Hello, new member here. First post. I'm looking to get some information on intermittent fasting. Specifically whether or not we see results in decreased A1C if you don't follow the 16 hour time period, but a looser 14 hour fast. Let me share a little bit about myself and my fasting routine to help you understand what I mean...
I was diagnosed with pre diabetes a couple years ago now. Looking at some labs I found from years before I was diagnosed, that showed my A1C was in the pre diabetic range. That was 12 years ago, so about 10 years before being diagnosed as pre diabetic....No one ever said anything to me about, no flags were raised and I went on eating how 25 year old males eat. I work out a lot, am otherwise healthy, but I never really limited myself to what I ate, never watched carbs (actually ate more due to working out) and I was always fine.
A couple years ago got that A1C checked as part of an overall blood panel and some endo was concerned. He said I have pre diabetes. Since then, I get regular blood work done, every 3-6 months, just to monitor. Here is the really weird thing...At times my A1C dips into the diabetic range, then goes back down into pre diabetic range for the next 3 month test. I don't take any medication, as personally I don't find it necessary, given my blood work will on occasion put me as a type 2 diabetic, and then bounce back down to pre diabetic on a follow up. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason for this. My current endo doesn't feel the need for me to take meds either, although my prior one encouraged it.
Oddly, I also have increased creatinine levels (kidney). My doctor sent me to a kidney specialist who was mildly concerned so he had me take a kidney disease test and some others. Everything turned out fine with that. Ultimately the kidney doctor told me this: "We're all different. What's normal for one person, may not be normal for another. Just because I have higher creatinine levels, doesn't mean there is a medical problem." He said you're muscular, you work out, your body demands more production than the normal person. So, what I took from that is I can be different, my bloods may not necessarily always show "within range" but that doesn't make me "sick" or mean I have a "problem". So with that mindset combined with the fact my A1C sways but is usually in pre diabetic range, I don't feel the need to get to get on any medication and neither does my endo.
You might wonder what a typical "fasted" blood sugar self test looks like for me....That varies too. Sometimes it's in the 80s, sometimes in the 90s and sometimes 110ish. I've taken that "rice test" where you eat a cup of rice and check your blood sugar every hour for a few hours. The results of that were "normal"...In other words my blood sugar surged immediately after eating it, then slowly went down and after a few hours, was back to an acceptable level (don't recall the number but it was within "normal")
Ok, so all of that about me and my trek with pre diabetes. Now back to how I use IF.....I've been practicing IF for about a year and half now. Most days I practice a 14-16 hour fast (usually 16), every day is at least a 12 hour fast. Some days I "take off" and don't fast at all, but these days are rare. Overall, I haven't seen much (if any) improvement on lowering my A1C. I should have also said I follow a relatively low carb diet. Most days I hover around 100-150. Some days lower and other days higher. But nothing like what I used to consume (300). Two blood checks ago, it was one of those results that put me just barely in type 2 diabetes. I said to myself, let me try something....I stopped being so strict with everything I ate. I allowed myself more carbs, baked goods, some ice cream...Took a tropical vacation where I didn't really limit myself food wise and then a state side trip where I didn't limit myself either. I didn't eat like a pig or anything, but I wasn't saying no to any food I wanted. If I wanted it, I ate it...In moderation of course. My next blood work check on A1C-lowest it's been in about 13 months. Still in pre diabetic range, but lower than the last. I'm now back on the IF program and will await to see how my bloods turn out after the holidays (where I admittedly am already prepared to consume more sweets than I otherwise would)
THE QUESTION LOL: I know the leading authority in this matter, Jason Fung, suggests 16 hour fasts for men and 14 hour fasts for women. But I cannot find anything online about whether men have any positive results if they consistently fasted for say 14 hours, instead of 16. Also, I can't find anything that provides information as to whether or not simply following a 12 hour fast has an affect on dropping blood sugar. Can anyone point me to anything that proves or disproves whether there is a significant different in results between 14 hours and 16 hours fasting? Apologies for the long message. Feel free to comment with any advice or similar experiences as it relates to the A1C jumping back and forth!
