Meat effect on fasting blood sugar

[Auto E]

It was about nine hours 9pm to 6am. My stomach still felt a bit “heavy” in the morning. There are three key variables versus other days - protein, saturated fat, and lower carbs. I was thinking gluconeogenesis from the (excess) protein or temporary increase in insulin resistance from the saturated fat. I have also noticed (strangely) that after days I eat 60 to 80 carbs my next morning blood sugar seems to be a bit higher than when I eat over 100 but less than about 150. Usually not a big difference but there seems to be a trend.

If gng is demand driven what happens with consumption of “excess” protein? What then is the pathway for excess protein that is consumed to be utilized? (and stored as fat?)

If you are noticing something, then I think you should keep testing this. If it turns out to be true, then something is going on that makes you need to back off one or all of those 3 variables (protein, sat fat or low carb). I know it seems counterintuitive - so many people do swimmingly well on straight-up low carb and/or IF, but we are all really unique in our metabolisms. Diabetes and glucose regulation problems can begin in the pancreas, the muscles, the liver, the fat, the brain. Who knows what your particular issue is and perhaps that is why you are seeing different results. Perhaps your liver is some sort of a master of using amino acids to make glucose; or perhaps the "stress" of lower carbs is particularly stimulating to your particular liver; or perhaps sat fat DOES make your particular liver a little more insulin resistant. It might not do that with other people, but trust your data. Just make sure you have enough data before you change course..... Good job for being brave and looking outside the box. Keep experimenting and learning more about your "n of 1".

 

[Sapien]

I was listening to one of Dave Asprey's podcasts yesterday with Paul Saladino (Kick Veggies to the Curb and Go Full Carnivore) https://blog.daveasprey.com/paul-saladino-621/ . They mentioned that the consumption of too much protein will raise fasting blood sugars (into the 90s in people who usually have lower levels). That can be a big problem in people who eat Carnivore and are too dependent on muscle meat.

I would think that organizing a healthy grass-fed nose-to-tail carnivore diet would be quite challenging. I have yet to find the right balance of protein, carbs and fat to have consistently good blood sugars. Too much protein raises my fasting. Too much fat seems to keep the post-prandial from spiking but keeps it a bit elevated for longer and too much carb spikes the blood sugar higher than I would like.

 

[Cocosilk]

I have noticed that if I eat more meat at dinner than usual that my fasting blood sugar the next morning is higher.

My fasting blood sugar has been reading 79 (4.4) to 84 (4.7) over the past several weeks. I was so happy to consistently see blood sugar in a very healthy range each morning. The past two evenings I ate about 9 oz of chicken one night and 9-10 oz beef the next night (about double what I would typically eat). The following morning my blood sugar was higher than it has recently been - 91 (5.1) and 93 (5.2) even though I also ate less carbs both days (especially at dinner) than typically (about 65 grams / day vs typically 100 -140 grams).

I realize meters aren’t always accurate but there seems to be a directional correlation here since I noticed a similar effect a month ago.

I also tested the past four nights at two hours after dinner and was 95 (5.3) to 97 (5.4) both after eating more meat and less meat. The nights with less meat I ate more carbs (a side of hummus) without much different effect directly after the meal. The difference shows up the next morning (higher after eating more meat rather than more carbs!) When I eat a larger amount of meat for dinner the blood sugar barely drops by morning otherwise it goes down nicely overnight. Fish (salmon, sardines, herring) doesn’t seem to have quite the same effect. Maybe it is the fat in the meat rather than the protein?

Is this a typical reaction? (I think I have seen a couple comments in the forum related to higher fasting BG after eating more meat than usual.)

I thought less carbs would equal lower fasting BG, but it seems that only works up to a point.

I would appreciate input from those more experienced with low carb eating.

If you would class the amount you ate as overeating then I had a similar experience a couple of times. Once with meat and once when we brought home a selection of new cheeses. I overdid it a bit and because I can't easily go and burn it off (tied up at home with babies) it did seem to make my levels rise from the usual fasting level of 5.1 mmol to 5.6 mmol ! And that was without any obvious carbs. No crackers with the cheese in other words.

 

[Sapien]

If you would class the amount you ate as overeating then I had a similar experience a couple of times. Once with meat and once when we brought home a selection of new cheeses. I overdid it a bit and because I can't easily go and burn it off (tied up at home with babies) it did seem to make my levels rise from the usual fasting level of 5.1 mmol to 5.6 mmol ! And that was without any obvious carbs. No crackers with the cheese in other words.

I didn’t consider it “over-eating”. I just noticed that if I eat 4 oz meat at my evening meal in doesn’t seem to raise fasting blood sugar but eating 9 oz certainly does seem to. I don’t know if it is the extra protein or saturated fat. Nuts for calories in place of the extra meat seem to have a more favorable effect on my blood sugar. Same calories, different nutritional profile.

 

[Mbaker]

Dinner (last meal) was bit late ending at 8:45 pm. The later dinner does’t seem to effect the morning blood sugar when I eat less meat.

Sorry for the late response, but just on this point observationally, it is very close to the average circadian rhythm no matter which regime you use. I believe meat does stay longer in the digestive track. There is speculation that the digestive process extracts more nutrients from meat than alternative food.

So you could experiment with meal timing. Ultimately your n of 1 might = less meat. For me I was able to double the amount of meat with no major change.

 

[Cocosilk]

I was listening to one of Dave Asprey's podcasts yesterday with Paul Saladino (Kick Veggies to the Curb and Go Full Carnivore) https://blog.daveasprey.com/paul-saladino-621/ . They mentioned that the consumption of too much protein will raise fasting blood sugars (into the 90s in people who usually have lower levels). That can be a big problem in people who eat Carnivore and are too dependent on muscle meat.

I would think that organizing a healthy grass-fed nose-to-tail carnivore diet would be quite challenging. I have yet to find the right balance of protein, carbs and fat to have consistently good blood sugars. Too much protein raises my fasting. Too much fat seems to keep the post-prandial from spiking but keeps it a bit elevated for longer and too much carb spikes the blood sugar higher than I would like.

I think we're all eating too much, is the problem