Interesting research, and some very good results so far from it. In brief it's a 600 calorie a day ultra low fat diet for 8 weeks, used on T2's if diagnosed early enough (in first 4 years). Research is showing getting liver far levels down to normal levels within a week allowing insulin resistance problems to removed, and pancreas fat levels removed and normal within the following 7 weeks getting the pancreas to function as normal after the 8 week period.
Initial studies are pretty solid, and it's moving to a national scale testing now. But yes, doesn't effect T2's who have been T2 for a long time, only newly diagnosed.
Seems kinda drastic....800 calories a day. Diet and exercise are an important part of controlling T2 but this seems a little overboard. It does nothing to address the lifestyle changes that are needed by many with T2. A quick starvation diet does nothing to prepare a T2 for a lifetime of controlling his or her diabetes.
T2 is not a reversible disease, it can only be held at bay. If a person is not taught how to do so on a continuing basis this so called reversal will be very short lived.
That's the research though. It is very drastic a diet, but if done to a newly diagnosed and them getting a fully function pancreas and liver at the end of 8 weeks they are not then moving on to become a full T2.
Could they later on become a T2 possibly, but by stopping it initially it seems the research is showing even when off the low calorie diet and back on a normal diet they can remain not a T2, and showing complete reversal on those newly diagnosed. Yes it's good for them, but no use for those who are T2 now. And the use of MRI isn't exactly the normal way of diagnosing how onset (and how much damage has been caused) someone is with T2, but if it does show it is fully reversible for the majority of newly diagnosed T2's. That's a good thing. And of course, will be interesting now to see how it progresses on the larger trials.
The big snag with this system though (as well as keeping people on a extreme diet for 8 weeks) is the sheer cost of it, and catching people soon enough. Putting people through MRI's to monitor the levels of particular types of fat in their liver and pancreas and see that it's been flushed out isn't going to come cheap sadly. And on such a large scale use it is really going to over tax hospital resources for such equipment.
This has been reported before. In fact, you can starve a T1 and they live, but that doesn't mean they are cured or that their T1 has been reversed. Starvation diets work but unfortunately they kill the patients. It has been known for years that low carb/starvation can reduce NAFL as well as restore phase I insulin response (phase I is the stored insulin), but I think it is a huge leap to say that reverses T2. They may well have addressed some of the symptoms of T2 but to claim reversal without any evidence is just bad science. This is why I feel the DPP program is such a farce and in the end will be found to harm millions of americans.
You can starve a T1 and they will live for a while, but typically not very long. That is not the same thing as what is reported here to happen with T2.
If I were a T2 I would consider this an interesting study worth looking into. You're missing the point that it isn't just the initial diet phase when BG response returns to normal - according to the study maintaining that weight loss will maintain the normal BGs. Does this work in the real world? I have no idea. But if it does it sounds awesome.
"A crucial point is that individuals have different levels of tolerance of fat within liver and pancreas. Only when a person has more fat than they can cope with does type 2 diabetes develop. In other words, once a person crosses their personal fat threshold, type 2 diabetes develops. Once they successfully lose weight and go below their personal fat threshold, diabetes will disappear.
Some people can tolerate a BMI of 40 or more without getting diabetes. Others cannot tolerate a BMI of 22 without diabetes appearing, as their bodies are set to function normally at a BMI of, say 19. This is especially so in people of South Asian ethnicity."
They also state that the means of achieving weight loss is not important (starvation diet not required):
"It is a simple fact that the fat stored in the wrong parts of the body (inside the liver and pancreas) is used up first when the body has to rely upon its own stores of fat to burn. Any pattern of eating which brings about substantial weight loss over a period of time will be effective. Different approaches suit different individuals best.
It is also very important to emphasise that sustainability of weight loss is the most important thing to ensure that diabetes stays away after the initial weight loss. Previous research has shown that steady weight loss over a 5 – 6 month period is more likely to be successful in keeping weight down in the long term. For this reason, ordinary steady weight loss may be preferable. However, if you are not able to lose around 2 stone over, say, six months by this approach, then the very low calorie diet may be best for you."
This is an interesting study. If I had T2D, I would strongly consider this protocol.
I am always suspicious when the term "diabetes reversal" is used. It seems like another way of saying "diabetes cure" while avoiding charges of medical quackery.
For me, it's a matter of semantics, but important. I believe that if a person ever shows symptoms of any form of diabetes and consequently receives a medical diagnosis, then that diabetes will never go away. A person may undertake a protocol like this and reverse symptoms of diabetes but the underlying propensity for diabetes does not disappear.
As soon as the person resumes his/her old eating habits, the symptoms of diabetes return. The diabetes itself was never "reversed". It reminds of the reformed alcoholic that no longer drinks. S/he always considers themselves as an alcoholic, just one that no longer consumes alcohol.
Yup, Terry; I agree. My read is by getting the daily glucose generation by liver release (dawn effect and leakage) and diet generation cut back to rational levels - i would use word balance in that bodily consumption of glucose matches needs and use. Second, excess glucose kicking around all the time seems to enable excess fat generation that as it gets stored initially in pancreas and liver causes mis signalling and islet shutdown. I agree - not reversal but moving ones body operating point where liver and pancreas now go back to work.
Research done earlier suggest taking shut down T2D islets and put back in normal glucose levels will see those islets work again.
Frankly, I believe that T2D research sitting on duff and not properly investigating the amazing recovery's in Bariatric, sleeve and similar techniques and extreme diet that get body back functioning! So far the folks at University of Newcastle upon Tyne - Dr. Roy Taylor -using mri spectography on T2D patients on extreme diet and watching live as pancreas and liver go back to work is utterly amazing! And this is well before any major fat loss in belly but they do see the early fat loss in pancreas and liver that accompny recovery of operation!
I also believe there is this incredible thinking that a properly operating body can eat all sorts of glucose generating food and not suffer any consequences. The human body as infinite energy dump.
My read is different. Each T2 body can only process, burn and utilize so much glucose period. Exceed that, and if you have weaker genes, that excess unused glucose backs up in the body to rot it out.
The hunter gatherer body was optimized many moons ago to extract energy from all sorts of pretty crummy, low volume food. This body type never throws excess glucose obtained from food over the side even when skeletal muscles are filled, liver filled, and all the fat that can be made and stored.
In fact the kidneys are designed to recover excess glucose from urine and put back in blood stream.
In fact, my read is that the human body was designed to prevent our forefathers from starving out in the past and ensuring survival. Today, with our excess 24/7 grains and food today and low energy burn our bodies not designed to run safely in this times with food awash runs into grief.
Is T2D really a disease or a failure to run this ancient body type at the operating margins that ensures health and survival requiring the human to externally more precisely watch energy consumption more carefully and precisely!
Lastly; do not run off thinking this is a carefully coached argument supporting its life style and ones fault. It is NOT in any way!
Terry, it is true that T2 will return if old eating habits are resumed and weight is re-gained. But although clearly not a "cure", I think it is OK to speak of "diabetes reversal" as long as a proviso about maintaining weight-loss is included. The hypothesis underlying this study is that BG dysfunction from T2 diabetes will not occur as long as weight is lost and then maintained at a low enough level. So it isn't "cured" or even "prevented", but it is "reversed" as long as old eating habits do not return.
You've spoken about how you as a T1 gained weight over many years and became insulin resistant; you described it as having both T1 and T2. But after losing weight your insulin resistance has gone down and I assume you would no longer describe yourself as having T2 anymore?
