The low cal short term diet is being used. They are getting T2 reversal with it. That fasting diet is similar to what Prof Taylor is using in his $2 million phase 2 trial, underway now for T2. It’s under 900 calorie so it’s low C/P/F
http://www.ncl.ac.uk/magres/research/diabetes/
Newcastle diet Lectures
The paper is about results obtained in vivo with laboratory mice and in vitro with human pancreatic cells. No GP or anyone else should make any dietary or any other recommendations based on reading the paper, which is entirely about cell biochemistry, not about diets or dietary recommendations.
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going by the ref. in the study, this was the HUMAN study from which the FMD was copied.
In summary, this study indicates that FMD cycles induce long-lasting beneficial and/or rejuvenating effects on many tissues, including those of the endocrine, immune, and nervous systems in mice and in markers for diseases and regeneration in humans. Although the clinical results will require confirmation by a larger randomized trial, the effects of FMD cycles on biomarkers/risk factors for aging, cancer, diabetes, and CVD, coupled with the very high compliance to the diet and its safety, indicate that this periodic dietary strategy has high potential to be effective in promoting human healthspan. Because prolonged FMDs such as the one tested here are potent and broad-spectrum, they should only be considered for use under medical supervision.
A Periodic Diet that Mimics Fasting Promotes Multi-System Regeneration, Enhanced Cognitive Performance, and Healthspan
Periodic FMD in a Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial
Markers of Aging and Diseases
To evaluate the feasibility and potential impact of a periodic low-protein and low-calorie FMD in humans, we conducted a pilot clinical trial in generally healthy adults. The components and levels of micro- and macro-nutrients in the human FMD were selected based on their ability to reduce IGF-1, increase IGFBP-1, reduce glucose, increase ketone bodies, maximize nourishment, and minimize adverse effects (Figure 6) in agreement with the FMD’s effects in mice (Figure S1). The development of the human diet took into account feasibility (e.g., high adherence to the dietary protocol) and therefore was designed to last 5 days every month and to provide between 34% and 54% of the normal caloric intake with a composition of at least 9%–10% proteins, 34%–47% carbohydrates, and 44%–56% fat. Subjects were randomized either to the FMD for 5 days every month for 3 months (3 cycles) or to a control group in which they continued to consume their normal diet (Figure 6A). Subjects were asked to resume their normal diet after the FMD period and were asked to not implement any changes in their dietary or exercise habits. 5% of the subjects were disqualified due to non-compliance to the dietary protocol. 14% of the enrolled subjects withdrew from the study due to non-diet-related reasons (e.g., work- and travel-related scheduling issues). We present results of the pilot randomized clinical trial that includes a set of 19 participants who successfully completed 3 FMD cycles, as well as data for 19 participants who were randomized to continue on their normal diet and serve as controls. The control group included 9 females (47.4%) and 10 males (52.6%) with an average age of 35.4 ± 5.5 years and 38.0 ± 1.7 years, respectively. The FMD cohort included 7 females (36.8%) and 12 males (63.2%) with an average age of 41.8 ± 4.9 years and 42.5 ± 3.5 years, respectively (Figures S5A and S5B). The age range was 19.8–67.6 years for the control cohort and 27.6–70 years for the FMD cohort. The ethnicity was 58% White, 18.5% Hispanic, 18.5% Asian, and 5% Black (Figure S5C). Subjects were evaluated by a baseline examination (Figure 6A). For the FMD group, the follow-up examinations occurred before resuming normal food intake at the end of the first FMD cycle (FMD) and after 5–8 days of normal dieting following the third FMD cycle (FMD-RF, Figure 6A). The average time between the baseline and the FMD-RF assay/measurement points was 75.2 ± 2.7 days, whereas the time between baseline and the final examination was 74.5 ± 6.0 days in the control group. For all three FMD cycles, study participants self-reported adverse effects following Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (Figure S5D). Adverse effects were higher after completion of the first FMD cycle compared to those during the second and third FMD cycles. However, the average reported severity of the side effects was very low and below “mild” (<1 on a scale of 1–5).
Has any type 1 tried this type of fasting with any personal results? I practice intermittent fasting but nothing like this before.
