> > NEW YORK, Jan 04 (Reuters Health) > > A low-carbohydrate, calorie-restricted diet can help people with > type 2 diabetes get their blood sugar under > control when standard dietary changes and drug treatment have failed, > according to California researchers. At least in the short run, the diet may > help patients avoid having to take insulin to control their disease. > > After 8 weeks on a diet with 25% of calories from carbohydrates, > type 2 diabetics had a significant improvement in blood sugar levels > compared to those seen with a diet with 55% of calories from carbohydrates, > the authors report in the December issue of the Journal of the American > College of Nutrition. > > Of the 28 patients in the study, 9 were treated with a standard diet > containing 55% carbohydrates, and 19 with > sulfonylurea agents, but none of the subjects were able to achieve target > glucose levels with those therapies, according > to Dr. Lois Jovanovic and colleagues at Sansum Medical Research > Foundation in Santa Barbara, California. > > After 8 weeks on the 25% diet, the subjects had a drop in hemoglobin A1c, a > marker for blood sugar control. When placed on the 55% carbohydrate diet for > another 12 weeks, hemoglobin A1c increased, a marker of worsening blood > sugar control. > > Patients who had previously taken sulfonylurea drugs also lost > weight while on the 25% diet, but the benefits of the diet were not > dependent on this loss, according to the report. > > The benefit of insulin treatment in type 2 diabetes is controversial > and the data "suggest that dietary therapy may > sustain remission for an interim and allow the reintroduction of oral > hypoglycemic therapy in the event that low-carbohydrate diet therapy alone > is not successful," the authors note. > > Sources: Journal of the American College of Nutrition > 1998;17:595-600. > > > > > NEW YORK, Feb 18 (Reuters Health) > The extremely carbohydrate-restricted Atkins diet is a safe, > effective way to lose weight, according to studies > presented at the Southern Society of General Internal Medicine in New > Orleans. > > A study of the diet conducted at the Durham VA Medical Center in > North Carolina showed that on average, mildly obese people lost about 21 > pounds in four months on the diet, and had positive changes in heart risk > factors such as > reduced cholesterol and increased HDL or "good cholesterol." These > results are supported by a second study from > researchers at the Atkins Center for Complementary Medicine in New York. > > The Durham study included 41 mildly obese, healthy people who attended an > outpatient clinic. The study participants followed a program that reduced > carbohydrate intake to less than 20 grams per day, and included vitamin > supplements, fish oil supplements and 20 minutes of exercise at least three > times per week. > > Over four months on the diet, the participants lost an average of > 21.3 pounds, and showed a 6.1% drop in cholesterol, and almost a 40% drop in > the level of triglycerides in their blood. In addition, their HDL levels > increased by about 7%. > > In a press release, the researchers also say that their study did > not find any of the safety concerns voiced by the > American Dietetic Association, such as potentially dangerous effects on > liver and kidney function. > "In four short months on the Atkins Diet, we were able to confirm > scientifically what Dr. Atkins states he has seen in his practice over the > past decades. The diet lowers cholesterol and triglycerides and raises > HDL... which may represent an entirely new approach to the control and > prevention of heart disease," said lead researcher Dr. Eric C.Westman, > assistant professor of medicine at North Carolina's Duke University. > > The study is continuing in order to assess the long-term effects of > the diet. By J. Raloff, > > > http://home.beseen.com/healthcare/lowcarbing/News_Research.html http://lowcarber.org/lowcarb.html > You are a disgrace! > Julie Westly > Sioux City, Iowa