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Ketones is the preferred brain fuel...

Remember that Virta Health have a vested interest in keto diets since they promote them vigorously, I believe,

From their website:
"Virta uses its own, proprietary, clinically-tested high fat, moderate protein, low carbohydrate protocol."

But they charge you $365 a month for 12 months to find out.

Or you can get the same info for next to nothing here on this website.

When they claim that 87% of insulin users can reduce or give up insulin then I get suspicious of a hard sell and it apparently applies to T1D apparently since there is no filter on the site.
 

Similar arguments has been used on Dr Jason Fung before...that he has books to sell and charges for IDM programs...or Dr Valter Longo on his Prolon 5 day FMD...

Time will tell if their vested interest is indeed helping their patients restore their health or simply misguiding them to line their wallets.
 

I’m going with the former

The likes of Jason Fung, Zoë Harcombe etc. etc. all get labelled as dangerous quacks with a conflict of interests. Usually by those with a conflict of interests.

Speaking from a personal perspective I can definitely vouch for the veracity and efficacy of their research claims

EDIT: put another way - following the advice of my government’s NHS, my diabetes management was getting steadily worse and worse until I started listening to these people and got off all medication within six months. Not that anyone was making any money from my medications, of course...oh no sir...your best interests at heart sir...
 
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Yes, my brain definitely prefers running on ketones, but it didn't need any experts to tell it so.

Robbity
 

I would disagree slightly with you there.. almost everything on Virta's site is labelled Type 2. I don't think they mention T1 at all...
The first thing you see on their home page.


Also they are in the US market where all health care is charged for so I think they are operating slightly differently from the UK.
And they are offering a "money back" guarantee

" Digital diabetes platforms have been among the biggest beneficiaries—and practical success stories—of the digital health revolution, as we’ve covered on a number of occasions. Now, one of the major players in the space, Virta Health, is really putting its money where its mouth is, tying financial reimbursements directly to whether or not its all-digital diabetes prevention and reversal system actually works.

“Under Virta Health’s new payment structure, employers and health plans pay an enrollment fee only after an engagement milestone is met, ensuring patients stay active during the critical early stages of treatment. After that, every dollar, and the majority of overall payment, is at risk and tied to health improvement based on diabetes reversal metrics such as HbA1c reduction—without per-member per-month payment or implementation fees,” said the company in a statement."

From Fortune magazine...

How else would people in the US access care from the likes of Hallberg. Phinney and Volek? it would be like all of us having a consult with Dr Unwin.. or Prof Taylor (if you are that way inclined)..
 
My feeling is that it is the former and it definitely does seem that Dr Fung is on a mission to save the world from diabetes and that he believes passionately that low carb and fasting works.

After all - doctors, nurses, physios all get paid for helping us - otherwise how would they live if they don't get paid. OK - there is a bit of a 'grey area' where doctors are paid for getting us on the meds - but I do think that most doctors do genuinely try to do the best for their patients.
edited to add - to the best of their knowledge and unfortunately not all doctors are up to date with the best ways to help us with T2D.
 
I came into it via the following google entry point
https://www.virtahealth.com/thevirtatreatment
This is not so obvious. In the page you posted the banner headline at the top is promoting a live event entitled
"Virta reverses diabetes at US Foods" Nothing on the site says that it is specifically for T2D, and it talks of stopping Insulin treatment and diabetes reversal.

Certainly Volek and Phinney have done much to further the cause of LCHF diets, and indeed the two studies they use as references on the site as supporting proof were indeed conducted and perfomed by their own staff, which is a bit incestuous. I would rather they used independant studies and reports for their backing evidence. If I did not know of their credentials in this matter and have personal proof that their methods do help many on our site then I would be calling Quack loudly,

My main reason for my post was to point out that on our site there is a lot of the information from many sources that enables folks here to use these principles without paying out large sums of money for the 'secret knowledge' that they will only divulge once you have signed the contract. There are others who make similar claims and also charge for secret knowledge that turns out ot be a crock so in the face of it their website has similarities that I found disturbing. Again, the names Volek and Phinney provide redemption but only to those who read their books previously. Joe Bloggs is not so discerning or informed. My wife fell prey to one such scam.
 
The good doctor certainly puts paid to the myth that the human brain needs 130g of glucose from carbs to function.
 
Guzzler said:
The good doctor certainly puts paid to the myth that the human brain needs 130g of glucose from carbs to function.
Click to expand...

Personally I find my mind functions better the deeper I am into ketosis. I regularly register a 5+ mmol/L for ketones and I feel like Mr. Spock most of the time.
 

Look under heading How It Works or play the video specifically refers only to T2 diabetes. As to your other points I fully agree with you nothing much there you can't get here for free.
 
Jim Lahey said:
Personally I find my mind functions better the deeper I am into ketosis. I regularly register a 5+ mmol/L for ketones and I feel like Mr. Spock most of the time.
Click to expand...

One of my favourite boffins, Ivor Cummins, fasts before giving lectures at conferences and often comments that this gives him such clarity and energy. It's no wonder he is a favourite on the circuit.
 
Ivor Cummins is great to listen to. Always fascinating and entertaining.
 
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I understand the concern for confirmation bias.

But the rant against the $300+/mth needs to take into context what Virta Health is attempting to achieve. They are building a scalable platform for online care delivery based on achieving and maintaing ketosis, including those on insulin and other medication. For that they need to build a new generation of doctors who are fully ketones aware and able to provide day to day guidance to their subscribers. How often do we get to speak to our endocrinologist or dietitians?

To that end, such medically guided lifestyle intervention is beyond what community portal like diabetes.org.uk is able to offer. It is also against the forum rule to provide any guidance regarding medication titration as that may constitute providing illegal medical advise.

As others have pointed out, they are now confident enough to offer money back guarantees for the program. Such performance, target based model is practically unheard of anywhere else...
https://blog.virtahealth.com/reversing-diabetes-fees-at-risk/

This video provides some details of what is included in the monthly subscription...
 
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