Checking in: continuous blood glucose monitoring while on a (mostly) plant free diet


2018.05 Low Carb and Low Carbon – Ted Eytan MD-1001 1060 – (View on Flickr.com)

As I mentioned recently (Why I’m wearing a continuous glucose monitor as a physician without diabetes or prediabetes), I decided to check in on some potential dietary changes.

The results are pretty much the same

  • A very stable, even less variable, blood glucose reading over a 24 hour period
  • I did do a carbohydrate experiment, ingestion of 41 grams of carbohydrates in one dose (in the form of berries, need to keep it real), and the response – nothing – no rise in blood glucose
  • The ongoing situation of experiencing transient hyperglycemia during (intense) exercise continues, and probably more pronounced, which I conclude demonstrates fat adaptation – see the attached cartoon
    • Physiologically normal glucose intolerace
    • NOT insulin resistance
    • NOT the dawn effect
    • NOT the effect of food

There’s now some evidence regarding the above phenomena, see the reference below.

Information this does not provide

A continuous glucose monitor is helpful in showing if a person can’t regulate their glucose levels, which is a sign of advancing damage. It cannot, however, show if damage has already happened because it doesn’t show if a person is secreting excessive amounts of insulin to keep that blood glucose normal. In other words, a normal appearing CGM does not prove metabolic health, an abnormal one shows a potentially major problem. It’s estimated that the incubation period of diabetes is 10-20 years, more advanced testing is needed to understand where a person is on that spectrum.

As always feel free to check my work, the comment thread is open, as is the entire series on continuous glucose monitoring that I’ve posted here and a reminder to review disclaimers and disclosures (I have none), including the one to check with your own physician before doing this type of monitoring or changing your diet.

2018.05 Low Carb and Low Carbon - Ted Eytan MD-1001 867

2018.05 Low Carb and Low Carbon – Ted Eytan MD-1001 867 – (View on Flickr.com)

Reference

  1. Webster CC, van Boom KM, Armino N, Larmuth K, Noakes TD, Smith JA, et al. Reduced Glucose Tolerance and Skeletal Muscle GLUT4 and IRS1 Content in Cyclists Habituated to a Long-Term Low-Carbohydrate, High-Fat Diet. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab [Internet]. 2020 May 1;30(3):210–7. Available from: https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/ijsnem/30/3/article-p210.xml
Ted Eytan, MD