Nearly half of American adults have prediabetes or full-blown diabetes.[1]
Millions of them take drugs to keep their blood sugar stable. But given the choice, it’s a good bet most would prefer not to have to take medications.
A new study shows there may be a highly effective natural solution.
The research comes from the University of British Columbia. Investigators had obese subjects at risk for type 2 diabetes drink a ketone beverage in the morning. A half-hour later, they consumed about 2 ½ ounces of sugar. They gave blood samples during this process.[2]
Professor Jonathan Little was the study’s lead author. He said that drinking the ketone beverage helped the subjects to control their blood sugar with no changes to their insulin.[3]
Insulin normally floods your system when you ingest sugar or simple carbs like white bread that quickly break down into sugar. Ketones can prevent this.
Ketones are chemicals made from fat. Your body uses them for energy when your blood sugar is low. This happens when you eat a low-carbohydrate/high fat diet or are fasting. It constitutes a “state of ketosis.”
Ketone drinks and supplements seem to have a similar effect. They have been on the market for just a few years. The new study is one of the first to assess their use.
Professor Little said diabetes is “approaching what many would call epidemic levels.” Although type 2 diabetes can be treated with drugs or injectable insulin, “many people are looking to options that don’t require taking pills every day or that are less invasive.”
The professor said mounting evidence shows that a low-carb diet is effective in controlling or even reversing type 2 diabetes.
But for those “who aren’t able to follow a strict and challenging ketogenic diet” or who are looking for a new way to control blood sugar, ketone drinks “may be another strategy in helping to manage” diabetes.
Ketone Drinks Keep Blood Sugar Under Control
Ketones you eat—as opposed to those your body produces—are called “exogenous ketones” (EK). The term applies to any ketone supplement. Most often, EKs are available as fruit-flavored beverages or in powdered form to mix with water. You can also get them in tablet or capsule form.
There are several different kinds of EKs. The two most prominent are:
- Ketone esters. These are the most potent. They cause longer ketosis periods. The downside: They are the most expensive EKs. And they have a strong, unpleasant taste.
- Ketone salts. These are created by adding ketones to electrolytes such as magnesium, calcium, potassium, and sodium. Ketone salts quickly induce ketosis. The downside: The effects don’t last as long as with ketone esters.
Talk to your doctor before using EKs. They are a viable option to sticking to a difficult ketogenic diet.
Editor’s Note: Mainstream diabetes treatments can actually make the condition worse. To find out more, read Independent Healing, your best source for evidence-based health advice. Go HERE to subscribe.
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[1]https://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-diabetes-in-america-20170718-htmlstory.html
[2]https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/110/6/1491/5585428
[3]https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-01-blood-sugar.html