- Joined
- Dec 16, 2022
- Messages
- 699
Difference between glucose and insulin spikes.
There are studies which give control groups and diabetics carbs and then carbs with fats (usually animal fats or meat). Insulin spikes much higher when the saturated fats are present and saturated fat impairs pancreatic beta cells function; the cells responsible for insulin production.
All meat diets (carnivore diets) can by themselves lead to a fasting glucose in the pre-diabetic or diabetic range in people who were not previously diabetic. Shawn Baker (all meat advocate), for instance, has shared his blood work while on the carnivore diet and his fasting glucose was right at the low end of "diabetic" despite never eating carbs. Reason is that all of our cells and our brain need glucose so our body produces it. Glucose + high dietary fat = insulin resistance
When a T2 diabetic monitors their blood sugars they are measuring only glucose and not the metabolic health or insulin. IE, high glucose is a symptom and not a disease itself.
For this reason, some low carb diets can seem to lower blood glucose which many falsely interpret as improving or managing T2 diabetes. However, diets rich in whole plant foods actually improve the disease itself as the workload on the beta cells in the pancreas is reduced, lower dietary fats help to reverse some of the intramyocellular lipids, and the fiber in those foods leads to a more gentle insulin response and usually with less insulin needed.
Over years, excess dietary saturated fats accumulate within muscle tissues (intramyocellular lipids) which then block glucose transport creating high blood glucose. By the time a person has this metabolic issue the liver will have been pumping out excess glucose for years and the pancreatic cells will have been working overtime to release insulin. At some point, the pancreas essentially burns out at which point a person is T2 diabetic.
We can follow cohorts or do observational studies on groups/populations and see the clear trend. More animal products/ saturated fat = more likely to be diabetic.
Interventional studies also show improvement on lower fat higher plant food diets.
Simple carbs/processed carbs + saturated fat is a deadly combo which leads to diabetes over the long term.
Wherever you're getting your information from, it's wrong. I suggest you start here: