Low carb diet reduces risk, promotes weight loss

• Researchers recently examined the effects of a low-carbohydrate diet in people with prediabetes and people who have mild, untreated type 2 diabetes (T2D).
• In the randomized clinical trial, participants who lowered their carbs saw a moderate reduction in their blood sugar, an indicator of diabetes.
• The study’s findings are somewhat tempered by a range of variables beyond the researchers’ control.

The link between carbs and type 2 diabetes (T2D) is well-established, but new research suggests that cutting carbs could help minimize risk for those who may be susceptible to developing the condition.

The study, a random clinical trial (RCT) recently published in JAMA Network Open Diabetes and Endocrinology, found that a low carbohydrate diet promoted weight loss and improved fasting glucose levels in subjects who were at risk for developing T2D.

Lead author and epidemiologist Kirsten S. Dorans of Tulane University in New Orleans, LA, told Medical News Today:

“While low carb diets are often recommended for those with type 2 diabetes, little evidence has existed for whether eating fewer carbs can impact the blood sugar of those with mild diabetes or prediabetes who aren’t treated by medications. This study was conducted in people with blood sugar that ranged from prediabetes to mild diabetes levels who were…