Blood Sugar
Episodes
Dr. Rhonda Patrick discusses _Akkermansia muciniphila_, vitamin B1's effect on blood sugar, emulsifiers in food, and electrolyte supplements.
In this clip, Dr. Rhonda Patrick discusses exercise, diet, supplements, and lifestyle strategies to improve glucose regulation and HbA1c levels.
Dr. Rhonda Patrick discusses xylitol safety, strategies to reduce hemoglobin A1C, klotho and dementia risk, and the timing of hormone replacement therapy.
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Dr. Rhonda Patrick discusses _Akkermansia muciniphila_, vitamin B1's effect on blood sugar, emulsifiers in food, and electrolyte supplements.
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In this clip, Dr. Rhonda Patrick discusses exercise, diet, supplements, and lifestyle strategies to improve glucose regulation and HbA1c levels.
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Rhonda Hormones Diabetes Cholesterol Omega-3 Dementia Curcumin Protein Blood Sugar Berberine AcetaminophenDr. Rhonda Patrick discusses xylitol safety, strategies to reduce hemoglobin A1C, klotho and dementia risk, and the timing of hormone replacement therapy.
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Rhonda Alzheimer's Cancer Sleep Hormones Omega-3 Stem Cells Sauna Blood Sugar Polyphenol Red Light TherapyDr. Rhonda Patrick discusses resistant starch, red light therapy risks, stem cells, and the link between benzodiazepines and dementia in her latest Q&A session.
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In this clip, Dr. Martin Gibala emphasizes tailoring HIIT to one's fitness level by briefly exceeding comfort zones.
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In this clip, Dr. Martin Gibala discusses the ongoing studies and their objectives in understanding the impact of "exercise snacks".
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Rhonda Vitamin D Exercise Obesity Vitamin C Pregnancy Muscle Sulforaphane Sauna Time-Restricted Eating Blood Sugar Weight Loss NAD+Dr. Rhonda Patrick answers audience questions on various health, nutrition, and science topics in this Q&A session.
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In this clip, Dr. Michael Snyder describes how the human microbiome plays a key role in health, immunity, and nutrition.
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Dr. Michael Snyder describes how changes in his own glucose regulation which he noticed with a continuous glucose monitor, converging with his knowledge of his personal genetic risks, ultimately led to a surprising diagnosis of type 2 diabetes.
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Rhonda Vitamin D Heart Disease Pregnancy Vaccine Skin Zinc Time-Restricted Eating Blood Sugar COVID-19 Breast MilkDr. Rhonda Patrick answers audience questions on various health, nutrition, and science topics in this Q&A session.
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Dr. Satchidananda Panda discusses circadian rhythms, the day-night cycles that drive the multifaceted activities of the human body.
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Continuous glucose monitors, or CGMs, are wearable devices that allow users to monitor their blood glucose levels through a tiny sensor placed under the skin.
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Dr. Michael Snyder discusses personalized medicine and the use of technologies that monitor metabolism and other health markers.
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Rhonda Exercise Aging Vitamin C Omega-3 Stem Cells Fasting Magnesium Vitamin E Vaccine Vitamin K Allergies Resveratrol Sauna Time-Restricted Eating Blood Sugar Breast MilkDr. Rhonda Patrick answers audience questions on various health, nutrition, and science topics in this Q&A session.
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Sometimes a person's clinical biomarkers doesn't accurately reflect how well they are aging, but epigenetic clocks may give a more reliable insight into their aging.
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In this clip, Dr. Rhonda Patrick shares anecdotal evidence that moringa reduces blood glucose levels.
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Rhonda Vitamin D Brain Microbiome Depression Probiotics Fasting Coffee Anxiety Sauna Iron Blood Sugar COVID-19 Cardiovascular Ketogenic DietDr. Rhonda Patrick answers audience questions on various health, nutrition, and science topics in this Q&A session.
Topic Pages
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Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs)
Ingested SSBs provide high-glycemic sugars rapidly absorbed via SGLT1, transiently spiking systemic blood glucose concentrations.
News & Publications
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Allulose reduces blood sugar and insulin levels. drc.bmj.com
Foods with a high glycemic index, such as sugar-sweetened soft drinks, desserts, and white bread products, contain sugars that are rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream, causing hyperglycemia (high blood glucose). Regular consumption of high glycemic foods may lead to insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. Low-calorie sweeteners (i.e., artificial sweeteners) such as allulose have a low glycemic index and can be used in place of sugar to reduce the intake of calories and high-glycemic carbohydrates; however, the effects of allulose in addition to sugar require further investigation. Findings published in a new report show that allulose significantly reduces glucose and insulin levels following sugar consumption.
