I have pre-diabetes. I am on a physician monitored low-carb, profast diet. I have been taking my fasting blood sugar (8 hours with no food) and it continues to be high. I've done some googling (how dangerous!) that says a low-carb diet can raise your fasting blood sugar. Does anyone know if there is any truth to this? I've had almost NO sugar for over a month, you'd think I'd be going in a better direction.
Well, I don't know what you found, but most places will say low carb is THE way to go and it's worked for me. I had gestational diabetes during my second pregnancy and with doing low carb I was able to keep my sugars low without medication.
And when I saw low carb, I found that for me, that meant NO grains - no fruit, no bread, no 'sauces' as many of them have sugar. I was eating meat and vegetables (and not sweet potatoes and carrots and beets kind of veggies).
When I started this weight loss journey I could have been considered full blown diabetic, but my doctor wanted to see if I could control it with diet and see what happens with the thyroid medicine finally kicking in. And again, it worked like magic.
I don't know what kind of low carb diet you are on but I do know that White bread , Rice , Potato's , Corn. I have always been told any carb that is white will turn into sugar. Would really have to know what a day of your eating would be.
I was on the cusp of diabetes before dropping 26 lbs and was also put on a low carb WOE. No bread, no sugar, no rice, no pasta, no potatoes. My sugar has improved A LOT. I'm out of the danger zone almost. And that's with just 26 lbs.
I have to go back in 6 months for more lab work, which is yet another motivating factor in keeping me straight!!! I want to see perfect scores LOL.
But I have never heard of a low carb diet making glucose go up.... That's new to me.
Thanks for the responses. I am on a physician based pro-fast which has less than 25g carbs a day. I am a carb counting fiend, so I know all the foods I can have. I found the information on low carb on fasting glucose from a paleo website. I went back to read in great detail as they posted a link to a partial article written by an MD. I didn't understand all of it, however, it does appear that your body can have a high fasting glucose while on low carb. It really fascinated me. And just to be clear, it's fasting glucose. My other readings are really great (post-meal).
Thanks again for the responses....looking at your weight tickers, you ladies are doing something right! :-)
When I had gestational diabetes that was something I read up quite a bit. It might have to do with you actually going hypoglycemic during the night and the rebound effect. So, timing your evening snack might help. It definitely should be a high protein snack.. Recommendations then were to get up at 2 or 3 am and check it. If it's fine that (or really low then) and then high in the morning, it could be a hypoglycemia. That can be helped with that protein snack at night. When I had GD, I had peanut butter with a half apple and cinnamon before going to bed (forgot the timing of it as it was 8 years ago).
definitely read about the "dawn effect" or glucose dumping. You still make glucose in the liver, no matter how low carb you go. Your doc may want you to do some tweaking. One idea is to have a small bedtime snack with a few carbs. (greek yogurt comes to mind) using up half of your carb allowance. THis helps prevent the dumping. Another is to try a med like metformin (get the extended release form) to take in the evening. You and your doc can discuss which may be best for you.
Thanks for the responses. I'll try testing my glucose at 2 or 3 am...I never thought that I could be bottoming out when I sleep. I am already on Metformin. It's a very low dose at 500mg. I'll also try a protein balanced with some carb before bed.
I enjoyed reading your post and the responses of the others. I too am diabetic. Since I am following the Metabolic Research Clinic plan, I have had to add a protein snack right before going to bed because I was so weak and even nauseated upon waking in the mornings. Now I don't have those issues anymore.
How are you doing since you added the bedtime snack?
Hi Firegirl,
MRC is the exact plan I am on as well. The protein snack has helped, although I have not checked my glucose levels as suggested above. I just haven't been able to remember when I wake up at night. I am doing well on MRC, but I also have to admit...I have trouble getting in all 5 supplements. I talked about this with my doctor and now I'm transitioning to 2 meals with 2 supplements. She also said that it's going to take time before my fasting glucose goes down. In fact, she has never mentioned monitoring so closely. I did that on my own. All this to say, that I feel better on the modified fast. It feels more normal (food wise)..I feel more normal....and I am continuing to see the scale go down. Maybe not as fast, but certainly not slow. My guess is that the complete fast was bottoming me out. I've also added about 15 carbs a day...it sounds silly, but I think it's made a difference as well.
It looks like you are doing fantastic on MRC. Keep it up!!!
I'm watching my fasting blood sugar levels as well, because that is the test I will have in three weeks for my checkup. Before I started my plan it was 200+ every morning and I felt like crap every morning, could barely move. After a low-carb month on plan my daily readings are mostly normal but my fasting is still high - usually 160-180. So it's coming down but not normal yet. I will try the protein snack too at bedtime, and being patient as well. I think it takes more time. I am on Metformin twice a day and another diabetes med too. My goal is to get my sugar down to normal WITH NO MEDS, more than even losing weight. I feel like I'm on the right road, just going to take longer than I thought.
Fasting Blood Sugar
but my fasting is still high - usually 160-180. So it's coming down but not normal yet. I will try the protein snack too at bedtime, and being patient as well. I think it takes more time. I am on Metformin twice a day and another diabetes med too. My goal is to get my sugar down to normal WITH NO MEDS, more than even losing weight. I feel like I'm on the right road, just going to take longer than I thought. 
