Published on
Updated
Reading 2 mins.
in collaboration with
Réginald Allouche (General practitioner, bio-medical engineer)
Losing weight may sometimes be recommended in diabetic patients to better balance their blood sugar levels. According to a study presented at the congress of the American Society for Nutrition, intermittent fasting could be a solution. Explanations from Dr Réginald Allouche, diabetes specialist.
In overweight diabetic patients, it is recommended to lose a few pounds in order to better regulate their blood sugar. Intermittent fasting could be the solution, especially since this practice would also help regulate blood sugar.
Fasting proposed in the morning
This study was conducted by Professor Krista Varady, professor of nutrition at the University of Chicago and her team. The scientists studied a group of 75 people with obesity and type 2 diabetes, aged between 18 and 80. For this work, the researchers divided the volunteers into three groups.
The first was subjected to intermittent fasting, with an extended time window from noon to 8 p.m. to eat, the second group could eat at any time of the day, provided they counted the calories swallowed and the third group did not have special condition and should continue to eat as usual.
Patients on intermittent fasting lost 3.55% of their weight
Results: volunteers subjected to intermittent fasting lost 3.55% of their weight in 6 months, while people who practiced calorie restriction did not lose weight at all. Both groups, however, managed to lower their blood sugar levels.
However, experts still question the compatibility of diabetes treatments with intermittent fasting. “Our study shows that intermittent fasting can be a good alternative for people with type 2 diabetes who want to lose weight and improve their blood sugar.” note the researchers.
“However, there are several types of medication for people with type 2 diabetes, some of which can cause hypoglycemia. Others should be taken with meals. Therefore, it is important to work closely with a dietitian or physician when implementing this dietary approach.”.
The point of view of Dr. Réginald Allouche, diabetes specialist
“This study inspires me several things: on the one hand, we do not know the impact of this practice at 5 years old, so we must remain cautious. In addition, the possibility of doing intermittent fasting depends on the tolerance of each : Is there a risk of hypoglycaemia?My third remark concerns age: you should know that the older you get, the more difficult it is to implement new habits and that, on the contrary, you tend to favor routine. And finally, the last point that I raise concerns the overall measured weight loss: 4% loss is not a really significant result. In the end, I would remain cautious before recommending intermittent fasting to all diabetics”.