Sugar alters hormones and metabolism, sets stage for obesity and diabetes
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Re: Sugar alters hormones and metabolism, sets stage for obesity and diabetes
#2The CDC says 34% of US adults have pre-diabetes, and of those, 88% are undiagnosed[1]. Yes, about 29% of US adults have un-diagnosed pre-diabetes, or about 74 million people.
I think a significant cause is that testing blood glucose is thought of as something that only diabetics do, and as a result, most people have no idea how their bodies respond to meals they'd consider normal. The feedback loop is completely open. A typical Chipotle burrito has ~115 grams of carbs, often consumed in 20 minutes[2]. For some people, that's fine, and for others it's not, but the only way to know (other than waiting for problems) is to actually measure one's own blood glucose an hour later.
Until blood glucose testing is either (a) thought of more as data collection without fear or stigma, like a bathroom scale, or (b) made blood-less and automatic, like is rumored about the Apple Watch[3], many people won't learn the answer to that question until a symptom of pre-diabetes appears.
If you're reading this and haven't had your fasting blood glucose tested as part of a regular checkup, get that done. It's not nearly as informative as post-meal testing, but it's much better than nothing.
Also, if you're a diabetic who created a side project/hack because you wanted it, and at scale, that project could mitigate the public health impact of diabetes, feel free to contact me. I'd consider helping make it mainstream[4]. My interest is improving societal health (this will be a massive problem in 20 years if nothing happens now), not personal or financial.
[1]: CDC National Diabetes Statistics report, 2017: http://cdc.gov/diabetes/pdfs/data/statistics/national-diabet... (page 7)
[2]: Chipotle nutrition calculator: https://www.chipotle.com/nutrition-calculator
[3]: "Apple CEO Tim Cook test-drove a device that tracks his blood sugar": https://www.cnbc.com/2017/05/18/apple-ceo-tim-cook-test-drov...
[4]: https://twitter.com/troyd/status/920747116703518720, https://twitter.com/troyd/status/921409373661884416
Re: Sugar alters hormones and metabolism, sets stage for obesity and diabetes
#3The CDC says 34% of US adults have pre-diabetes, and of those, 88% are undiagnosed[1]. Yes, about 29% of US adults have un-diagnosed pre-diabetes, or about 74 million people. I think a significant cause is that testing blood glucose is thought of as something that only diabetics do, and as a result, most people have no idea how their bodies respond to meals they'd consider normal. The feedback loop is completely open…
This sounds very interesting as another metric (like weight on a scale, as you put it) for someone trying to be conscious about their health. Is this something that a person could do cheaply at home with over-the-counter diabetic testing supplies? Could you be more specific or link to something about a protocol for e.g. measuring the effect of a meal on blood glucose and how to interpret those results?
Re: Sugar alters hormones and metabolism, sets stage for obesity and diabetes
#4Short take: this is adapted from ‘The Case Against Sugar’ by Gary Taubes, a science writer who's been a long-standing campaigner against dietary carbohydratesa and sugar'.
Re: Sugar alters hormones and metabolism, sets stage for obesity and diabetes
#5The CDC says 34% of US adults have pre-diabetes, and of those, 88% are undiagnosed[1]. Yes, about 29% of US adults have un-diagnosed pre-diabetes, or about 74 million people. I think a significant cause is that testing blood glucose is thought of as something that only diabetics do, and as a result, most people have no idea how their bodies respond to meals they'd consider normal. The feedback loop is completely open…
This sounds very interesting as another metric (like weight on a scale, as you put it) for someone trying to be conscious about their health. Is this something that a person could do cheaply at home with over-the-counter diabetic testing supplies? Could you be more specific or link to something about a protocol for e.g. measuring the effect of a meal on blood glucose and how to interpret those results?
Disclaimer: This is not medical advice and I'm not very knowledgeable, I'm just a data and public health geek. If you believe you may have diabetes or pre-diabetes, contact a doctor.
Yes, it's doable with over-the-counter products. You need a meter and lancet device, and then for each test, a single-use lancet insert (tiny needle) and test strip.
These are usually bundled together in a pharmacy for $25-$75. However, if you look or ask the pharmacist, there's often a 100% money back refund right in the store.
Additional test strips are $0.75-$1.75/strip in packs of 25, 50, or 100. While that sounds expensive (and for diabetics, is), for the purposes we're talking about, one could probably only test after high-carb meals and a few days of fasting readings. The included 25-50 test strips may yield enough data to act on, and if not, one more 25-50 pack probably would.
https://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/blog/what-is-a-normal... has more about when to test (basically, 1 and 2 hours after the start of a meal) and what results to expect. Feel free to ask the pharmacist to show you how to use it and interpret the results.
Important note: this feels nothing like a blood draw. It's barely noticeable at all and not anything I'd call painful. There's a depth adjustment on the lancet, so it's the tiniest imaginable prick on the side of a finger. It yields less than a drop of blood, then immediately closes, ie, no bandage or bleeding.
I did this myself as an extension of quantified self in 2012 (https://twitter.com/troyd/status/281931325471068161), just because I wanted to see the readings and the process. I did it again this year to see whether the testing process had improved (no) or my results had changed (no). Other than some puzzled pharmacists who aren't used to people buying a meter for cash, there's really nothing to it. It'll also give a tiny peek at a process that millions of people do all the time.
