Eating 80% of the calories you eat before 1 p.m. can help you control your blood sugar.

Eating 80% of the calories you eat before 1 p.m. can help you control your blood sugar. Experts say they may have a way to help people with prediabetes avoid slipping into full-blown diabetes.

96 million adults in the U.S. that's more than a third of the population have prediabetes.

Prediabetes occurs when a person's blood sugar levels are higher than normal. However, they are not high enough to diagnose complete or "overt" diabetes.

Various methods can help lower blood sugar and possibly prevent a person from developing overt diabetes. These include maintaining a healthy weight and exercising regularly.

New research from NYU Langone Health, presented this week at the Endocrine Society's annual meeting, highlights another possible tactic.

A small study involving 10 prediabetic and obese patients found that early time-restricted feeding (TRF) positively affected blood sugar.

ETRF is a type of intermittent fasting that includes eating eighty% of your day-by-day calorie allowance in the first 6-eight hours of the day, earlier than 1pm. The rest of the calories are consumed later with a small meal.

What is included in the study?

Previous research looked at the effects of ETRF on blood sugarresearchWho However, Dr. Juan Bruno, Ph.D., an endocrinology fellow at NYU Langone Health of theOne key factor remains unclear, the author said.

“Given that many individuals lose weight while following [eTRF], this Assessing "It is difficult to determine whether the observed metabolic benefits are simply due to weight loss, or whether there are metabolic benefits to this type of feeding strategy," he told Healthline.

To investigate, participants engaged in a 14-day study. During days 1–7, half of the participants followed the eTRF, while the other half followed a usual feeding pattern (UFP, whereby 50% of calories were consumed after 4 p.m.). On day 8, both groups switched eating patterns and continued with them until day 14.

To ensure that weight changes did not influence the results, participants were provided with meals to meet their caloric needs.

A glucose monitor was used to take blood sugar readings at some stage in the look-at, whilst oral glucose tolerance checks have been additionally administered at the start, middle, and stop of the take a look at.

Fasting lowers blood glucose

The scientists noted three important findings. Perhaps most importantly, eTRF led to a reduction in the mean amplitude of the glycemic excursion, compared with UFP. But what does that mean?

"Mean Magnitude of Glycemic Exertion (MAGE) is a measure of how much time a person spends with higher-than-desired glucose levels in a day," explained Dr. William Dixon, Sinus co-founder, and clinical assistant professor. Is." at Stanford School of Medicine, who was not included in the study.

"[It's] a reflection of both how high the glucose is and how long it's high," he told Healthline. In this example, participants following ETRF had less of an average rise in glucose levels.

MAGE can be important in helping to determine someone's risk of developing overt diabetes.

"Elevated glucose levels over time indicate insulin resistance and future diabetes (in a person with prediabetes)," Dixon said.

Additionally, those following the ETRF also saw that their blood sugar levels spent less time "above the threshold" (aka higher than normal) compared to the UFP group. Time spent "in range" between two eating patterns is equal.

Bruno said that he and his colleagues expected eTRF to reduce blood sugar fluctuations and "we were pleased to see that our guest was right."

"Given the short duration of the study, we were surprised to see such a significant reduction in time spent in hyperglycemic blood sugar ranges," Bruno said.

"The fact is that we were able to see these differences with just one week of this dietary regimen."

Precautions for fasting.

This study revealed the positive effect that ETRF can have on blood sugar levels in prediabetic patients with obesity.

Additionally, previous studies have indicated that intermittent fasting can have benefits ranging from weight loss and reduced inflammation to reducing the risk of heart disease and improving mental health.

However, it is important to keep in mind that intermittent fasting can have potential side effects.

"There are many instances where eTRF may be inappropriate," said Dr. Florence Kumite, a clinician-scientist with multiple specialties in endocrinology and founder of the Kumite Center for Precision Medicine and Health.

For example, "any type of restricted eating program or fasting can cause dangerously low blood sugar for some people," she explained to Healthline.

"Some people drop their glucose quickly, 2-3 hours after eating, even a healthy meal, and they must eat every 3-4 hours or they may feel tired, nervous, or even passed out. can."

Other possible side effects include nausea, headache, dizziness, and weakness.

Dixon added that eTRF (or any intermittent fasting) probably isn't appropriate for people who take medication either.

"I would advise people with prediabetes to talk to their doctor and/or nutritionist about their diet before making significant changes," said Dr. Jacqueline Launier, MD, an endocrinologist and assistant professor of medicine at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Do it."

Launier added that if you've already been diagnosed with diabetes, it's even more important to check with your physician and care team before making any dietary changes — especially "because [you] May require adjustments along with medication".

How to tell if you have diabetes.

Some health concerns present early with symptoms, making them easier to recognize and treat.

Unfortunately, “pre-diabetes doesn't always cause symptoms, and you can go without symptoms for years baby can," Dixon said.

In the absence of symptoms, you may be aware of various factors that increase your risk of pre-diabetes. These are 

Having a parent or sibling with type 2 diabetes

Being overweight or obese

Being above 45 years of age

Engaging in physical activity less than three times per week

Having gestational diabetes

Having polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

If you are concerned that you may have prediabetes or are at high risk for the condition, ask your doctor for a diabetes screening blood test.

Diagnostic tests can "assess fasting glucose and insulin, as well as the biomarker hemoglobin A1c," Komite said. "[It's] the average measurement of blood sugar levels over the past 100 days."

This measurement can then determine whether you have pre-diabetes.

Dixon revealed that, in people who do not have pre-diabetes, “normal fasting blood glucose levels are between 70 and 99 mg/dL and less than 140 mg/dL within one to two hours after eating. Is."

On the other hand, people with prediabetes will have blood sugar levels between 100 mg/dL and 125 mg/dL.

Premature diabetes is "caught," the sooner interventions begin to help slow or stop its progression.

"Most type 2 diabetes can be prevented by making lifestyle changes that include limiting carbohydrate and calorie intake and increasing physical activity," Launier said.

What can we take from the results?

Although the recent findings were positive, what do they mean for the broader picture of prediabetes treatment?

The findings are important, Bruno said, because "they provide a straightforward dietary recommendation to regulate blood sugar and potentially prevent diabetes, which requires weight loss, calorie restriction, or carbohydrate counting." not required."

Meanwhile, the Comite was optimistic about the role of the results in increasing doctors' knowledge of the effects of food intake on health.

However, he noted, "It is important to carefully determine whether this [eTRF] strategy works for each individual. It will not be practical or safe for everyone."

Always remember to check in with your doctor before changing your diet or eating patterns.

Basically, the latest findings are an important starting point for further investigations.

Although long-term studies are needed, Bruno said, "We are optimistic that eTRF will prove to be a means of preventing diabetes in people with diabetes and obesity.