New study: is low carb sustainable in the long run?

April 30 2018 by , medical review by in Diabetes studies, Failed low-fat diets, New study

A team of researchers in Japan has been studying low carbohydrate diets. In a study published in January 2014, the researchers had already found that a moderately low-carbohydrate diet is more effective than calorie restriction for improving lipid profile and blood sugar control in type-2 diabetics.

Now, in a new study, the team set out to find out whether eating a moderate low-carb diet is sustainable, effective and safe long term.

The researchers followed 200 patients with type 2 diabetes over a period of three years. They found that a moderate carbohydrate restriction (70–130 g/day) was enough to have a positive effect on the patients’ health markers, and that the diet is “highly effective, safe and sustainable”. They added that:

Over 36 months, the [moderate low carb] intervention showed sustained effectiveness (without safety concerns) in improving HbA1c, lipid profile, and liver enzymes in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes.

Nutrients: Efficacy of a Moderately Low Carbohydrate Diet in a 36-Month Observational Study of Japanese Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

One of the big criticisms of low-carbohydrate diets is the claim that they are unsustainable long term, so it’s great to see teams of researchers carrying out studies to find out about the effects of following a low-carbohydrate diet over longer periods of time.

Check out our free guide to learn more about different levels of carbohydrate restriction. We also have some fantastic video courses, like this one, for getting started on a low-carbohydrate diet.

Low carb basics

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Low-carb tips with team Diet Doctor – Traveling
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How do you stay low carb when traveling? Watch this episode to find out!
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A global food revolution
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The mistakes behind the obesity epidemic and how we can fix them together, empowering people everywhere to revolutionize their health.
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7 tips to make low carb simple
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The star of the BBC series Doctor in the House, Dr. Rangan Chatterjee, gives you seven tips that will make low carb easy.
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Women's questions introduction
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In this video series, you can find expert views on some of your top questions about low-carb and women's health.
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Q&A with Dr. Andreas Eenfeldt
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Has Sweden adopted low-carb dietary guidelines? Dr. Andreas Eenfeldt answers questions about the work we do at Diet Doctor and low-carb as a treatment for different conditions.

Diabetes

My low-carb story with Marc Gossange
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After living somewhat of a high-carb life and then living in France for a few years enjoying croissants and freshly baked baguettes, Marc was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
My success story with Kenneth Russell
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When Kenneth turned 50, he realized that he wouldn't make it to 60 the way he was going.
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A low-carb story with Dr. Sanjeev Balakrishnan
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How can you as a doctor treat patients with type 2 diabetes? Dr. Sanjeev Balakrishnan learned the answer to this question seven years ago. Check out this video for all the details!
Can low carb make it fun to be a doctor?
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Dr. Unwin about getting his patients off medications and making a true difference in their lives using low carb.
How to avoid complications of type 1 diabetes
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Why are the recommendations to people with diabetes to eat a high-carb diet a bad idea? And what is the alternative?
Living low carb with Chris Hannaway
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What does living low carb look like? Chris Hannaway shares his success story, takes us for a spin in the gym and orders food at the local pub.
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How to help patients reverse type 2 diabetes
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How exactly do you as a doctor help patients reverse their type 2 diabetes?
Living low carb with Yvonne Lane
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Yvonne used to see all those pictures of people who'd lost so much weight, but sometimes didn't really believe they were real.
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