The Omnivore.com June 16, 2005 newsletter

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NEW STUDY: BENEFICIAL EFFECTS OF KETOGENIC DIET IN OBESE DIABETIC

SUBJECTS

 

At the 87th Annual Meeting of the Endocrine Society, in San Diego,

June 4-7, Professor Hussein M Dashti and his colleagues from Kuwait

University presented the results of their latest ketogenic diet study.

 

In this latest study, the effect of a ketogenic diet in obese subjects

with high blood glucose level was compared with that in subjects with

normal blood glucose levels for a period of 56 weeks.

 

Sixty-four otherwise healthy obese subjects with body mass index

greater than 30, having high blood glucose level (Group I) and those

subjects with normal blood glucose level (Group II) were selected.

 

All 64 subjects were instructed to follow a ketogenic diet consisting

of less than 20g of carbohydrates and 80 to 100 g of proteins.

Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats (5 tablespoons olive oil)

were included in the diet. Twelve weeks later an additional 20 g of

carbohydrates was given. Micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) in the

form of 1 capsule/day were given to each subject.

 

The body weight, body mass index, the level of blood glucose, total

cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, tryglyceides and urea all showed a

significant decrease from week 1 to week 56 whereas the level of HDL

cholesterol increased significantly. Interestingly these changes were

more significant in Group II subjects as compared to Group I. Changes

in the level of creatinine were not statistically significant.

 

The researchers concluded: " This study shows the beneficial effects of

ketogenic diet in obese diabetic subjects following its long term

administration. Furthermore, it demonstrates that in addition to its

therapeutic value, low carbohydrate diet is safe to use for a longer

period of time in obese diabetic subjects. "

 

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EARLY AND INTENSIVE BLOOD GLUCOSE CONTROL SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCES THE

RISK OF FUTURE CARDIOVASCULAR EVENTS!

 

Intensive glucose control aimed at achieving near-normal glucose

levels in diabetics not only reduces microvascular disease but also

decreases cardiovascular events, including nonfatal MI, stroke, and

cardiovascular mortality, according to the results of a recent study.

The beneficial effect of intensive therapy appears to be mediated by

changes in glycemia and cannot be explained entirely by the reduction

in kidney disease or other cardiovascular-disease risk factors, report

investigators.

 

The data, from the Epidemiology of Diabetes Interventions and

Complications (EDIC) study group, an extension study of the landmark

Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT), were presented this

week at the American Diabetes Association (ADA) 2005 annual meeting.

 

The DCCT was a National Institutes of Health study comparing a

strategy of intensive management of blood glucose, with glucose

monitoring several times per day and requiring patients to keep their

HbA1c levels as close to 6% as possible, with a conventional control

strategy. More than 1400 patients with type 1 diabetes, aged 13 to 39

years, were enrolled in the study between 1983 and 1989.

 

After 10 years, researchers reported that the complications of type 1

diabetes nephropathy, retinopathy, and neuropathywere reduced by 50%

to 75% in the group assigned to the more intensive strategy. Based on

those results, the day-to-day management of diabetes has changed

dramatically.

 

More recent data, presented at the ADA meeting, found that the

incidence of overall CVD among those maintaining tight glycemic

control was reduced by 42%-, while the incidence of nonfatal MI,

stroke, and cardiovascular death was cut by 57%.

 

Both the ADA and the study's authors acknowledged that the observed

CVD reductions were significantly greater than those observed with

aggressive use of cholesterol-lowering and anti-hypertensive drugs.

 

Source: O'Riordan M. Early and intensive glucose control significantly

reduces the risk of future cardiovascular events. TheHeart.org

HeartWire, Jun 14, 2005.

 

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PRESTIGIOUS DIABETES CENTER ANNOUNCES LOWER CARBOHYDRATE

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DIABETICS

 

In what is hopefully the beginning of a positive trend, the

Harvard-affiliated Joslin Diabetes Center has crafted new nutrition

guidelines for overweight and obese individuals with type 2 diabetes

and those at risk for developing diabetes.

 

The new guidelines recommend approximately 40 percent of a

person's

daily calories come from carbohydrates; 20 to 30 percent from protein

(unless the person has kidney disease); 30-35 percent come from fat

(mostly mono- and polyunsaturated fats); and at least 20-35 grams of

fiber. To initiate and continue weight reduction, a modest goal of one

pound every one to two weeks is advised by reducing daily caloric

intake by 250 to 500 calories. Total daily calories should not be less

than 1,000 to 1,200 for women and 1,200 to 1,600 for men. A target of

60 to 90 minutes of modest intensity physical activity most days of

the week with a minimum of 150-175 minutes/week is encouraged and

should include cardiovascular, stretching and resistance activities to

maintain or increase lean body mass.

