A recent US study reported that a low-carb diet may have protective benefits for people at risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
The study was conducted by researchers at Ohio State University in the United States, and their results were published in the latest issue of the scientific journal (Journal of Clinical Investigation Insight).
To reach the results of the study, researchers monitored the eating habits of 16 men and women with metabolic syndrome.
and metabolic syndrome, a serious condition linked to cognitive impairment and dementia, as well as a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, fatty liver and type 2 diabetes.
A person is considered to have metabolic syndrome if he suffers from at least 3 of the following health problems: abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, low levels of “good” cholesterol, and high levels of triglycerides.
The team conducted their study to see what happens to obese people with metabolic syndrome, a precursor to diabetes, when they follow a low-carb diet.
The researchers found that more than half of the study participants — 5 men and 4 women — had improved symptoms of metabolic syndrome, especially cholesterol and triglyceride levels, after following a low-carb diet for 4 weeks.
The researchers also found an increase in the participants’ fat-burning efficiency, and an improvement in blood sugar levels, after following a low-carb diet.
“The study demonstrated that a low-carb diet helped relieve symptoms of metabolic syndrome, especially saturated fat and cholesterol levels, reducing the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease,” said lead researcher Dr. Parker Hyde.
Carbohydrates are abundant in starch-rich vegetables, such as potatoes and corn, grains and their products such as bread, and all sweets and processed baked goods.
According to the World Health Organization, type 2 diabetes appears as a result of being overweight and insufficient physical activity, and over time, high levels of sugar in the blood can increase the risk of heart disease, blindness, nerves and kidney failure.
In contrast, type 1 diabetes occurs when the body’s immune system destroys cells that control blood sugar levels, mostly in children.
This research does not address the potential long-term benefits and challenges of a low-carb diet, and the researchers suggest that future long-term diet studies in people with metabolic syndrome need to include a low-carb diet.
