No, @Suh_San, my GP symptoms are not that severe. I sorry to read about your difficulty. Have you had diabetes for a long time?
It’s been a few weeks since I’ve been taking the potato starch, probiotics.
For the most part I feel better.
I’ve also started making my own kefir.
Would it be correct that the positive effects of the potato starch and probiotics may take a few weeks to take effect?
I had noticeable effects right away. But my basis of comparison was a gut struggling with gastroparesis. The effects for someone with a relatively good gut to start with might be more subtle, I imagine. Over time you may notice a decrease in the incidence of colds. I think your sense of well-being may also be affected. Again maybe a more subtle change if you are a relatively happy person to start with. I say it’s not hurting anything; just give it a good long trial before deciding to drop anything. Good luck.
When I started potato starch about 2 years ago it caused a dramatic improvement in my 90 minute post-prandial readings after about 50g of carbs, from the 120s to the 90s . (I was showing signs of pre diabetes, with a 1 hour OGTT of 200). It caused some reduction in my fasting glucose too. (90s to 80s).
For a couple of years my BG would still spike to 150-160, 45-60 minutes after a meal with 50g of carbs, unless it was just after a workout. (in which case It would only hit ~120)
The past few months my 45 minute post meal BG is in the 90s(!). The change was I have been taking half of a 12g Iodoral once a week, daily astaxanthin, as well as inulin and acacia powder to go with the potato starch (the latter 3 are all potent prebiotics). And also 5,000 D3+K2 which I’ve always taken. I stopped taking my 500g 2x/day Metformin as an experiment, and also stopped cinnamon and Chromium supplements, with no change after 3 weeks.
I can’t tell you if the astaxanthin has anything to do with it, but there are a few anecdotes that iodine insufficiency can affect BG.
Other than that, I eat moderate-carb paleo (no industrial seed “veggie” oils, no grains e.g. flour, very little processed food, little sugar), and I get most of my starch from white rice or tubers/potatoes/yams.
Apparently there are 11 sub types of diabetes according to this author:
http://www.endocrineweb.com/news/diabetes/19592-diabetes-diagnosis-future-11-types
… and I suspect I have mild liver insulin resistance, no muscle insulin resistance, and an issue with the “incretin effect” (which is helped by prebiotics).
The above 11 types is probably why some things work for some but not all people. So I think anyone who really wants to improve their condition needs to experiment.
P.S. I plan to resume taking Metformin due to its anti cancer and longevity effects.
P.P.S. I’ve never had more than about 20 lbs of excess fat. But now I don’t have any.
Does it matter HOW we take the potato starch? Some put one Tbspoon in cold water, stir it (not shaken…sorry could not resist) and drink it. How about if one takes a Tbspoon and wash it down with cold water? It’s pretty tasteless either way; dissolved in water or swallowed with water. The only caution that I’m aware of is to use cold or cool water; and not hot water.
Can’t imagine how it could make any difference… I’m even having a hard time conceptualizing how the temperature even makes any difference if consumed warm given the fact that it’s going to equalize to 98.6 degrees F or so within just a few seconds of being swallowed…
I’ve been just mixing it with cold water… No complaints so far.
I tend to mix it, and a tbsp of inulin, in sparkling water with a few drops of Concentrace some time after dinner.
Sometimes I add it to my smoothie.
As you mentioned, just DO NOT heat it (e.g. in hot water or soup). At 140*F it turns into regular starch, which will spike your BG.
For fun do put a tablespoon in hot water. It will turn clear and gooey, instead of staying as a white powder that likes to settle in the bottom.
YES! My health took a very bad turn last year where my gut health was non-existent. Eating very very very plain was the key along with a probiotic (not sure what kind it was now). Brown rice and plain fish. Then incorporate a bean and vegetable as you become more regular (had diarrhea)
@Ahnalira, do you belong to a candida support group? something similar to tudiabetes.org for candida sufferers?
Candida can suppress our immune system. Diabetes, could be related to or caused by or worsened by a weakened immune system.
Thanks in advance.
Hi @lh378! My sister is a biochemist and talked me into giving my 12 year old GABA. Because he is a child, I keep the dose extremely low but I really couldn’t tell if it was making a difference so after a few months we went off it. I may try to revisit it at some point. I would be interested in hearing if you have any luck with this.
@Terry4 - do you have information on whether potato starch is good for kids? Do you also use the Bob Mills potato starch?
Yes, I use Bob’s Red Mill potato starch. I don’t know about children eating potato starch. I don’t think some experimenting with it will do any harm however.
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I don’t…and I think it’s a great idea! Do you have one you recommend? If not, I’ll do a little research and report back 
@Rmbarnes5, I have not tried GABA. Please keep us all posted if you have any additional experience.
@Ahnalira, yes please do look into it! I looked quickly and came across a few groups that seem to be selling items. What’s nice about tudiabetes is that we share experience to help one another. We don’t sell stuff. We merely state our good or bad experience with abc or xyz. If you want to start a support group and can suggest a good way to start one let us know too.
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Will adding resistant starch to a meal lower the glycemic index (or slow the digestion) of that meal? I’m going to pick up some rice starch, if I can find any. Is any type of uncooked starch resistant? I can’t have potato.
I don’t know if all starches are resistant starches but when I was reading about potato starch for its resistant starch properties, I read that there was a corn starch with resistant properties. Do searches on “Hi-Maize” resistant starch.
@Jen, that’s an excellent question - whether adding resistant starch to a meal lower…(or slow the digestion of that mea)l. So far I am having less spikes after meals. The answer is not that clear it is the beneficial result of the resistant starch because at about the same time, my doctor started me on Glucophage. I could stop the resistant starch. However, I am hesitant to mess with a good situation.
Has anyone “tested” the hypothesis that resistant starch benefits that specific meal or all meals for a day?
For people with a strong sensitivity to nightshade vegetables and/or potato, Bob’s Red Mill Potato Starch may trigger said sensitivity.
An excellent substitute is Bob’s Red Mill TAPIOCA STARCH. Same caveats. DO NOT HEAT.
Rice flour AFAIK does NOT have anywhere near as much Resistant Starch.
Regarding TIMING of potato or tapioca starch. Taking it 0-30 minutes before a meal does seem to slow stomach emptying and has the effect of reducing a meal’s glycemic index. (Yes there was a study somewhere) It also has an effect on the next meal (the “2nd meal effect”).
So in theory taking a little bit 15 mins before every meal would be optimal, instead of all in one daily dose.
Re: INULIN - I take it, as well as 2 other prebiotic powders, because I’m concerned of creating a “monoculture” within my gut flora. The reasoning is that a variety of prebiotic powders will feed a variety of gut bacteria.
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Re: METFORMIN (Glucophage) and gut flora
Recently it’s been hypothesized that the action of Metformin is mainly on the gut flora, rather than in the blood. In fact there’s a new version being trialed (AFAIK), that breaks up in the large intestine, with better results than the regular or ER versions.
http://www.nature.com/nm/journal/v19/n10/fig_tab/nm.3373_F1.html
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