 

The new guidelines are a significant change from Joslin's previous

recommendations that promoted a higher carbohydrate intake. According

to a recent Joslin press release: " Scientific data show that reducing

one's carbohydrate intake while simultaneously increasing

healthier

protein and fat choices may be a better approach to weight control. "

 

" Since obesity doesn't seem to be slowing down and the

complications

of diabetes are so serious, we were especially alarmed about the

health of the American public. We felt the best way to impact the

largest number of people was to strengthen our nutrition

guidelines, "

said James L. Rosenzweig, M.D, Director of Joslin's Disease

Management

Program and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School.

The team of physicians, dietitians, exercise physiologists and

educators spent months reviewing the scientific literature to draw up

new guidelines. " The search was on for guidelines that would

improve

insulin sensitivity, cardiovascular health and reduce body fat. And

most importantly, we wanted to deliver a plan that makes clear what

people need to do to achieve their goals, " said Dr. Rosenzweig.

 

Source:

 

http://joslin.org/news/nutritionarticle.shtml

 

A PDF of Joslin's new nutrition guidelines can be found at:

https://diabetesmanagement.joslin.org/Guidelines/N

utrition_ClinGuide.pdf

 

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ALMONDS PACK POTENT ANTIOXIDANT PUNCH

 

Don't blanche your almonds! In a new study published in this month's

Journal of Nutrition, USDA researchers have shown that the

antioxidants in almond skins and the vitamin E inside almonds work

together as a free radical-busting team.

 

Almond skins are known to contain antioxidants called flavonoids,

which are a large group of plant nutrients found in wine, tea, fruits

and vegetables. Flavonoids can act as antioxidants, protecting our

cells from oxidative damage. They also can protect LDL, the " bad "

cholesterol, from being attacked by oxygen or oxidized (see my recent

article on LDL cholesterol to find out more about the importance of

oxidized LDL cholesterol:

http://www.theomnivore.com/LDL_May_2005.html). Additionally, these

plant nutrients are thought to protect the body from the effects of

aging.

 

" We have identified a unique combination of flavonoids in almonds, "

said Jeffrey Blumberg, Ph.D., senior scientist and director of the

Antioxidants Research Laboratory at Tufts University. " Further blood

tests demonstrated that eating almonds with their skins significantly

increases both flavonoids and vitamin E in the body. This could have

significant health implications, especially as people age. "

 

The team at Tufts was able to test the effect of flavonoids alone and

then in combination with vitamin E. The results suggest that vitamin E

and the flavonoids in almond skins work synergistically to prevent LDL

cholesterol from being oxidized. In fact, together vitamin E and

almond flavonoids were more than twice as effective as when they were

administered separately.

 

" Given that almonds are among the richest sources of vitamin E in the

diet and also provide an array of flavonoids, more research should be

done to understand the healthful interaction of these plant nutrients

in the human body and the role of almonds in aging " , says Dr.

Blumberg.

 

The USDA researchers are hardly the first to show that nutrients work

most effectively when consumed along with other synergistic nutrients.

Their findings emphasize the importance of eating a variety of fresh,

natural foods and taking a full spectrum of nutrients when

supplementing. They also provide further insight as to why fruit and

vegetable-enhanced diets have produced clinically demonstrated

reductions in cardiac and overall mortality, while many attempts using

supplementation with isolated nutrients like vitamin E, vitamin C, and

beta-carotene has so far failed to do so.

 

Source: Journal of Nutrition, June 1, 2005

 

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ONE IN THREE SCIENTISTS CONFESSES TO HAVING SINNED

 

In a survey completed by thousands of US scientists, more than a third

admitted to misbehaving in the past three years.

 

Brian Martinson of the HealthPartners Research Foundation in

Minneapolis, Minnesota, and his colleagues mailed an anonymous survey

to 7,760 scientists funded by the National Institutes of Health. They

asked the scientists whether they were guilty of misbehaviors ranging

from falsifying data to inadequate record keeping.

 

Of 3,247 early- and mid-career researchers who responded, less than

1.5% admitted to falsification or plagiarism, the most serious types

of misconduct listed. But 15.5% said they had changed the design,

methodology or results of a study in response to pressure from a

funding source; 12.5% admitted overlooking others' use of flawed data;

and 7.6% said they had circumvented minor aspects of requirements

regarding the use of human subjects .

 

Overall, about a third admitted to at least one of the ten most

serious offences on the list--a range of misbehaviors described by the

authors as " striking in its breadth and prevalence " .

 

The full text of the study can be found at:

 

http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v435/n7043/pdf/435737a.pdf

 

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