How do fats affect blood glucose | How to incorporate this information | How do proteins affect blood glucose | How do fats and proteins affect blood glucose levels together
For a long time, it was believed that when calculating the doses of insulin for food, only carbohydrates should be taken into account. However, with the development of biochemistry, knowledge has emerged that proteins and fats can also affect blood glucose levels. The advent of sensors for continuous monitoring of glucose levels has clearly demonstrated that the use of the same amount of carbohydrates can have different effects on changes in blood sugar after eating, depending on the presence of fats and proteins in the dish.
How do fats affect blood glucose
Various studies have shown that the addition of fats to carbohydrates slows down the absorption of the latter, and blood sugar remains elevated longer. Scientists attribute this effect to the fact that fats slow down the emptying of the stomach and can also temporarily reduce insulin sensitivity. In studies where participants were offered dishes with the same amount of carbohydrates, but with a high fat content (more than 40 g), it was shown that in the first two hours sugar was lower after fatty foods, then, however, it grew and remained elevated for 3- 5 hours. The studies mainly used olive oil. There is no evidence that animal and vegetable fats have different effects on blood glucose levels.
Conclusion: fats in an amount of more than 40 g slow down the growth of blood glucose in the first two hours after a meal, but then increase it. This increase can last up to 5 hours.
How to incorporate this information
If in a dish there is more than 40 g of fat, it is recommended to add another 30-35% to the initially calculated amount of insulin for carbohydrates. A simple increase in insulin dose before meals can cause hypoglycemia in the first two hours. Therefore, it is recommended to use:
- 50/50 ratio double-wave bolus function on an insulin pump, stretching the “slow” part for 2-2.5 hours;
- when using syringe pens, an additional 30-35% of the initial dose should be added one hour after eating;
- use short-acting insulin that lasts up to 6 hours.
How do proteins affect blood glucose
Proteins also affect blood glucose. According to recent data, amino acids of proteins can contribute to the formation of glucose in the liver, as well as stimulate the production of glucagon, which increases blood sugar, and other hormones that interfere with insulin. Proteins have different effects on blood glucose levels depending on the composition of the dish. In studies, it was shown that the use of 75-100 g of pure protein in the form of a protein mixture causes an increase in blood glucose levels after 1.5 hours from a meal, and this increase lasts 3-5 hours. When taking proteins together with carbohydrates in an amount of 30 g, already 40 g of protein caused a noticeable increase in blood glucose after 3 hours.
Conclusion: Proteins in amounts of more than 75 g affect glucose levels. If you consume proteins with carbohydrates, already 40 g of protein will have an effect on blood sugar. The effect of proteins is delayed – an increase will occur in 1.5-2 hours.
What to do:
- when consuming less than 75 g of pure protein, insulin is not required;
- when consuming more than 40 g of protein together with carbohydrates, it is recommended to increase the dose by 15-20% and use the double-wave bolus function or make an additional insulin injection.
How do fats and proteins affect blood glucose levels together
Most foods contain fats, proteins, and carbohydrates, so it’s important to know how these foods affect your blood glucose. Apparently, a combination of proteins, fats and carbohydrates leads to a more significant and longer increase in glucose levels. In studies where participants were offered foods high in protein (110 g) and fat (52 g), elevated glucose levels persisted for 12 hours. The duration of the increase in glucose after eating mixed food depends on the amount of fat and protein.
Conclusion: proteins and fats together affect glucose levels, slow down sugar growth in the first 30-60 minutes after eating, and then increase glucose levels for 6-12 hours depending on the amount of product. It is necessary to remember the risk of hypoglycemia in the first half hour-hour after eating. Nevertheless, it is not recommended to administer insulin immediately before meals, it is necessary to maintain an interval of 15 minutes.
What to do? To date, there is no generally accepted approach to the calculation of fats and proteins.
There are several methods:
- increase the dose by 30% of the original;
- use the calculation of protein-fat units (read more about them in the article);
- use the insulin index of products (to date, it is calculated only for 200 products and has not been studied well enough).
None of the methods is accurate, as there are individual characteristics.
The use of a double-wave bolus for eating mixed foods has also been proven. The ratio of the components of such a bolus (administered immediately and extended for n hours) is determined by the ratio and amount of carbohydrates, fats and proteins.
Using short insulin or dividing the dose into two injections are also effective methods.