- Intermittent fasting may help with weight loss, thereby reducing the risk of diabetes complications.
- While intermittent fasting can be done safely, people with diabetes may be at risk for hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia due to blood sugar fluctuations during and after fasting .
- More research is needed to determine the long-term risks and benefits of intermittent fasting in people with diabetes.
Intermittent fasting is a type of diet that involves limiting your meals to a certain window of time and then eating less or nothing for a set period of time. The fasting period can last from a few hours to a few days.
Some research suggests that intermittent fasting may have benefits for people with diabetes, such as weight loss. However, major changes in eating patterns can cause fluctuations in blood sugar levels, which can be dangerous.
So, is intermittent fasting safe for people with diabetes?
Read on to learn more about the potential benefits and risks of intermittent fasting for type 2 diabetes.
Is intermittent fasting safe for diabetes?
If you take insulin or medications and suddenly eat much less than usual, your blood sugar may drop too low. This is called hypoglycemia.
According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), hypoglycemia can cause the following symptoms:
- tremble
- Puzzled
- irritability
- Heartbeat
- feel nervous
- sweating
- Chills
- Dizziness
- sleepy
- low energy
- blurry vision
- nausea
Another potential danger of intermittent fasting for diabetes is high blood sugar. This is called hyperglycemia.
Hyperglycemia may occur if you eat more than usual, which may occur if you are particularly hungry after a period of fasting.
High blood sugar levels increase your risk of diabetes complications, such as:
- Nerve damage (neuropathy)
- Eye conditions and blindness
- kidney disease
- heart disease
- Stroke
- hypertension
Before starting any diet or weight loss plan, consider meeting with a member of your diabetes care team (such as your doctor or nutritionist) to make sure it is safe for you.
Can intermittent fasting cause diabetes?
An American Diabetes Association (ADA) account of what happened to hypoglycemic mice if they fasted every other day for 12 weeks. It was found that the rats had increased abdominal fat, damaged pancreatic cells that release insulin, and showed signs of insulin resistance.
It is important to note that if humans participated in the same experiment, the results might be different. More research is needed to determine whether intermittent fasting increases people's risk of developing diabetes.
For some people, intermittent fasting may put diabetes into remission, possibly due to weight loss.
A 2018 case reportTrusted Source evaluated three patients with type 2 diabetes who used insulin and fasted at least three times per week. Within a month, they no longer needed to use insulin.
Their body mass index (BMI), waist circumference and HbA1C levels also improved. After a few months, the participants each lost about 10 percent of their body weight.
The report's sample size was too small to draw conclusions about how intermittent fasting affects most people with diabetes.
However, a larger 2018 study found that nearly half of people with type 2 diabetes who lost weight were able to stop taking their diabetes medications and achieve remission.
Because intermittent fasting reduces calorie intake, it can help people with diabetes lose weight and increase the likelihood of remission.
However, other weight loss strategies may also help reverse diabetes.
Everyone is different, so what works best for you may not be the same as what works best for someone else. Consult a health care professional or nutritionist to determine which strategy may be right for you.
- as a religious practice
- Prepare for a medical procedure
- weight loss attempts
- improve health in some way
Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern that involves eating little or no food, followed by regular meals. Unlike many other diets, it generally focuses on limiting the time you eat and drink, rather than what's on your plate.
Intermittent fasting is often used as a way to lose weight through calorie restriction. It may provide some benefits to people with diabetes, but it also carries risks.
Types of intermittent fasting for diabetes
Here are some common intermittent fasting diets:
- 16:8 Intermittent fasting. People who follow this diet eat all their meals within 8 hours, followed by a 16-hour fast. Many people fast from 8 p.m. to noon the next day and maintain an eating window between noon and 8 p.m.
- 5:2 intermittent fasting. This is when you eat normally for 5 days, then fast for 2 days, during which you eat less than 500 calories a day.
- Fast on alternate days. This is a complete 24 hours of not eating anything or eating only small amounts of food, and then eating as usual.
- Early time-limited feeding (eTRF). This limits your eating times to the morning and early afternoon, followed by fasting that lasts throughout the day and evening.
What are the benefits of intermittent fasting for diabetes?
According to the small study of three people mentioned earlier, some people have been able to stop taking insulin after a month or so of intermittent fasting.
More research is needed to determine whether intermittent fasting can help most people with diabetes stop taking insulin.
Other potential benefits include:
- Improve insulin sensitivity
- Lower blood pressure
- Reduce oxidative stress
- decreased appetite
- Increase fat oxidation
According to the ADA, more research is needed to determine the long-term benefits of intermittent fasting on blood sugar control and diabetes complications.
Tips for intermittent fasting for people with diabetes
- Talk to your healthcare provider about adjusting your medication or insulin dose. You may need to change your diabetes treatment when trying a diet that may affect your blood sugar levels.
- Monitor your blood sugar levels. Going too long without eating can cause hypoglycemia, so check your blood sugar levels frequently.
- Check your mood. Many people find that restricting food intake can really affect their mood. Watch for signs such as irritability, increased anxiety, and difficulty coping with stress.
- Monitor energy levels. Fasting can make you feel tired – something you may want to keep in mind if you are driving or operating equipment.
- Balance your carbs. Your body breaks down carbohydrates into glucose, which causes blood sugar to spike. When you're not fasting, try to balance carbohydrates in your meals with vegetables and protein to avoid high blood sugar levels.
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One case study showed that intermittent fasting helped some people with diabetes stop taking insulin. However, more research is needed.
While intermittent fasting can be done safely, people with diabetes may be at risk for hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia due to blood sugar fluctuations during and after fasting.
Before starting any weight loss program, work with a health care professional, a member of your diabetes care team, or a nutritionist. They can help you lose weight safely and sustainably.
