#glucosegoddess tells us we should “Put clothes on your carbs (starches & sugars)”.
I have led many research studies that have employed intravenous glucose tolerances test (IVGTT). Sometimes with and sometimes without the use of a glucose tracers (a molecular identical to glucose, but slightly heavier in weight). This methods allows us to really understand the changes in metabolism that accompany the disease progression. For example, from healthy to type 2 diabetic.
I have included some anonymised data from one such IVGTT test and we can see a clear spike in blood glucose following an intravenous glucose load. For clarity, the glucose load is always adjusted to the body weight of an individual. For example, a 100 kg person would receive 25 g of glucose with an additional 2.8 g of labelled tracer / glucose. I have over 20 years of experience using this method, or similar oral methods and am very used to observing the rise and fall of blood glucose over time. As well as the accompanying rise and fall of insulin. In addition to this, we also see a sudden rise in our labeled glucose molecule that declines over the 4 hours, representing sugar removal from the blood using the actions of insulin. Pretty standard.
This rise and fall of glucose and insulin is standard and tells us a lot about someones metabolism. But it does allow for the diagnosis of diabetes and other metabolic issues. Yet we do get some very powerful information on how sensitivity an individual is to insulin (muscle and fat insulin resistance), how sensitive the liver is to insulin [a key problem for diabetes & cardiovascular disease (CVD)] as well as beta-cell function (i.e. how much insulin is released).
However, the questions I get asked a lot are “is a #glucosespike after a meal bad for me” and “is a spike in blood glucose an issue for my health”. The answer to both questions is no. We have no evidence that changes in blood glucose after a meal will harm your health. However, if #bloodsugar increases after a meal and remains evaluated for longer periods of time, then this could be a predictor for type 2 diabetes and associated conditions (I.e. cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and stokes).
All things being equal (i.e. an individual has a typical and normal diet), the sugar we eat is absorbed into blood circulation and taken up by our cells, then used for energy or stored for later use (mostly in the form of glycogen). In the case of excessive food intake and / or a lack in physical activity, this sugar can also be converted and stored as fats.
Energy comes in the form of carbohydrates (sugars and starches), fats and protein
When we have more energy than our bodies require, the energy is stored for later use. When energy storage is extended over long periods of time (months and years), this can cause problems such as weight gain, #insulinresistance and maybe type 2 diabetes. If you eat sugar and are insulin resistant, your blood sugar value will be elevated for longer periods of time. Or in the cause of type 2 diabetes, the insulin resistance will progress until the beta-cells pack-up and stop producing sufficient insulin causing blood sugar values to rise. Here increased blood sugar values are a symptom of underlining excessive energy intake and insulin resistance. Did the excessive sugar intake cause insulin resistance? YES, but only in part. Excessive energy in the form of fats, protein and sugar cause insulin resistance with the clinical symptom of tis being high blood sugar - If this example.
#glucosegoddess tells us we should “Put clothes on your carbs (starches & sugars)”.
Before I make this point, I should add that I do support some of the guidance offered by the #glucosegoddess. I feel its all too easy to attack individuals once they have put themself into the public space. However, in some cases its okay to disagree with someone else. I want to use the conclusions of a paper to highlight how some information is being misinterpreted. One paper used by the #glucosegoddess concludes "Ingestion of fat before a carbohydrate meal markedly slows GE and attenuates the postprandial rises in glucose, insulin, and GIP, but stimulates GLP-1, in type 2 diabetes” (Gentilcore et al., 2006). Really promising findings that in short, state that drinking oil prior to a single mashed potato meal lowers blood sugar more than in response to mash without the oil. On the face of it, this looks positive but in reality, human being don’t eat a single meal. We have a diet consisting of many meals over the course of years. Thus, the extra oil (energy) intake might lower blood sugar after a single meal but over time, cause blood sugar to increased for longer periods of time via excessive energy induced insulin resistance. In the same way, a single meal high in sugar is fine, but a diet with excessive sugar over years would at some point cause metabolic symptoms (such as increased habitual blood sugar) and possibly type 2 diabetes. But the same is true for a diet rich in fatty foods and excessive protein.
My suggestion, therefore is for you to ignore the advice offered by the Glucose Goddess, namely “Put clothes on your carbs (starches & sugars)”. If you do consistently do this, then there is a greater chance that you will develop insulin resistance and have higher than normal blood sugar over longer periods of time (weeks to months) as the extra energy you take on board is going to be stored, if not used. In addition, the excessive energy storage will likely increases your chances of developing insulin resistance and long-term increases in blood glucose that will cause health concerns that would NOT be seen with transient increases in blood glucose seen after one meal.
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