Key result
A one-week reduced-carbohydrate diet reduced insulin doses by 16% but did not improve insulin sensitivity or endothelial function compared to a standard diet in adults with type 1 diabetes.
Why the study?
Iatrogenic peripheral hyperinsulinemia from peripheral insulin administration in type 1 diabetes may increase insulin resistance and impair endothelial function.
Does a one-week reduced-carbohydrate diet improve insulin sensitivity and endothelial function in adults with type 1 diabetes?
RCT (n=12)
Single-blind
Permuted blocks of four
No
Does a one-week reduced-carbohydrate diet improve insulin sensitivity and endothelial function in adults with type 1 diabetes?
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
A one-week reduced-carbohydrate diet successfully lowered total daily insulin doses but failed to improve insulin sensitivity or endothelial function in adults with type 1 diabetes.
BACKGROUND: Iatrogenic peripheral hyperinsulinemia, resulting from peripheral insulin administration in type 1 diabetes, may increase insulin resistance and impair endothelial function. We hypothesized that lowering iatrogenic peripheral hyperinsulinemia via a one-week, reduced-carbohydrate diet (RCD) would improve insulin sensitivity and endothelial function compared with an isocaloric standard carbohydrate diet (SCD). METHODS: In this randomized, single-blinded, crossover trial, we studied 12 adults with type 1 diabetes. Participants completed both a one-week RCD and a one-week SCD, separated by a three-week washout. After each intervention, we measured insulin sensitivity using a hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp and assessed endothelial function via brachial-artery flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD). RESULTS: The RCD reduced total daily insulin doses by 16% compared with the SCD. Despite this reduction, insulin sensitivity did not improve (median glucose infusion rates: RCD 8.1 mg/kg FFM/min [IQR 6.7-10.1] vs. SCD 8.6 mg/kg FFM/min [7.0-11.0], p = 0.47). Similarly, endothelial function did not differ significantly (FMD after RCD 7.50% [3.25-15.5] vs. SCD 9.81% [4.96-14.3], p = 0.91). Although higher insulin doses correlated with lower insulin sensitivity under both conditions, lowering insulin dose through the RCD alone did not yield measurable improvements. CONCLUSIONS: Although a one-week RCD significantly lowered insulin requirements, it failed to enhance insulin sensitivity or endothelial function in adults with type 1 diabetes. These findings underscore the complex and dynamic relationship between insulin exposure and cardiometabolic health. Similar basal overnight insulin delivery may have masked potential benefits by the time of testing, highlighting the need for further studies to refine strategies aimed at mitigating hyperinsulinemia's adverse effects. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04118374.
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Gregory et al. (2025) conducted an RCT in Type 1 diabetes (n=12). Reduced-carbohydrate diet vs. Standard carbohydrate diet was evaluated on Insulin sensitivity (glucose infusion rate in mg/kg FFM/min) (95% CI -0.5 to 1.8, p=0.47). A one-week reduced-carbohydrate diet reduced insulin doses by 16% but did not improve insulin sensitivity or endothelial function compared to a standard diet in adults with type 1 diabetes.
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