“Intermittent Fasting Found Effective in Lowering Blood Sugar in Type 2 Diabetes Patients: Study”

[메디컬투데이=이승재 기자] Studies have shown that intermittent fasting is effective in lowering blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes.

A study on the effects of intermittent fasting, calorie restriction, and standard obesity management therapy on blood sugar reduction in patients with type 2 diabetes was published in Nature Medicine.

Type 2 diabetes occurs when cells in our body become resistant to insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar. Due to insulin resistance, cells cannot use glucose for metabolism, and as a result, blood glucose concentration, that is, blood sugar rises.

There are 37 million people with type 2 diabetes in the United States alone. Type 2 diabetes is strongly associated with obesity, so losing weight can help. Previous research has shown that calorie restriction or intermittent fasting can improve obesity and type 2 diabetes.

The researchers followed 209 obese patients for one year to investigate the effectiveness of different weight management modalities (intermittent fasting, calorie restriction, standard obesity management) in relieving symptoms of type 2 diabetes.

Here, intermittent fasting refers to eating 30% of the daily basic calories only between 8:00 am and 12:00 noon, and not eating anything for the remaining 20 hours. Calorie restriction refers to consuming only 70% of the daily calorie intake, and standard obesity management refers to following standard weight loss guidelines.

As a result of measuring blood sugar at 6 months after the start of the study, intermittent fasting people reduced their blood sugar by 10.1 mg/dL. On the other hand, those who were on calorie restriction and those who were on standard obesity management saw only 3.57 mg/dL and 4.15 mg/dL reductions in blood sugar, respectively. Even at one year after the start of the study, the intermittent fasters maintained low blood sugar.

Blood sugar reduction in intermittent fasting was 4.71 mg/dL, compared to 3.79 mg/dL and 3.57 mg/dL in calorie restriction and standard obesity management, respectively.

Further research found that intermittent fasters improved insulin resistance and significantly reduced blood cholesterol levels.

The researchers concluded that intermittent fasting may help relieve symptoms of type 2 diabetes.

Reporter Lee Seung-jae of Medical Today (ecctomas@mdtoday.co.kr)

[저작권자ⓒ 메디컬투데이. 무단전재-재배포 금지]