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Many individuals with Type 2 Diabetes must change their lifestyle and eating habits in order to live with the disease. In order to control this illness, blood sugar and insulin levels in the body should be kept consistent and constant. According to recent research, people who keep their meals restricted to certain times of the day may experience fewer significant spikes and dips in their metabolic health.
In a recent study published in Diabetology, researchers offered Type 2 Diabetes patients a three-week TRE (time-restricted eating diet that restricts one’s daily food intake to ten hours), and found that participants who adhered to the method had more well-controlled glucose levels and spent more time in a normal blood sugar level range compared to when they were consuming within at least 14 hours.
The effects of time-restricted eating on insulin sensitivity in Type 2 Diabetes patients were inconclusive.
According to experts, restricting eating for a set length of time each day has the effect of synchronizing the body’s metabolism with its natural rhythm, which helps to promote normal blood sugar levels throughout the day.
Naturally, there are several limitations to trials and research, which is why it’s critical to note that the findings of this study were a secondary outcome. “The finding that restricting eating to just a 10-hour window resulted in decreased 24-hour glucose levels was not surprising because glucose levels generally rise after food consumption and participants were eating for a shorter period of the day,” explains Dr. Mike Bohl.
There were also a few hiccups during the study that need to be mentioned. “There was incomplete data due to technical problems in one case, so just 10 of the volunteers’ data were analyzed,” Bohl adds. This is in addition to the fact that many trial participants were taking glucose-lowering drugs at the time while others were not.
That isn’t to imply that this study didn’t discover a beneficial type of treatment for some Type 2 Diabetes patients. “Some research suggests that intermittent fasting can lead to weight reduction, which might be advantageous for people with type 2 diabetes,” Bohl adds.
While you cannot cure Type 2 Diabetes, restricting eating that results in “weight loss can help with insulin sensitivity and improve Type 2 diabetes,” according to Dr. Deena Adimoolam.
If you have Type 2 Diabetes and are considering a new diet to help you manage the day-to-day, talk to your doctor first, says Bohl. “Keeping blood sugar levels controlled can be difficult—and staying on the same daily schedule might help you maintain proper blood sugar control without it being a stressor—if you discover the ideal combination of medicine and eating habits first.”
