High-fat, low-carbohydrate diets are a feasible long-term treatment for type 1 diabetes

This study was published in Upsala Journal of Medical Science 2005;110(3):267-73

Study title and authors:

A low carbohydrate diet in type 1 diabetes: clinical experience--a brief report.

Nielsen JV, Jönsson E, Ivarsson A.

Department of Medicine, Blekingesjukhuset, Karlshamn, Sweden. jorgen.vesti-nielsen@ltblekinge.se

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16454166

This study examined the effects of a high-fat, low-carbohydrate, diet on 22 patients with type I diabetes who were failing to control fluctuations in their blood sugar levels in higher carbohydrate diets. The diet was limited to around 70-90 grams a day of carbohydrate and excluded potatoes, rice, pasta, bread and cereals. The diet consisted of 20% carbohydrate, 30% protein and 50% fat.

After 12 months on the high-fat, low-carbohydrate, diet, the study found:
(a) Hypoglycaemic episodes (where the blood glucose levels drop to abnormally low dangerous values) decreased from 2.9 episodes per week to 0.5 episodes per week.
(b) Meal insulin requirements decreased from 21.1 Iu per day to 12.4 Iu per day.
(c) Unhealthy high triglyceride levels decreased by 33%.

This study shows that a high-fat, low-carbohydrate, diet is a feasible long-term treatment of type 1 diabetes and leads to improved blood glucose control.

Links to other studies:
Reduced saturated fat consumption has led to vitamin D deficiency
The beneficial effects of a low carbohydrate diet for diabetes
Type I diabetics have better blood sugar control on a high fat diet