Type 1 How to put on Weight type 1

Emile_the_rat said:

Sounds to me that you are strict when it comes to your sons carb intake.

I see you mention food rich in protein. Your son has to eat carbs, and live normally even if he has type 1.

If you reduce the intake of carbs, to achive good blood sugar (which I guess you do for your son), then you have the problem right there.

If you avoid carbs, and take insulin, you will make the cells starve in lack of glucose. Causing your body to break down fat cells, to help him «survive».

The biggest mistake are people who think that type 1s have to follow strict diets, or being carefull with carbs. If you do that as a type 1, while taking insulin, your body will break down all of your fat cells. Causing huge weight loss.

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DCUKMod said:

Emile, I'm not at all sure about a coupe of points in your post. In particular, it is my understanding that insulin enables cells to use glucose. One of the reasons T1s starve (and ergo lose weight) due to their body being unable cell ability to use glucose without adequate insulin. However, as a non-T1, I'll tag a few experienced T1s to comment on the OP's overall situation, and help settle the difference in the conflicting understandings between you and I.

I also don't read anywhere in the OPs posts that her son eats a reduced carb diet, only that @Triscornia has tried increasing his carbs a bit where she can.

@urbanracer , @Antje77 , @helensaramay , @porl69 - could you help please?

@Triscornia - I agree with the others who enquire what investigations your Doc may have done to eliminate other underlying causes for your son's weight loss.

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urbanracer said:

@Triscornia
It is also quite possible that it's simply the way his body is growing. I was 6ft tall by the time I was 14years old and as skinny as a rake. I put on a bit of weight as I got older, (you cannot see my ribs anymore) but I've always been slim.

As a younger man I tried to "bulk up" with high carb and whey protein powder drinks but they had no affect on me, - whilst my gym buddies were piling on muscle like anything, I stayed slim. There is a medical term to describe this but it escapes me at the moment.

As I mentioned above, it may be worth checking for any other medical reasons for the weight loss but it may also just be a case of being patient and waiting for the vertical growth spurt to finish to see if he puts on a bit weight.

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porl69 said:

Thanks for the tag @DCUKMod. This is a tricky one! @Triscornia you have taken your son to see your local doctor, what did he say/think the case of the weight loss is? I would be going back to ask for more tests to the cause of this weight loss!
When type 1s are first diagnosed they usually loose a lot of weight pretty quickly but to keep on loosing weight is not right. How long has he been diagnosed type1??

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