Is Intermittent Fasting Safe for Diabetics?
Healthful Vitality | 11/11/2021 | Is Intermittent Fasting Safe for Diabetics?
Most people living with diabetes need to lose bodyweight, and intermittent fasting could be one of the ways of achieving it. However, studies show that even slight weight loss is quite good for those living with diabetes. Therefore, although intermittent fasting is one of the best calorie restriction methods, it also has its downsides.
Those living with diabetes may practice intermittent fasting safely if they understand the health risks associated with it. As the name says, intermittent fasting is about not eating food for a few hours a day or consuming very few calories. It is one of the most flexible forms of fasting.
What kind of intermittent fasting is good for diabetics?
Most people living with diabetes are obese and diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Thus, they have faulty insulin secretion and insulin resistance. However, this insulin resistance may be partially reversed by losing body weight through calorie restrictions.
It means that intermittent fasting if done right, may even help reverse type 2 diabetes. However, such a way of managing diabetes is more effective for overweight or obese individuals.
There are many ways of intermittent fasting. However, the two most common types are 16/8 and 5:2.
In 16/8, one eats all calories during eight hours and fasts for the rest of the 16 hours. However, fasting daily for 16 hours might cause stress and harm the body. But intermittent fasting is flexible. It means that during those 16 hours, one may still consume some calories. These calories should come from healthy foods like green salads or portions of fruits.
Similarly, 5:2 means eating as usual for five days but limiting calorie intake for two days a week. But, again, here, one may still consume up to 500 calories during those days. I may even include a light meal like a small piece of lean meat with veggies.
Such kind of intermittent fasting may gradually help reduce the need for medications and help gain better control over diabetes. However, one needs to understand that aim of fasting is to restrict calorie intake and not starve the body of essential nutrients like vitamins and minerals. Nor should fasting be very rigorous, and it should not cause stress on the body.
When may intermittent fasting be bad for diabetics?
Intermittent fasting may be challenging in two scenarios. Firstly, when a person is living with type 1 diabetes and taking insulin. In such cases, intermittent fasting has limited benefits. Moreover, it requires lots of changes to insulin therapy. Therefore, such individuals should never start intermittent fasting without consulting a doctor. Moreover, high insulin caused by periods of fasting may lead to life-threatening hypoglycemia.
The second category of diabetics to be careful with is those living with severe type 2 diabetes and taking insulin. These individuals may also have other severe issues like neuropathies, cardiovascular diseases, kidney disease. Thus, such individuals should practice a restrictive diet instead of an intermittent diet.
To conclude, intermittent fasting is good for diabetes. However, it is not for everyone living with diabetes. It may benefit most. But, in some cases, there is a risk of greater harm than good.
(Related Article: Is Fasting Bad for Diabetics?)