Mystery - high blood sugar and fat levels but I'm already on low carb/sugar eating plan ...?

[Bansaw]

I have got some concerning blood test results back and they show high blood glucose levels and a concern over fat in my blood stream , both a concern for developing diabetes.

However, since I have Lyme I have been on a low carb eating plan for years and almost never touch sugar at all. (I only have some honey now and then.)

I'm getting more tests on Monday to follow up, but why this high blood sugar when I probably consume less sugar than 99% of people on the planet, and I'm on a relatively low carb plan ?

 

[pamojja]

On low carb one experience could be dawn-phenomena, where before waking a rise in cortisol could raise fasting blood sugar too (I assume that's been tested for you). Also fasting glucose can wary widely.

Carb-intolerance is highly individual. To really know what is going on I would get a blood-glucose meter with cheap test-strips, and beside testing fasting blood glucose also would find the highest postprandial spikes (usually 1 hr after a meal) and test for at least 2 weeks for their averages, and to see there is a real problem.

Long term blood glucose, a HbA1c test, can be easily falsified. Wouldn't trust that test too much. If it would be the case you're really exceptional intolerant to carbs, one straightforward way would take for a while your postprandial blood glucose with your usual meals, and therebe singling out those foods which spike your blood glucose the most, and reduce or eliminate them.

and I'm on a relatively low carb plan ?

How many grams of carbs per day or meal you get through your diet?

 

[Bansaw]

On low carb one experience could be dawn-phenomena, where before waking a rise in cortisol could raise fasting blood sugar too (I assume that's been tested for you). Also fasting glucose can wary widely.

Thanks.
My doc a few months ago recommended Ketogenic which I am pondering now.
That it an extremely low carb diet, and no sugar, even fruits. I am strongly considering that.

Although I did a Paleo last year and I sense that it actually caused this bllod sugar issue that I've never had before. The theory behind that is that my body wasn't getting glucose from carbs so it was scavenging glucose from my muscles and the protein I was eating. I hope that my body did not undergo a strange alteration because of that.

 

[nanonug]

I have got some concerning blood test results back and they show high blood glucose levels and a concern over fat in my blood stream , both a concern for developing diabetes.

Although there are some weird situations in which one may have hyperglycemia for no apparent reason, the most likely explanation in the vast majority of cases is, unfortunately, that of diabetes. As such, availing yourself of a competent endocrinologist would be my first course of action if I were in your shoes.

 

[pamojja]

As such, availing yourself of a competent endocrinologist would be my first course of action if I were in your shoes.

I've tried to find a competent endocrinologist (within the insurance system), but haven't found even one. They all seem not interested in preventing diabetes- but once you have it to give prescription medications for the rest of life without hope on remission, that way.

Diabetes is so easy to prevent. Endocrinologist are good to get all the blood-work done, but as long as all markers are still within the 'normal' range of no use. Even though already within normal ranges the development of diabetes could be seen decades before, that's not something a run of the mill endocrinologist ever was interested in.

 

[nanonug]

I've tried to find a competent endocrinologist (within the insurance system), but haven't found even one.

Finding a competent professional of any kind is always a challenge and doctors are no exception. It is generally easier to find one in an urban or suburban region but it is still a challenge. As a last resource, one could always try to find a doctor associated with a major research center. Universities are a place to look.

Diabetes is so easy to prevent

If you are talking about type 2 diabetes, I would tend to agree with you. But when it comes to type 1 diabetes, things are way more complicated: it is not so easy to deal with a diseased pancreas.

Endocrinologist are good to get all the blood-work done

Exactly!

 

[pamojja]

As a last resource, one could always try to find a doctor associated with a major research center. Universities are a place to look.

That was the first I looked for, one recommended for university career and scientific curiosity from many GP here. Turned out the worst. Just telling him that I would have got cholesterol under control with lifestyle and nutrition was enough for him to refuse any further consultation with him. He concluded that since I refuse to take statins and beta-blockers (the later was never indicated in my case; have perfect blood pressure) he doesn't have any reason to look at my former lab-results, since I made it already clear I wouldn't take what he would prescribe: statins and beta-blocker. For a hammer everything looks like a nail.

 

[brenda]

@Bansaw

I bought into the low carb high fat diet for a while and blame it for making my insulin resistance worse even though my A1c improved. I am now plant based whole food and my blood pressure has dropped, though am still having hypos through the night. I half suspect l developed type 1 as well when low carb.

