduce their calorie intake by 25%.
Both groups had reductions in long-term blood sugar levels as measured by a hemoglobin A1C test, which shows blood sugar levels over the previous 3 months.
The researchers divided 75 participants into three groups: one following the time-restricted eating rules, one cutting calories, and one serving as a control.
For 6 months, researchers measured participants' weight, waist circumference, blood sugar levels, and other markers of health.
Krista Varady, PhD, senior study author and professor of kinesiology and nutrition in the College of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Illinois Chicago, said in a statement that participants in the time-restricted group found it more manageable to adhere than individuals in the calorie-reducing group.
They said they believe this is partly because doctors usually tell people with type 2 diabetes to cut back on the calories as a first line of condition management. This team said many such participants likely already tried and struggled with that form of dieting.
Participants in the time-restricted group weren't instructed to reduce their calories but ended up doing so anyway, by eating in a fixed window.
The study from Varady added weight to the fact that time-restricted eating can be an effective alternative to traditional dieting for those who could not do a traditional diet or were burned out on it. "For many people trying to lose weight, counting time is easier than counting calories.
Researchers said no one reported serious adverse health events during the 6-month study. Occurrences of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) didn't differ between the groups.
The researchers said it is important to find more options to control weight and blood sugar levels as one in 10 peopleTrusted Source in the United States has diabetes and one in three have prediabetes.
Slightly over half of those studied were Black, while 40 percent were Hispanic. Significantly, diabetes is particularly prevalent within those two populations, the researchers added.
The study was small, Varady said, and should be followed up by larger ones. Although it most likely shows time-restricted eating is safe for people with type 2 diabetes, Varady said people with the condition should consult their doctors before starting this sort of program.
For example, Dr. David Smith, Co-Founder of Bladgo who was not involved in the study, told Medical News Today that he has seen firsthand that intermittent fasting can be a powerful tool to fight diabetes when done under medical supervision.
During periods of fasting, insulin levels drop, enabling cells to become more sensitive to insulin when eating is resumed," David said. "This greater sensitivity in turn enables the body to manage blood sugar levels more efficiently and can preclude the dangerous spiking and crashing common in diabetes.
Intermittent fasting can also promote weight loss-an essential component in the management of type 2 diabetes-in that the loss of excess weight is generally associated with increased insulin sensitivity, with improved overall glycemic control," he added. "Thus, many people end up depending less on medication to control the condition.".
Huntriss accounted for certain cons associated with intermittent fasting.
It's all about weighing the risks. Some people who have diabetes are on medications that can allow blood glucose to fall too low, said Huntriss. This is a risk when making big changes to your diet; thus, one needs to speak to the doctor in advance of a new diet, if that someone has been diagnosed with something like type 2 diabetes, especially for those medicated.
Intermittent fasting is not for everyone," Huntriss said. "Intermittent fasting is not appropriate for those who are pregnant, breastfeeding, have a low body weight or have a history of eating disorders, so it's really important to review your personal suitability of a diet before giving it a go.
I do think that there is some merit and may be some advantages to the utilization of an intermittent fasting diet in the treatment specifically for type 2 diabetes in patients that are overweight and need to monitor caloric intake as part of the treatment plan," Strange said.
All diabetic patients should consult their physician before starting any diet, especially depending on the type of diabetes and medications, he said. There are a variety of medications to go along with the type of diabetes, and these must be taken accordingly.
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