Virta long-term results: reversing diabetes with keto
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wabmester
Posts: 2,748 Member
Sorry if somebody already posted this -- didn't see it after a quick look.
Impressive 1-year results from Virta!
Study is here:
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13300-018-0373-9
Good summary from Dr Ethan Weiss (cardiologist at UCSF) on twitter:
Bottom-line: HUGE improvements across the board (weight, BG, HOMA-IR, liver function, inflammation, and lipid profile) except for LDL.
The study is getting a huge reaction from the medical and nutritional science geeks on twitter. The take from the anti-LC cult is interesting. They basically say the diet was irrelevant, and the results were due to the high-bandwidth coaching between doc and patient.
Impressive 1-year results from Virta!
Study is here:
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13300-018-0373-9
Good summary from Dr Ethan Weiss (cardiologist at UCSF) on twitter:
Bottom-line: HUGE improvements across the board (weight, BG, HOMA-IR, liver function, inflammation, and lipid profile) except for LDL.
The study is getting a huge reaction from the medical and nutritional science geeks on twitter. The take from the anti-LC cult is interesting. They basically say the diet was irrelevant, and the results were due to the high-bandwidth coaching between doc and patient.
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Wow1
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Excellent study, thank you for posting!1
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So... like what? have the doc throw carbs and meds at the patient because it's not worth spending time with them to put T2D into remission/cure it? (*sarcasm*)The take from the anti-LC cult is interesting. They basically say the diet was irrelevant, and the results were due to the high-bandwidth coaching between doc and patient.
Great study, I wish more people (and their docs) would look at the science.3 -
FWIW, my doctor took me off diabetes meds after 14 months on a keto diet. There was zero coaching because he gave me the Diabetes Association diet, and for all he knows this is what I am following. I did tell him I was monitoring glucose and watching my carbs, but that is as close as I have come to telling him what I did to make that progress.7
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My type 2 is the reason (and weight loss as an added benefit) I went whole hog with keto. I did my own research, reading what I could about others experience. I had dabbled before but this time, in just one month, my a1c dropped .8 of a point. This is without medication and is lower than it was while being on meds. I'm curious to see what the three month is.6
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Thanks for sharing.1
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I did LCHF for about 8 months before falling off of the wagon (here I am again...back on it) and I was able to cut my oral diabetes medications by 75% in that time. Of course I was down about 50 lbs and exercising regularly, which also helped with lowering blood glucose, but being strict with carbs is where the credit belongs. That helped me to both lose weight AND lower my blood glucose.3
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Glad to see you back on Keto! Welcome
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This is a nice study, but seems to talk about standard of care as much as the dietary intervention. Maybe, if those under usual care had been given the same information, the results would have been more relevant as to standard of care. I think a HUGE problem right now is the Doctors and American Diabetes *kitten*. are lying to people. "you'll be ok and can keep eating normal foods, just take this extra insulin every day and keep giving us money and watch your weight and disease getting progressively worse until you die of heart or kidney failure."
Diabetes is my motivation to be LCHF. I have gone a little nuts with the health research lately. There are a ton of resources out there regarding low carb intervention for Type 2 Diabetes, showing most people are able to get off insulin, but it is hard to find a good doctor who is familiar with and encourages LCHF. When I told my doc I was going to do this, he said "ok" like he didn't really believe me.4 -
If healthcare team members have been drilled that dietary intervention is not needed then it makes it hard to think otherwise. It was ONLY at the age of 63 that I realized I was eating for a premature death instead of eating for life quality/quantity. After I saw what LCHF could do to improve my life it was easy to stick with the WOE plus I really enjoy this WOE directly and indirectly. I know the doctors that wanted me to start Enbrel injections for pain management were shocked when I said NO to the injections after just 30 days of attempting LCHF.3
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canadjineh wrote: »
So... like what? have the doc throw carbs and meds at the patient because it's not worth spending time with them to put T2D into remission/cure it? (*sarcasm*)The take from the anti-LC cult is interesting. They basically say the diet was irrelevant, and the results were due to the high-bandwidth coaching between doc and patient.
Great study, I wish more people (and their docs) would look at the science.
Bingo!
Umm, wouldn't the coaching have been
along the lines of "don't eat carbs, eat protein, don't eat too much fat, slurp sodium, exercise some..."
Not sure I see the detractors' point. But I'm just a closed-minded carbophobe...3 -
Personally, I would have loved to see the same Virta approach applied to a low-fat diet study arm. We have very little data that lets us separate weight-loss effects from specific dietary effects.3
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Personally, I would have loved to see the same Virta approach applied to a low-fat diet study arm. We have very little data that lets us separate weight-loss effects from specific dietary effects.
Exactly. Most people who are not low carb and see this study seem to focus on the 12% weight loss as the cause for success. Unfortunately, because the low carb group lost weight compared to the control, I can't argue against it much. Improvements may have been due only to the weight loss.... And I hate not being able to argue the pros of low carb because my insulin resistance was NOT due to obesity, and low carb really improved my situation.2 -
The study I would like to see is two groups of diabetics. Have them both on the same number of calories (like 1500 or something) with the same amount of coaching/support. That would eliminate a lot of the variables. The only difference then would be the macros - 50% carbs -vs- 5% carbs maybe. See if they lose weight and go off meds at the same rate. Measure body fat and track that. General quality of life - happiness, hunger, etc should be assessed in some way too. The counseling and weight loss were the differences here that make it hard to draw conclusions.4
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The study I would like to see is two groups of diabetics. Have them both on the same number of calories (like 1500 or something) with the same amount of coaching/support. That would eliminate a lot of the variables. The only difference then would be the macros - 50% carbs -vs- 5% carbs maybe. See if they lose weight and go off meds at the same rate. Measure body fat and track that. General quality of life - happiness, hunger, etc should be assessed in some way too. The counseling and weight loss were the differences here that make it hard to draw conclusions.
I would even raise calories so there is no caloric deficit. That way they can't attribute health improvements to weight loss. Otherwise, I think you are spot on! 2 -
The study I would like to see is two groups of diabetics. Have them both on the same number of calories (like 1500 or something) with the same amount of coaching/support. That would eliminate a lot of the variables. The only difference then would be the macros - 50% carbs -vs- 5% carbs maybe. See if they lose weight and go off meds at the same rate. Measure body fat and track that. General quality of life - happiness, hunger, etc should be assessed in some way too. The counseling and weight loss were the differences here that make it hard to draw conclusions.
That would make a very good study.2