I was diagnosed with pre diabetes a couple years ago now. Looking at some labs I found from years before I was diagnosed, that showed my A1C was in the pre diabetic range. That was 12 years ago, so about 10 years before being diagnosed as pre diabetic....No one ever said anything to me about, no flags were raised and I went on eating how 25 year old males eat. I work out a lot, am otherwise healthy, but I never really limited myself to what I ate, never watched carbs (actually ate more due to working out) and I was always fine.
A couple years ago got that A1C checked as part of an overall blood panel and some endo was concerned. He said I have pre diabetes. Since then, I get regular blood work done, every 3-6 months, just to monitor. Here is the really weird thing...At times my A1C dips into the diabetic range, then goes back down into pre diabetic range for the next 3 month test. I don't take any medication, as personally I don't find it necessary, given my blood work will on occasion put me as a type 2 diabetic, and then bounce back down to pre diabetic on a follow up. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason for this. My current endo doesn't feel the need for me to take meds either, although my prior one encouraged it.
Oddly, I also have increased creatinine levels (kidney). My doctor sent me to a kidney specialist who was mildly concerned so he had me take a kidney disease test and some others. Everything turned out fine with that. Ultimately the kidney doctor told me this: "We're all different. What's normal for one person, may not be normal for another. Just because I have higher creatinine levels, doesn't mean there is a medical problem." He said you're muscular, you work out, your body demands more production than the normal person. So, what I took from that is I can be different, my bloods may not necessarily always show "within range" but that doesn't make me "sick" or mean I have a "problem". So with that mindset combined with the fact my A1C sways but is usually in pre diabetic range, I don't feel the need to get to get on any medication and neither does my endo.
You might wonder what a typical "fasted" blood sugar self test looks like for me....That varies too. Sometimes it's in the 80s, sometimes in the 90s and sometimes 110ish. I've taken that "rice test" where you eat a cup of rice and check your blood sugar every hour for a few hours. The results of that were "normal"...In other words my blood sugar surged immediately after eating it, then slowly went down and after a few hours, was back to an acceptable level (don't recall the number but it was within "normal")
Ok, so all of that about me and my trek with pre diabetes. Now back to how I use IF.....I've been practicing IF for about a year and half now. Most days I practice a 14-16 hour fast (usually 16), every day is at least a 12 hour fast. Some days I "take off" and don't fast at all, but these days are rare. Overall, I haven't seen much (if any) improvement on lowering my A1C. I should have also said I follow a relatively low carb diet. Most days I hover around 100-150. Some days lower and other days higher. But nothing like what I used to consume (300). Two blood checks ago, it was one of those results that put me just barely in type 2 diabetes. I said to myself, let me try something....I stopped being so strict with everything I ate. I allowed myself more carbs, baked goods, some ice cream...Took a tropical vacation where I didn't really limit myself food wise and then a state side trip where I didn't limit myself either. I didn't eat like a pig or anything, but I wasn't saying no to any food I wanted. If I wanted it, I ate it...In moderation of course. My next blood work check on A1C-lowest it's been in about 13 months. Still in pre diabetic range, but lower than the last. I'm now back on the IF program and will await to see how my bloods turn out after the holidays (where I admittedly am already prepared to consume more sweets than I otherwise would)
THE QUESTION LOL: I know the leading authority in this matter, Jason Fung, suggests 16 hour fasts for men and 14 hour fasts for women. But I cannot find anything online about whether men have any positive results if they consistently fasted for say 14 hours, instead of 16. Also, I can't find anything that provides information as to whether or not simply following a 12 hour fast has an affect on dropping blood sugar. Can anyone point me to anything that proves or disproves whether there is a significant different in results between 14 hours and 16 hours fasting? Apologies for the long message. Feel free to comment with any advice or similar experiences as it relates to the A1C jumping back and forth!
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