It's fascinating to see how one's body responds, particularly to meals that aren't obviously unhealthy (and depending on the person, may not be). Some examples: sandwiches (especially on big hoagie/grinder-style refined bread), burritos (tortilla+rice+beans), any meals with 2 significant sources of carbs (sandwich with fries or potato, breakfast with toast and hash browns, etc), and pasta. These aren't inherently unhealthy, but they all significantly raise blood glucose, and the only way to see how much is to test. More on "glycemic load": https://www.google.com/search?q=glycemic+load
Re: Sugar alters hormones and metabolism, sets stage for obesity and diabetes
#6The CDC says 34% of US adults have pre-diabetes, and of those, 88% are undiagnosed[1]. Yes, about 29% of US adults have un-diagnosed pre-diabetes, or about 74 million people. I think a significant cause is that testing blood glucose is thought of as something that only diabetics do, and as a result, most people have no idea how their bodies respond to meals they'd consider normal. The feedback loop is completely open…
This sounds very interesting as another metric (like weight on a scale, as you put it) for someone trying to be conscious about their health. Is this something that a person could do cheaply at home with over-the-counter diabetic testing supplies? Could you be more specific or link to something about a protocol for e.g. measuring the effect of a meal on blood glucose and how to interpret those results?
Testing instruments are widely available and affordable too due to diabetes being such a widespread disease.
I've just started using Freestyle Libre[1]. It's quite affordable even though it's not as accurate as blood measurements. It's possible to have one sensor attached for up to two weeks. This should be enough time to assess your body's reaction to carbs.
I don't know how you would test for pre-diabetes but to test for diabetes you can basically just drink a lot of sugar-water and see what your blood does. There are levels you can't reach unless you're diabetic.
Personally I've switched to a mostly carb-free diet because managing sugar levels is much easier that way.
[1] http://www.diabetes.co.uk/blood-glucose-meters/abbott-freest...
Re: Sugar alters hormones and metabolism, sets stage for obesity and diabetes
#7The CDC says 34% of US adults have pre-diabetes, and of those, 88% are undiagnosed[1]. Yes, about 29% of US adults have un-diagnosed pre-diabetes, or about 74 million people. I think a significant cause is that testing blood glucose is thought of as something that only diabetics do, and as a result, most people have no idea how their bodies respond to meals they'd consider normal. The feedback loop is completely open…
Hey Troy,
I'm Director of Marketing for an early stage startup focused on this exact issue. Our founder's grandmother was diagnosed type 2 and he was aggravated with the pain points in the experience, along with the lack of information and tools. Then after doing research and running a health coach practice he realized the scope of the diabetes epidemic.
We're taking top notch educators and putting their knowledge in an app. We have many features to add along the way in our product map, but we're already starting to form partnerships and see value.
Company is called KingFit (https://kingfit.io). Drop me a line and I'd love to introduce you to the founders.
Re: Sugar alters hormones and metabolism, sets stage for obesity and diabetes
#8The CDC says 34% of US adults have pre-diabetes, and of those, 88% are undiagnosed[1]. Yes, about 29% of US adults have un-diagnosed pre-diabetes, or about 74 million people. I think a significant cause is that testing blood glucose is thought of as something that only diabetics do, and as a result, most people have no idea how their bodies respond to meals they'd consider normal. The feedback loop is completely open…
This sounds very interesting as another metric (like weight on a scale, as you put it) for someone trying to be conscious about their health. Is this something that a person could do cheaply at home with over-the-counter diabetic testing supplies? Could you be more specific or link to something about a protocol for e.g. measuring the effect of a meal on blood glucose and how to interpret those results?
I did exactly this, at least here in the US the machines are very inexpensive and even free because manufacturers make $ from the strips. So for about $30 I was able to do readings several times a day for a week. My PCP was impressed.
Re: Sugar alters hormones and metabolism, sets stage for obesity and diabetes
#9Short take: this is adapted from ‘The Case Against Sugar’ by Gary Taubes, a science writer who's been a long-standing campaigner against dietary carbohydratesa and sugar'.
Is he bashing vegetables and fruits? The average US citizen does not eat the recommended minimum amount for fiber. Is he bashing the 3500kcal diet of average US citizen or is he purposefully demonizing a single macronutrient group?
Re: Sugar alters hormones and metabolism, sets stage for obesity and diabetes
#10I would like to share an anecdote.
In March 2016, I was weighing 96 kilograms (211.64 pounds). I made just one change during that time which is to stop having anything with sugar. I continued to take other natural sweeteners like jaggery and honey. The rest of my diet remained the same and my activity level remained the same ( I work in IT as a network engineer in a desk job)
In October 2016, I was weighing 72 kilos (158.73 pounds). I am still maintaining that same weight between 70 to 72 kilos since then. Incase if it is relevant, I am a 29 year old guy with a height of 172 cm (5 feet 7 inches).
Along with that, I got several other benefits such as being more energetic, not feeling sleepy all the time, general improvement in mood etc.
All this just with stopping of sugar and nothing else changed.
I can share even more side benefits which I got, but it will seem more unbelievable because I have observed that the general population is still unaware of the extremely harmful effects of sugar.
EDIT: I had typed October 2017 when I had intended to type October 2016. It was just 7 months.