Old stone age diets lower the risk of heart disease and diabetes

This study was published in Cardiovascular Diabetology 2009 Jul 16;8:35

Study title and authors:

Beneficial effects of a Paleolithic diet on cardiovascular risk factors in type 2 diabetes: a randomized cross-over pilot study.

Jönsson T, Granfeldt Y, Ahrén B, Branell UC, Pålsson G, Hansson A, Söderström M, Lindeberg S.

Source

Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund, Lund University, Box 117, 221 00 Lund, Sweden. Tommy.Jonsson@med.lu.se

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19604407

The aim of the study was to compare the effects of a Paleolithic "Old Stone Age" diet and a low fat diabetes diet in patients with type II diabetes not treated with insulin. The study include 13 type II diabetic patients who consumed each diet for three months.

The diets comprised of:

(i) "Old stone age diet". 32% carbohydrate, 24% protein 39% fat. Meat consumption was 90% higher, egg consumption 163% higher and cholesterol consumption was 58% higher on the "old stone age diet" compared to the low fat diabetes diet. Also no sweetened drinks were consumed.

(ii) Low fat diabetes diet. 42% carbohydrate, 20% protein, 34% fat. Cereals consumption was 1463% higher, bread consumption 240% higher and potato consumption was 116% higher on the low fat diabetes diet compared to the "old stone age diet." Also 38 grams per day of sweetened drinks were consumed.

The study found:

(a) Compared to the diabetes diet, the old stone age diet resulted in 0.4% lower HbA1c levels.

(b) Compared to the diabetes diet, the old stone age diet resulted in 0.4 mmol/l (35 mg/dL) lower triglyceride levels.

(c) Compared to the diabetes diet, the old stone age diet resulted in 4 mmHg lower diastolic blood pressure levels.

(d) Compared to the diabetes diet, the old stone age diet resulted in an extra 3 kg in weight loss.

(e) Compared to the diabetes diet, the old stone age diet resulted in .08 mmol/l (3 mg/dL) higher levels of high density lipoprotrin (HDL) cholesterol.

All the measurements above show, that for patients with type II diabetes, the "old stone age diet" lowers the risk of heart disease and diabetes compared to a low fat diabetes diet.