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An interesting article looking at the impact of Protein on blood glucose levels

tim2000s

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I was looking for something to describe the time taken to digest protein and for gluceneogenesis to occur and came across this article. I found it to be very interesting for both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetics. It raises some interesting questions to me as to how much protein actually induces a glucose reaction in the body.

http://journal.diabetes.org/diabetesspectrum/00v13n3/pg132.htm

Have a read and see what you think.
 
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Very interesting.
My diet is around 5% carb, 20% protein, 75%fat.
When my protein is higher, my BG levels after 2 hrs eating are not detectably higher, but they do not drop back so quick. For example I may be 4.8 before eating, 5.6 2hr after then, with a high protein meal I could well be 5.8 4hrs after. So I have to watch my protein, and I find the more fatter the meat, the quicker my BG levels drop (because there is less protein and more fat), thus I now try to avoid eating chicken breast... To much protein, not much fat.
I don't think my protein input equates to 50% carb, I think much lower, maybe 33% carb or even 20%. That's just me.
 
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What I found interesting was that whilst there is no tendency towards bg increases in non-diabetics when protein is consumed, there is very much one in diabetics.
 
I guess they have enough insulin making beta cells to easily counteract a slow rise in BG levels. But maybe once someone has started to loose a few beta cells their ability to rapidly reduce high carb or even slow protein rises diminishes.
 
The article seems to miss something. When I eat a lot of protein it doesnt seem to affect my BG levels there and then but my fasting levels the next morning is 5.4 instead of 4.8 even if I go to bed at 5. I have had this raised level last until about 11AM after a really big steak feast at a brazillian restaurant. Therefore my body seems to not process the excess protein until sometime over night and then convert it to glucose at a slow rate. The authors only seemed to look 3-4 hours after!
 
@Andrew Colvin That would tie in with what I've seen of certain forms of protein, namely meat. I find eggs on their own make their way through in around 5 hours.
 
A 16 oz steak :wacky: Will keep my BG sitting steadily in the low 6s for about 20 hrs.
And I feel great for the whole time.

Then I start to wonder, did I eat enough veg? ;)
 
Thank you for posting the article @tim2000 . The author recommends limiting energy intake, blood glucose control and physical activity to improve insulin sensitivity. It is interesting as he pointed out that protein utilization was slightly altered for type 2s starting at a threshold of 6-7 mmol fasting levels. The author is leaning towards lower carb, moderate protein and low fat diet based on peer reviewed articles. It's all still conflicting with the macros (protein or fat?), but one thing they seem to all agree on: physical activity, losing weight, lower carb diet/ moderate energy restriction and maintaining euglycemia/ blood sugar levels for the management of type 2s :)
 
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