Low Carb T1 changes to hypos

[tim2000s]

This is less a question about losing hypo awareness with a low carb diet - I'm finding I am still fully aware, and more a question to other T1s who are low carbing.

Have you found that your ability to function within a hypo has changed since you started low carbing? I used to find that I became more aggressive and difficult as my blood sugar went through the 3 mmol/l range and would get much more angry as it went into the twos. I was also not really in control.

I've noticed since eating far fewer carbs that the strength of these emotions during low blood sugar episodes is much lower and that I feel much more in control of what is going on, which I put down to feeding my brain more on fats than simply glucose.

Has anyone else had similar experiences, or different ones? If so, please share.

 

[Brunneria]

As you know, I'm a T2 not 1.

But yes, have had EXACTLY the same experience.

 

[Medusa41]

Hi - since I've seriously started low carbing in last 2 weeks I haven't had any hypos. That's great stuff though.

 

[diamondnostril]

Hi Tim,

As you probably expected, I reply to this thread.

When I was on a standard Low-Carb diet my blood-sugar levels were not under great control and I did not notice any difference with my experience of low blood-sugar levels.

When I narrowed down my Low-Carb diet into a Ketogenic diet I noticed a really big difference. My loss of brain function during low blood-sugar episodes is hugely reduced when using the Keto diet.

For me the game-changer is being in Ketosis or not. When YES, I do not get any classic 'Hypo' warning signs and I do not get any loss of brain function. When NO, I get my 'Hypo' warning signs and if I don't act on them then it proceeds to loss of brain function. So I absolutely agree with your interpretation that feeding your brain with fats, not Glucose, makes the difference.

In the last week I had a very low blood-sugar. I felt very sleepy during the afternoon (an indication for me, when in Ketosis, that my blood-sugar may have been very low for several hours). So I measured, and saw that I was 20mg/dl (1.1 mmol/l). No drama, no confusion, no double-vision, no loss of balance. I took a few Glucose tablets to correct and went on with my day.

As always, I thank my lovely Ketones for keeping my brain nice and safe during times of low blood-sugar.

If the brain fuel is Ketones (Fat) rather than Glucose, then I could expect that people will continue to act normally even when blood-sugar levels drop low. This is because there is no interrupt in brain fuel. Certainly this is the case for me; am interested to see what other people report on this thread.

Regards
Antony

 

[tim2000s]

Hi @diamondnostril , I was expecting you to respond. What I find fascinating about this is that it is another area where it screws up current thinking. I'd love to see a number of studies done to demonstrate cognitive ability during a ketogenic diet, as my experience is that I (and you it seems) function better (one might say normally) when low than on a carb diet. Obviously the DVLA is not likely to be happy with someone running at 2.x driving, but I think the study needs to be done...

 

[Wurst]

I low carbed almost from diagnosis so I have nothing to compare it against. I get different symptoms due to different hypo causes i.e. for basal induced hypo I get sweaty, shaky and confused , for a bolus induced hypo I get grumpy and irritable and for an exercise induced hypo I get various symptoms such as cold feet . I don't even attempt to understand why.

I haven't had too many hypo's but I've never been violent or aggressive, I suppose it depends on the scenario or frame of mind when you experience the hypo i.e. if someone is bugging you at the time

 

[noblehead]

Interesting question, tbh the symptoms have always been the same from when I was eating around 250g of carb a day to when I first came to the forum and was low-carbing, I really can't say I've ever been aggressive or difficult during a hypo, on the contrary I like to keep myself to myself and deal with it my own way with very little fuss.