Could a liquid diet reverse diabetes?

REsEARchERs are looking at whether a low-calorie liquid diet can reverse type 2 diabetes or reduce the need for insulin. Previous research has found very l ow calorie diets can potentially reverse type 2 diabetes in people recently diagnosed with the condition (defined as being diagnosed within the previous four years).

in the earlier study at the university of Newcastle, 11 patients were put on an eightweek low- calorie diet of soups, shakes and non-starchy vegetables such as broccoli and spinach.

Twelve weeks after starting, seven of the patients had normal blood sugar levels; the patients also lost an average of 2 st 5 lb.

Now a three-month trial at imperial college london is assessing the benefits of a lowcalorie diet on 90 patients with long-term type 2 diabetes (who could have had the condition for as long as ten years) who are taking insulin to treat it.

They will follow one of two regimens: half will have soups and shakes, followed by the gradual reintroduction of food.

They will have just 800 calories a day (the recommended daily calorie intake is 2,000 for women and 2,500 for men). The other 45 patients will stick to a standard low- calorie diet (around 1, 700 calories a day) and regular exercise.

All patients will be tracked over the course of a year and will have their Bmi monitored every month.

it’s thought low- calorie diets cause the body to burn fat stored in and around the l i ver and pancreas ( which produces insulin). This fat stops these organs from working properly, meaning i nsulin production drops and blood sugars rise.

But if the body suddenly has fewer calories, it’s forced to burn this fat for energy. As a result, the organ func- tion returns to normal. Adrian Brown, a specialist dietitian at imperial who is co-ordinating the study, says the patients in the trial will use specially designed lowcalorie liquid meal replacement products to ensure they receive all their nutritional needs.

‘ low calorie di ets could transform diabetes treatment and provide a drug-free way of treating and even reversing the condition,’ he says.

‘We hope this trial, the largest of its kind to date, will provide us with further evidence of the effectiveness of this new approach.’ how ever, he cautions t hat patients must not attempt to use l ow- calorie diets without consulting their GP or medical team.

commenting on the study, catherine collins, principal dietitian at st George’s hospital london, says: ‘Very low- calorie diets for type 2 diabetes may prove useful for those battling weight issues, but blood sugar will need to be monitored carefully to avoid it from dropping too low.’

For further information about joining this trial, contact weight

loss@imperial.ac.uk

mEANWhilE, chilli extract could help women who have gestational diabetes, say chinese researchers.

During a four-week study of 44 women who developed diabetes while pregnant, those given a daily supplement of capsaicin, a compound that gives chilli its heat, had lower cholesterol and ThEiR sugar levels.

insulin levels were under better control compared to those given a placebo, r eports t he journal clinical Nutrition.

They also had a much lower chance of delivering an overweight baby, a problem with gestational diabetes because of raised sugar levels in the blood supply to the baby.

capsaicin affects different processes i nside t he cells, including reducing the inflammatory response.

however, the exact safe dose for a pregnant woman to consume is unclear.