For low-carbing Type 1s, Jason Fung on Type 1 and low carb - ??? ***!!!

[LucySW]

Guys, here's an article Jason Fung recently posted (linked from Diet Doctor) about low carb and Type 1. It all seems quite fine and dandy, and then you get to his assertion that avoiding glucotoxicity is less important for living longer than keeping insulin TDD low.

I like his stuff on insulin toxicity, in general, and I am convinced by his argument that, except for in emergencies, insulin probably isn't a good treatment for T2s. I'm a T1 LADA, by the way. I work hard to keep my TDD as low as it can be, and I low carb to do that. Very keen on metformin and will try to go on it again. But how can he be so cavalier about high blood sugar? Hey, there are things called *complications* ...

This makes me worry about him. T1s are very, very interested in (avoiding) complications.

In the piece he cites this article (free) and also this article (behind a paywall).

Citing Marty Kendall.

 

[ConradJ]

Guys, here's an article Jason Fung recently posted (linked from Diet Doctor) about low carb and Type 1. It all seems quite fine and dandy, and then you get to his assertion that avoiding glucotoxicity is less important for living longer than keeping insulin TDD low.

I like his stuff on insulin toxicity, in general, and I am convinced by his argument that, except for in emergencies, insulin probably isn't a good treatment for T2s. I'm a T1 LADA, by the way. I work hard to keep my TDD as low as it can be, and I low carb to do that. Very keen on metformin and will try to go on it again. But how can he be so cavalier about high blood sugar? Hey, there are things called *complications* ...

This makes me worry about him. T1s are very, very interested in (avoiding) complications.

In the piece he cites this article (free) and also this article (behind a paywall).

Citing Marty Kendall.

I don't think he's being cavalier about high blood sugar; he puts forward the argument that high insulin requirements (insulin toxicity) appears to be more damaging than glucose-toxicity and bases his argument on the studies and other writers he mentions.

Interestingly, I met a very old T1 about 18 months ago, who lived his life via two injections a day and had not suffered a single complication despite having an HbA1c around 7.5 - 8% year on year. He was approaching his mid-90's and had had T1 since his teens.

That said, it would appear (from all the worldwide studies) that it pays to try to maintain both low HbA1c AND low insulin requirements.

 

[LucySW]

I don't think he's being cavalier about high blood sugar; he puts forward the argument that high insulin requirements (insulin toxicity) appears to be more damaging than glucose-toxicity and bases his argument on the studies and other writers he mentions ... That said, it would appear (from all the worldwide studies) that it pays to try to maintain both low HbA1c AND low insulin requirements.

I've come round to this now Conrad after re-reading. His insulin toxicity arguments make a lot of sense.

So LCHF to keep BG steady, but also insulin sensitivity high and the TDD low would be the way to go ..

Lucy

 

[Brunneria]

Sorry @LucySW , forgive my ignorance, but what is TDD?

 

[ConradJ]

Sorry @LucySW , forgive my ignorance, but what is TDD?

Total Daily Dose

 

[LucySW]

Sorry @LucySW , forgive my ignorance, but what is TDD?

The total amount of insulin you inject every day, counting both basal and bolus. I'm on 12-13 units TDD at the moment. I would dearly love to keep it there. At one point I got it down to 9 units - but then summer came, and birthdays, and berries, and French peaches, and oh dear.