A clinical study looks promising for metabolically challenged people
While browsing my feed, today, I read an article on Medium written by Dr Mehmet Yildiz about comparing two types of diets. It is titled
A New Clinical Trial Found a Low-Carb Diet Better Than the Dash.
As a health professional, nutrition is an important factor I consider in my research and practice; therefore, this article attracted my attention.
This article discusses a clinical trial that found a low-carb diet to be more effective than the DASH diet for people with metabolic disorders such as hypertension, prediabetes, or type 2 diabetes. The trial involved 94 participants over four months and revealed that a very low-carb diet produced better outcomes in systolic blood pressure, glycemic control, and weight loss compared to the DASH diet. However, the study’s authors suggest further research to confirm these findings.
The article emphasizes that while high-carb diets may work for healthy individuals with active lifestyles, metabolically disadvantaged people often experience insulin resistance, making low-carb diets more beneficial. Four key reasons are outlined for this: improved glucose control, better hormonal balance and alternative energy sources (ketones), reduced inflammation, and enhanced cellular health through processes like autophagy.
The author also shares personal experiences and highlights scientific perspectives from experts like Professor Timothy Noakes and Dr. Jeff Volek, who advocate for the benefits of low-carb diets, particularly for those with metabolic challenges. Overall, the article stresses the importance of individualized diets, acknowledging that different approaches work for different people based on their health conditions.
By following the links, I also found a related nutritional article for mental health that looked more compelling to me as a psychiatrist. I link it here and will review it in another blog post as I have a lot to say about this eye-opening piece.
Insights from a New Clinical Study Showing a Ketogenic Diet That Improved Bipolar & Schizophrenia
These researchers (Shebani Sethi, Diane Wakeham, Terence Ketter, Farnaz Hooshmand, Julia Bjornstad, Blair Richards, Eric Westman, Ronald M Krauss, and Laura Saslow) designed a nationwide pilot study in the US to assess the effects of a ketogenic diet on metabolic and psychiatric health in participants diagnosed with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder according to DSM 5 criteria.
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