The Atkins diet, promoted as a weight-loss tool, may help control type 2 diabetes. Although diabetics are typically advised by health care professionals and the American Diabetes Association to consume 45 to 60 g of carbohydrates at each meal, many people with diabetes are not able to control their blood sugar levels when following this approach.
Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes, previously called non-insulin dependent diabetes or adult-onset diabetes, affects millions of Americans. This condition occurs when blood sugar levels are above the normal limits either because of a lack of insulin production by the pancreas, or by an insensitivity of the cells to the action of this important hormone. The elevated blood sugar levels often seen in people with type 2 diabetes are responsible for their increased risk of blindness, heart disease, kidney failure, stroke and amputations.
Carbohydrate Intolerance
The Metabolism Society, a non-profit health organization supporting research, information and education in the application of fundamental science to nutrition, explains that diabetes can be described as a carbohydrate intolerance. Carbohydrate constitute the main nutrient responsible for raising blood sugar levels. Insulin, the hormone in charge of making the sugar circulating in the bloodstream enter into the cells, is usually released following its consumption. However, with type 2 diabetes, the body is often resistant to the action of insulin, contributing to elevated blood sugar levels.
Atkins Diet Overview
While the "2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans" recommends that 45 to 65 percent of the calories come from carbohydrates, the Atkins diet recommends a carbohydrate intake that contributes to less than 20 percent of the daily calorie intake. The Atkins diet is a low-carb diet that recommends strictly limiting carbohydrate-containing foods, such as bread, potatoes, pasta, rice, any grains and flours, baked goods, corn and starchy vegetables, milk, yogurt, fruits, soft drinks, desserts and all types of sugar. This diet plan is therefore based on the consumption of protein from beef, pork, fish, lamb, chicken, eggs and cheeses as well as non-starchy foundation vegetables and healthy fats from avocado, olives, olive oil and nuts.
Atkins Diet and Type 2 Diabetes
A study published in the December 2005 issue of "Nutrition & Metabolism" showed that participants with type 2 diabetes instructed to follow a low-carb diet similar to the Atkins diet had their hemoglobin A1C, a measure representative of blood sugar levels, decreased by 16 percent -- from 7.5 percent to 6.3 percent -- in 16 weeks. The improved glycemic control of these diabetic patients resulted in a reduction of the dosage or even the discontinuation of their diabetes medications. Moreover, their body weight decreased by 6.6 percent, from an average of 289.7 lb. to 270.5 lb., while their triglyceride levels decreased by 42 percent. The authors recommend that people with diabetes wishing to follow a low-carb, Atkins-style diet be under close medical supervision to monitor the progression and adjust the medications as needed.
References
- American Diabetes Association: Carbohydrate Counting
- Atkins: The Program
- "Nutrition & Metabolism"; A Low-Carbohydrate, Ketogenic Diet to Treat Type 2 Diabetes; William S Yancy JrWilliam S. Yancy Jr. et al; December 2005
- Metabolism Society: Position Statement on Diabetes
- "Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010"; Carbohydrates