Yes, if they only prescribe on the basis of formal trials. Many of us try things that haven’t been validated by huge random controlled trials as long as the treatment is likely to be safe. Many people are fasting.
Just a note about this article regarding the parents that basically killed their type 1 diabetic son… from all that I’ve read, the parents weren’t trying to control his type 1 diabetes with diet, they just flat out refused to believe that he even had type 1 diabetes! So horrible and so tragic.
I think it would be easier for a T1 on MDI or a pump, they can access their body fat easier than a T2. The 9%–10% proteins, 34%–47% carbohydrates, and 44%–56% fat. wouldn’t be hard to calculate.
short term fasting calories are between 500 cal and/or by this study about 40% of your normal calorie intake
I personally would have dropped the carb more and kept some protein and added more fats, I can’t see carbs being better and they would be at 5% for me. … but I will go with them, until I had a reason and thought I knew better. It seems they wanted lower protein.
“The very small meals I was given during the five-day fast were far from gourmet cooking, but I was glad to have something to eat”
"… people could “get into trouble” with their health if it was done without medical guidance."
I tried a more severe fasting that was medically guided. Maybe that’s where I went wrong? My results were disastrous. 
I’d have stuck with it had the outcome been what I wanted. Unfortunately, fasting resulted in worse bg readings. The longer I went without eating, the worse things got.
are you T1 or T2 on D meds other than metformin? If you are an insulin resistant T2 the fasting will be hard, you can’t easily access your body fat to burn, on a normal/high carb diet and is where low carb or keto comes in, to switch to fat burning.
From what I’m reading you need to avoid animal products so the protein intake will then be lower overall. I don’t see carbs as an enemy. People just over do it. But your body needs healthy carbs. And 50% carbs is not unhealthy. It will help people adhere to the fast. I will come up with a 5 day meal schedule that includes all natural foods and take it from there. The only part I don’t like is that I can’t workout for those 5 days!!
Just to be clear, the paper in the original post (about biochemistry of beta-cell regeneration) is reporting results with mice (in vivo) and human pancreatic cells (in vitro), not with humans. You are quoting a different paper that reports on general benefits of what the authors refer to as fasting mimicking diet (FMD). This is also an interesting topic, but is not addressing potential mechanisms of beta-cell regeneration in humans.
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The number of mice studies that have not proven transferable to humans dwarfs the number of times we’ve been told “a cure in 5 years”, and the two have equal credibility with me.
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This is actually a phenomenally data-packed,carefully thought out and well written report - I have been reading scientific papers in the area of biochemistry/molecular biology/genetics for over 40 years and this paper is probably the longest and most detailed I have ever read. I spent four hours going over it this weekend and still need more time to fully digest the implications, which go far beyond the effects of diet and into some really novel stuff on beta cell development and regeneration. I am tied up all day today and am away at a meeting until Thursday, so I will try to post a detailed critique when I get back.
Sorry about the delay but I think it will be worth it to do this thoroughly.
Joel
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Thank you so much, Joel, for being willing to take such a close look at this for us and help us understand its possible implications for our community! Grateful for your thoughts!
Even if this fasting diet regenerates beta cells, won’t a T1’s immune system kill them off again? Or does this diet also reprogram the immune system to not attack the beta cells?
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I don’t think it’s for T1’s and regen. I think it’s more for insulin resistance/metabolic syndrome type D stuff.
The human evolution stuff, fasting kills off cells, as the body shuts down and regrows them when the famine is over. I don’t know about this studdy, as I didn’t get too far into it, but others think this is the action.
@jjm335 – I would love to hear your critique…
Joel,
You sound like a busy man, we’d love to hear from you once you have digested this dense upload of information. I’d rather wait and have your honest and thorough feedback. Good luck!!
I have been up to my eyeballs with stuff at work and today I am stuck at home waiting for the engineer to come and fix our central heating. I WILL post a review ASAP, hopefully by tomorrow
Joel
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I agree about finding it disturbing as I have a background in this and want to remind folks that prior to the availability of insulin they fed diabetics every other day and did that with a limited diet. We had many many early deaths and complications…