I am prediabetes. What causes insulin resistance? Does fats or Carbs cause diabetes?

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PowerEngineer

Diamond Member
Oct 22, 2001
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736
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Well, OP, I think you can see that there's a very wide range of opinions here as well as elsewhere on the internet. 😁

As a fellow sufferer I know how frustrating this initially is. It would be nice if there was just a single "right answer" that worked well for everyone. What I have come to understand is that all of these approaches work for some people, but none of them seem to work for all people. My advice is to keep trying different approaches until you find one that works for you. Bear in mind that the approach you settle on has to be one that you can do forever; this tendency toward elevated glucose levels can be mitigated but never really goes away.

I suggest you start with a diet that limits your carb count to around 100-150 per day to see how that works for you. Expect to spend much more time grocery shopping for the next few months because you need to check the nutritional labels and learn what foods fit comfortably under that limit. Over time you can lower your carb count goal towards keto levels if you need to. Bottom line is that you should transition into better eating habits and move to a diet that works for you. Do not jump into an extreme diet that might cause more heath problems and/or be unsustainable.

You will also need to decide how you feel about the use of artificial sweeteners. Some people are going to tell you to avoid those too; personally I allow some Splenda to make my diet a little less austere.

It has been suggested to me that fat in our bodies should be thought of as another internal organ in the sense that its presence alters the chemistry in our bodies, and one of the changes is to increase insulin resistance. If true, then weight loss and exercise are both very good ideas. My guess is that for me these two things have been as important as a carb limiting diet.

Good luck! 👍👍
 

Autonomous Inc

Junior Member
Feb 4, 2021
6
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I think you should minimize the carbs and try to do more exercise to keep fit. Eat more vegetable and drink more water. You also can drink some detox drinks to eliminates toxic out of body.
 
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Remobz

Platinum Member
Jun 9, 2005
2,564
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Thanks for the replies guys. So much different opinions here as well.

A couple points I want to discuss here.

I did two blood tests back in December. My A1C for both tests were 5.3. However, my fasting glucose for both tests were 119 and 126. My nutritionist said I needed to stop drinking and lose weight while limiting sugars. I was put on a low carb diet with limited fruits included. Two kiwi fruits or apples per day. I cut back on my fruit intake though as fruits still contain sugar.
Yes, drinking compromised my liver, made me sleep less and eat more junk and fast food. My pancreas numbers were good along with my kidneys. Total cholesterol was 195 and triglycerides were at 95.

My LIVER was the messed up one with out of normal range AST and ALT numbers. I guessed I had what they call impaired fasting glucose levels due to liver complications by alcohol drinking. This also caused high blood pressure numbers as well.

Diet and weight loss seems to be the key issue here compared to meds for now. I caught my problems early. I am about 35 pounds overweight now according to BMI.

I ONLY drink water now. I eat a low carb diet with minimal fruits (kiwi and apples) and beans 5 times a week. Non starchy veggies and boiled eggs. I eat two meals a day with NO SNACKS in between. I also fast for 17 hours a day and eat within an 8 hour time frame.

I think the carnivore diet is stupid and will have negative long term effects. Humans are omnivores in my opinion.

Guys I need this question answered please.

DOES FATS CAUSE TYPE 2 DIABETES? The vegan people keep telling me that fats and NOT CARBS cause type 2 diabetes. Is there any evidence to back up those vegans claims that fats cause type 2 diabetes? If yes, that would mean the Keto diet is dangerous.
 

Pohemi

Diamond Member
Oct 2, 2004
9,452
12,988
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Guys I need this question answered please.

DOES FATS CAUSE TYPE 2 DIABETES? The vegan people keep telling me that fats and NOT CARBS cause type 2 diabetes. Is there any evidence to back up those vegans claims that fats cause type 2 diabetes? If yes, that would mean the Keto diet is dangerous.
Stop listening to the crazy hippy vegans, please.
 
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PowerEngineer

Diamond Member
Oct 22, 2001
3,566
736
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DOES FATS CAUSE TYPE 2 DIABETES? The vegan people keep telling me that fats and NOT CARBS cause type 2 diabetes. Is there any evidence to back up those vegans claims that fats cause type 2 diabetes? If yes, that would mean the Keto diet is dangerous.

Well, I wouldn't say that either "cause" type 2 diabetes. It seems to me that you have previously described what you believe to be the "cause" of your prediabetic condition.

Whatever the "cause", the result is that your glucose levels have become less well regulated and now needs more help from you to keep them from getting high enough to cause other health problems. As digestion of carbohydrates is a direct contributor to increased glucose levels, it seems pretty obvious (at least to me) that a diet that keeps your carb intake low makes good sense.

A gradual shift in your diet to reduce carb intake while gauging the results is probably the best approach. Jumping to some extreme diet (especially one that may be unsustainable) would IMHO be a mistake. When asked what I can and cannot eat, my response is that I can eat anything but it is the frequency and portion size that I have control.

When looking at glucose testing, you should pay more attention to the A1C results (average glucose over 90 days) than the random glucose readings (which are instantaneous). The patterns for the latter can vary quite a bit for different individuals. FWIW, my levels are often highest when I wake up (known as "the morning effect") and also tend to be higher after exercise. Another example of how diabetes is a bit different for every person. This would be overkill for your prediabetes, but if you really wanted to get a better understanding of your situation (e.g. daily glucose patterns, impacts of various foods) you could go this route:

Freestyle Libre

My two cents...