Low-Fat Vegan Diet More Effective for Diabetics than Oral Medication

August 7, 2006 - A low-fat vegan diet treats type 2 diabetes more effectively than a standard diabetes diet and may be more effective than single-agent therapy with oral diabetes drugs, according to a study in the August issue of Diabetes Care, a journal published by the American Diabetes Association.

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August 3, 2006 – There is a molecular switch that regulates fat and cholesterol production, and researchers think they have discovered how it works. Excess intake of food, along with lack of exercise, appears to keep the switch in "on." Their discovery may help advance treatments for metabolic syndrome, the constellation of diseases that includes high cholesterol, obesity, type II diabetes, and high blood pressure. It is most common among older people after they reach age 60. Read more...

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Findings may carry high public health significance

June 27, 2006 - Drinking coffee, especially when it is decaffeinated, may be associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, and this study, the authors conclude, may have "high public health significance," due to the popularity of coffee among senior citizens, who also have high rates of diabetes. Read more...and more stories on benefits of coffee.

Galvus Oral Diabetes Compound Shows Significant Blood Sugar Reduction

Senior citizens showed A1c drop of 2.3% from mean A1c baseline of 8.4%

June 13, 2006 - Galvus (vildagliptin), seeking to become a new once-daily oral treatment option for type 2 diabetes, has demonstrated impressive efficacy, especially in patients with poor glycemic control, as well as weight loss benefits in obese patients, according to a Phase III study reported today at the 66th Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association (ADA) meeting in Washington, DC. Read more...

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Individuals with type 2 diabetes were randomly assigned to a low-fat vegan diet or a diet following the American Diabetes Association (ADA) guidelines.

The vegan diet (10% of energy from fat, 15% protein, and 75% carbohydrate) consisted of vegetables, fruits, grains, and legumes. Participants were asked to avoid animal products and added fats and to favor low-glycemic index foods, such as beans and green vegetables. Portion sizes, energy intake, and carbohydrate intake were unrestricted.

The ADA diet (15-20% protein, <7% saturated fat, 60–70% carbohydrate and monounsaturated fats, and cholesterol 200 mg/day) was individualized, based on body weight and plasma lipid concentrations.

Both a low-fat vegan diet and a diet based on ADA guidelines improved glycemic and lipid control in type 2 diabetic patients. These improvements were greater, however, with the low-fat vegan diet.

Study participants on the low-fat vegan diet showed dramatic improvement in four disease markers: blood sugar control, cholesterol reduction, weight control, and kidney function.

Vance, a study participant and former police officer who lives in the District of Columbia, saw his high blood sugar plunge rapidly into the normal range, and he dropped about 60 pounds, in response to the intervention diet.

Until she tried the intervention diet, another participant's diabetes was worsening and not responding to intensified drug therapy. During the course of the study she lost about 42 pounds and was able to discontinue one of her medications.

The randomized controlled trial was conducted by doctors and dieticians with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), the George Washington University, and the University of Toronto with funding from the National Institutes of Health and the Diabetes Action Research and Education Foundation.

The vegan diet represents a major departure from current diabetes diets, in that it placed no limits on calories, carbohydrates, or portions.

"The diet appears remarkably effective, and all the side effects are good ones--especially weight loss and lower cholesterol," says lead researcher Neal D. Barnard, M.D., PCRM president and adjunct associate professor of medicine at the George Washington University.

"I hope this study will rekindle interest in using diet changes first, rather than prescription drugs."

Diabetes rates have climbed rapidly in recent years, and more than 20 million Americans now have the disease, which is linked to kidney failure, blindness, and cardiovascular disease.

In their conclusion, the authors said, "A low-fat plant-based diet influences nutrient intake and body composition in several ways that may, in turn, affect insulin sensitivity. First, because such diets are low in fat and high in fiber, they typically cause associated reductions in dietary energy density and energy intake, which are not fully compensated for by increased food intake. Our data suggest that the weight-reducing effect of the vegan diet is responsible for a substantial portion of its effect on A1C. "

About information source:

Founded in 1985, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine is a nonprofit health organization that promotes preventive medicine, especially good nutrition. PCRM also conducts clinical research studies, opposes unethical human experimentation, and promotes alternatives to animal research.

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