Source: Thailand Medical News Jan 08, 2020 4 years, 10 months, 6 days, 5 hours, 34 minutes ago
As more people with
diabetes and
pre-diabetes are looking for strategies to help control
blood sugar, new research from University of British Columbia's Okanagan campus suggests that
ketone monoester drinks, a popular new
food supplement may help do exactly that.
Dr Jonathan Little, Associate Professor at UBC Okanagan's School of Health and Exercise Sciences and study lead author told
Thailand Medical News, "There has been a lot of excitement and interest in
ketone drinks and
supplements, which have really only been on the market and available to consumers for the last couple of years. Because they're so new, there's very little research on how they can influence metabolism and we're among the first to look at their use in non-athletes."
UBC researcher Dr Jonathan Little suggests ketone supplement drink may
help control blood sugar. Credit: UBC Okanagan
Dr Little says that type 2
diabetes is a disease whereby the body is unable to control the level of
sugar in the
blood because defects in the functioning of a hormone called
insulin.
He added, "It's a disease that's becoming alarmingly common in Canada and approaching what many would consider epidemic levels. While type 2
diabetes can be controlled with medications or injectable
insulin, many people are looking to options that don't require taking pills every day or that are less invasive."
Currently,
ketone supplements are proving fertile ground for research into type 2
diabetes because, according to Dr Little,
ketones are the natural fuel source of the body when it's in ketosis, the metabolic byproduct of consuming a low carbohydrate,
ketogenic diet.
Dr Little further added, "There is mounting evidence that a low carbohydrate
ketogenic diet is very effective in controlling
blood sugar and even reversing type 2
diabetes. We wanted to know what would happen if artificial
ketones were given to those with obesity and at risk for type 2
diabetes but who haven't been dieting."
To assess the idea, Dr Little and his team asked 15 people to consume a
ketone drink after fasting overnight. After 30 minutes, they were then asked to drink a fluid containing 75 grams of
sugar while
blood samples were taken.
Dr Little explained, "It turns out that the
ketone drink seemed to
launch participants into a sort of pseudo-
ketogenic state where they were better able to control their
blood sugar levels with no changes to their
insulin. It demonstrates that these
supplements may have real potential as a valuable tool for those with type 2
diabetes."
Dr Little is quick to point out that
ketone supplements are not a magic bullet in managing the disease.
He cautioned, "There are a number of problems that we still have to work out, including the fact that we still don't know what the long-term effects of consuming
ketones are. And not to mention that the drink itself tastes absolutely terrible. But for those that aren't able to follow a strict and challenging
ketogenic diet or for those that are looking for a new way to control
blood sugars, this may be another strategy in helping to manage type 2
diabetes."
Thailand Medical News also warns that there has been past studies showing that individuals on
ketogenic diets have been prone to kidney diseases and kidney failure. Before attempting any diets or supplements, all individuals are advised to consult their doctors first.
Reference : Étienne Myette-Côté et al, A ketone monoester drink reduces the glycemic response to an oral glucose challenge in individuals with obesity: a randomized trial, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2019). DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/nqz232
