Patients with Type-2 diabetes who follow a strict low carbohydrate diet for six months may experience greater rates of remission compared with other recommended diets without adverse effects, a new study suggests.

Most benefits diminished at 12 months, but say doctors might consider short-term strict low carbohydrate diets for managing Type-2 diabetes, while actively monitoring and adjusting diabetes medication as needed, the researchers, including Joshua Z. Goldenberg from Texas A&M University, said.

A low-carb diet is a diet that restricts carbohydrates, such as those found in sugary foods, pasta, and bread. It is high in protein, fat and healthy vegetables.

For the study, published in The BMJ journal, the team assessed the effectiveness and safety of low carbohydrate diets (LCDs) and very low carbohydrate diets (VLCDs) for people with Type-2 diabetes, compared with (mostly low fat) control diets based on analysis from 23 randomized trials involving 1,357 participants.

LCDs were defined as less than 26 percent daily calories from carbohydrates and VLCDs were defined as less than 10 percent daily calories from carbohydrates for at least 12 weeks in adults (average age 47 to 67 years) with Type-2 diabetes.

Based on low to moderate certainty evidence, the researchers found that patients on LCDs achieved higher diabetes remission rates at six months compared with patients on control diets, without adverse events.

However, most of these benefits diminished at 12 months, a finding consistent with previous reviews, and some evidence showed worsening of quality of life and cholesterol levels at 12 months, the team said.

(This story was published from a syndicated feed. Only the headline and picture has been edited by FIT)