It worries me now that there are no long term studies on the keto diet.

 

[Bansaw]

@Bansaw
I bought into the low carb high fat diet for a while and blame it for making my insulin resistance worse even though my A1c improved. I am now plant based whole food and my blood pressure has dropped, though am still having hypos through the night. I half suspect l developed type 1 as well when low carb.
It worries me now that there are no long term studies on the keto diet.

Thanks. My doc is actually recommending Ketogenic for me. I have been a little reticent but carrying on the way I am now is not really working. I might try it for 8 weeks or so and monitor my blood glucose, ketones etc. i.e. do it under supervision.
I think the Keto works well for some people but as with everything it depends on multiple factors - DNA, medical history etc etc. (I dont have blood pressure issues - I've always been low)

 

[TenuousGrip]

I was pretty sure that certain kinds of stressors and infections could raise FBG (Fasting Blood Glucose):

https://www.diabeteswellness.net/sites/default/files/Illness and Diabetes.pdf

It may have nothing to do with your diet.

In any case .... I hope it resolves soon

 

[Bansaw]

In any case .... I hope it resolves soon

Thanks.
One thing I was just thinking about was 'juicing'. I vegetable juice every lunchtime but its with beets and carrots with only a hint of lemon and ginger in.
I read that beet was actually good for blood sugar, but am concerned that raw carrot juice (which is quite sweet) is getting into my blood stream and spiking me.
However, I do have this thought in the back of my mind that my 2-3 months on Paleo (which was very, very low carb) did something negative to me in terms of blood sugar regulation.

 

[pamojja]

However, I do have this thought in the back of my mind that my 2-3 months on Paleo (which was very, very low carb) did something negative to me in terms of blood sugar regulation.

Actually at the beginning of my health journey (because of a PAD and 60% walking disability) I did a 1 week fast. After that 1 week lost complete fasting blood glucose control. Seems during that fast my liver good really good at gluconeogenesis.

However, no reason to despair. Prediabetis armored with a blood glucose meter is easy to conquer in a couple of months. The PAD took me 6 years! With ME/CFS ..still no end in sight.

 

[AndyPandy]

@Bansaw

I am a skinny type 2 diabetic for over 20 years.

My understanding and experience is that beets and carrots contain carbs and having them as juice means your BGLs will spike faster and higher.

You might like to consult a good dietician or research the carb content and GI values of what you are eating. There are lots of foods which you might not think are carb rich. You can google the carb content of most foods.

There are also tricks to slow down absorption of sugars eg have carbs with protein, use vinegar etc

Best wishes Andy

 

[ljimbo423]

I'm getting more tests on Monday to follow up, but why this high blood sugar when I probably consume less sugar than 99% of people on the planet, and I'm on a relatively low carb plan ?

Inflammation? LINK

Maybe try herbs like curcumin, quercetin, nettle leaf extract etc, with diet?



Jim

 

[Learner1]

Its likely not what you're eating but something amiss in your biochemistry.

Infections can push up blood glucose.

 

[Ravn]

You may find these interesting:

https://www.cell.com/cell/abstract/S0092-8674(15)01481-6 (paywalled)

Here, we continuously monitored week-long glucose levels in an 800-person cohort, measured responses to 46,898 meals, and found high variability in the response to identical meals, suggesting that universal dietary recommendations may have limited utility.

This longer article discusses the study: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/huge-differences-even-when-people-ate-the-same-foods/

This shorter article also discusses the study and has an interesting graphic showing how very differently individuals respond to the very same food https://wis-wander.weizmann.ac.il/l...r-levels-response-foods-are-highly-individual

The above also mirrors my own experience: glucose testing shows surprisingly little glucose rise for some fast carb foods you's expect to cause a spike. And on the other hand some slow carb foods (the sort recommended in diabetes) consistently cause a major glucose spike.

The good news from that: I was able to reverse my insulin intolerance by identifying and eliminating my specific food culprits, and I didn't have to go keto to do it.

The bad news: it takes a lot of glucose testing to work it all out – and glucose testing strips are ridiculously expensive.

You may also wish to research physiological insulin resistence in low-carb and keto diets. I don't know much about it but it seems that especially during the adaptation phase glucose levels, for some people, can go up.