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Effect of insulin levels on a lower carb diet?

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lucati

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Marmite!
Hi there, first of all this seems like a great forum, I wish I had found out about this sooner!

For quite a while I had difficulties controlling my morning sugar levels, they always seemed to be high no matter how much long acting insulin I injected, even to the point where I was getting low sugar levels throughout the day.

A couple of weeks ago I changed my diet by reducing the amount of carbohydrates I consume, and replacing them with vegetables, meat and nuts/grains. I did this because I noticed that all of my meals were very carbohydrate orientated, for example for dinner I'd usually have pasta, bread and fruit. Now for dinner I am more likely to have vegetables, chicken and perhaps a banana or pear. So in that instance I have typically gone from 120g to 30g of carbohydrates for dinner.

The positives are that my sugar levels are much better in the morning, they are generally around 5-6, save for the occasional low. Also, whereas before I was constantly craving carbs, now I feel much more settled and am not hungry all the time!

The one negative I have is that it seems as if I am needing more insulin than before! I use carbohydrate counting when I calculate how much to inject, but I am injecting more insulin per 10g of carbs than before, additionally my sugar levels seem to go up quite high a couple of hours after eating a meal, even if I am not having alot of carbs in that meal.

Currently I'm injecting 28 units of Levemir, split into 2 equal doses, and I'm injecting around 12-15 units of Novorapid daily. The Levemir dose is about the same as it was before I changed my diet.

Does anyone have any advice? I'd guess that having extra protein might mean I'd need an increase in Levemir but is this really true? The biggest problem I'm having is post meals.

For the record I'm in my mid 20's, in very good shape with low body fat and good BMI, so I'm not sure why my diabetes is so hard to control...
 
Interesting one Lucati,

I don't need as much insulin as before, but I am a little disappointed at the amount I still have to inject. For example, evening meal pre-reduced carbing was 12 units of novarapid to cover 60-70g of carbs, now I use 9 units to cover 20-30g. Considering I am eating half the carbs, I would have thought the insulin would be no more than 6 units. My lantus dose has come down from 32-24units.

I can't really explain why this is, and I can see your point that it doesn't make sense, however I hope by replying to your post will push it back to the top of the recent topics, and someone with a better understanding will enlighten us.

Nigel
 
According to some of the more enlightened members on here protein also requires insulin - at about 1/2 the dose of carbs.
 
Indeed it does.
On a diet based on carbohydrates, the body has an abundant supply of glucose so that it is used preferentially as fuel for many functions. Excess is converted to fat, but that's another issue. The body has no need to convert protein to glucose so it's often discounted as a source of blood sugar rises according to some dieticians.
On a diet low in carbs however, the body will begin to convert protein into glucose at a rate dependant on how much protein and carbs are contained in the food. On a zero carb diet, for example, up to 60% of protein in the diet can be turned to glucose!

Thanks for bumping this one up Nigel.

fergus
 
Oh good god guys, this is the exact problem i've been having.

I'm absolutely bloody flabbergasted that protein requires insulin,this is a shock to me as I've been increasing my protein in place of carbs, I am somewhat shocked and upset by this, god **** this god awfull disease.

That will almost certainly explain why I need more insulin even though my carbs have more than halved.

I mean i'm fed up here, i've literally had to increase my levirmir from 16 units morning and evening to 26 to get at best similar but mostly worse readings especially in mornings :(.
 
Serial 45,

Yes, the human body is a complex machine, and living with diabetes is a learning curve. I describe diabetes as 'a nut I'll never crack'. :(

Never mind, onwards and upwards! :wink:
 
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