Dangerous diet
A diet that is gaining popularity can provoke the development of diabetes
Valeria Sema, Copper News
A weight loss diet based on fasting every other day can have severe side effects. This conclusion was reached by a group of scientists who spoke this weekend at the annual meeting of the European Society of Endocrinology (ECE).
The results they obtained indicate that such diets can disrupt the action of insulin (a hormone that is produced by the pancreas and regulates blood sugar), increasing the risk of diabetes. Researchers urge caution before starting to participate in weight loss programs.
Type 2 diabetes is a growing global epidemic directly related to poor nutrition, sedentary lifestyle and, consequently, obesity. Low insulin levels or resistance (resistance) of the body to its production leads to an increase in blood sugar levels, which causes serious health problems, including damage to the heart, kidneys and eyes. In addition to the medical strategies used to treat type 2 diabetes, patients are advised to lose weight by changing their lifestyle and diet.
Recently, diets based on fasting on certain days have gained popularity, but the evidence for their success is contradictory. Lack of knowledge and lack of awareness makes such diets potentially dangerous for health in the long run. In addition, previous studies have revealed that during short-term fasting, molecules called free radicals can be produced - highly reactive chemicals that damage the body at the cellular level, leading to organ dysfunction, cancer development and premature aging.
Researchers from the University of São Paulo in Brazil studied the effects of a diet based on fasting every other day on body weight, free radical levels and insulin function in normal adult rats for three months. Although the rats' weight and food intake were expected to decrease, however, the amount of adipose tissue in the abdominal area actually increased. In addition, the pancreatic cells that release insulin were damaged, and the levels of free radicals and markers of insulin resistance increased.
Ana Bonassa Comments: "This is the first study to show that, despite weight loss, short-term fasting can actually damage the pancreas and affect insulin function in healthy people, which can lead to diabetes and serious health problems."
Now the researchers plan to study how this diet affects the pancreas and disrupts the production of insulin. Although the data were obtained in the study of rats with normal weight, the results show the presence of long-term harm to health. Therefore, further study is needed to assess how this may affect people, especially those with metabolic problems.
"We need to take into account that overweight or obese people who choose to fast every other day may already have insulin resistance, so although a diet can lead to early, rapid weight loss, in the long term there can be potentially serious devastating consequences for their health, for example, the development of type 2 diabetes", – warns Ana Bonassa.
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