Allulose is a rare sugar that can be found in small amounts in some fruits and grains and is sold as a low-calorie sweetener. Allulose is an epimer of fructose, meaning its chemical structure is very similar to fructose, giving it a nearly identical taste and texture; however, allulose provides only 0.4 calories per gram, compared to 4 calories per gram of fructose. A meta-analysis of previous research found that small doses of allulose improved glucose and insulin regulation; however, additional randomized controlled trials are needed, especially in Western populations and in people without type 2 diabetes.
The researchers recruited 30 participants (average age, 33 years) without type 2 diabetes and asked them to follow an individualized diet plan that provided 50 to 65 percent of calories from carbohydrates for up to eight weeks. Participants completed five study visits with one to two weeks between visits. At each visit, the researchers gave participants a beverage containing 50 grams of fructose (the amount in about 16 ounces of sugar-sweetened soda) with escalating doses of allulose (0, 2.5, 5, 7.5, or 10 grams). They measured glucose and insulin levels in the blood 0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 minutes after beverage consumption.
Allulose consumption reduced plasma glucose levels among participants in a dose-dependent manner, meaning as the dose of allulose increased from 0 to 10 grams, glucose levels at each time point decreased. The relationship between allulose and lower glucose levels was statistically significant at the 30-minute time point when either 7.5 or 10 grams of allulose was added to the fructose beverage. Compared to consuming a fructose beverage with no added allulose, the 10-gram dose of allulose also significantly decreased insulin levels 30 minutes after beverage consumption.
These findings demonstrate that allulose decreased glucose and insulin levels when added to a high-sugar beverage in healthy young people without diabetes. The authors suggested that future studies explore more of the mechanisms underlying these results.
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When healthy, lean individuals ate a Western-style diet for one week, their hippocampal-dependent learning and memory and appetite control declined. royalsocietypublishing.org
The Western Style Diet, sometimes referred to as Standard American Diet (SAD), is a dietary pattern characterized by high intake of refined carbohydrates, fatty meats, added fats, and sodium, and low intake of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. The Western dietary pattern has been implicated in the pathogenesis of many chronic diseases and conditions, including overweight and obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. Findings from a recent study suggest that the Western dietary pattern impairs hippocampus-dependent learning and memory and drives loss of appetite control.
The hippocampus is a small organ located within the brain’s medial temporal lobe. It is associated primarily with memory (in particular, the consolidation of short-term memories to long-term memories), learning, and spatial navigation. Data from rodent studies suggest that adherence to a Western dietary pattern impairs hippocampal-dependent learning and memory (HDLM). The hippocampus also plays a role in food intake by regulating appetite. Altered hippocampal function subsequent to exposure to a Western-style diet may create a vicious cycle state that promotes increased consumption of unhealthy foods that, in turn, drives further hippocampal dysfunction.
The study involved 110 lean, healthy Australian adults between the ages of 17 and 35 years who adhered to a healthy, non-restrictive dietary pattern. The authors of the study randomized the participants to either a one-week Western-style diet intervention group or a habitual-diet control group.
On the first and eighth days of the study, the participants in the Western diet group ate a breakfast that included a toasted sandwich and a milkshake (high in saturated fat and added sugar). On the second through seventh days of the study, the participants ate two Belgian waffles for either breakfast or dessert for four of the study days. On the other two study days, they obtained their main meal and a drink or dessert from a set of options from a popular fast-food chain. They followed their normal dietary pattern for all other meals. The participants in the control group ate a breakfast consisting of a toasted sandwich and a milkshake (low in saturated fat and added sugar) on the first and eighth days and followed their normal diet for all other meals.
The authors of the study assessed the participants' HDLM function as well as their appetite control before and after the intervention and control periods and again at a three-week follow-up assessment. They found that among those who followed the Western-style diet, HDLM performance declined, compared to the control group. Their appetite control declined as well, and this was strongly correlated with HDLM decline.
These findings suggest that even short-term consumption of a Western-style diet may impair learning and appetite control due to impaired hippocampal function. This lack of appetite control could promote overeating and drive weight gain.