Rethinking Diabetes

1. The history of diabetes treatment reveals a complex interplay between diet and insulin

"The history of diabetes is marked by the recurrence of certain ideas which rise, decline and disappear, only to make a new appearance and go through a similar cycle again in an altered form, and a new generation."

Cyclical nature of diabetes treatment. Throughout history, diabetes treatment has oscillated between different dietary approaches. In the 19th century, physicians like John Rollo advocated for a high-fat, low-carbohydrate "animal diet" to manage diabetes. This approach persisted until the discovery of insulin in 1921, which dramatically changed diabetes management.

Pre-insulin era diets. Before insulin, diabetes was primarily managed through strict dietary control:

• High-fat, low-carbohydrate diets
• Fasting and undernutrition approaches
• Occasional experimentation with high-carbohydrate diets (e.g., oatmeal cure)

Post-insulin dietary shifts. The availability of insulin led to more liberal dietary approaches:

• Gradual increase in carbohydrate allowances
• Shift towards "normal" diets with insulin to cover carbohydrate intake
• Eventual promotion of high-carbohydrate, low-fat diets by diabetes associations

2. Insulin therapy revolutionized diabetes treatment but introduced new challenges

"Insulin does not cure diabetes. Insulin does not allow a diabetic to eat anything he desires. It is a potent preparation alike for evil and for good."

Life-saving but complex. Insulin therapy transformed diabetes from a rapidly fatal disease to a chronic condition. However, it introduced new challenges:

• Difficulty in dosing: Insulin requirements vary based on diet, activity, and individual factors
• Risk of hypoglycemia: Potentially dangerous low blood sugar episodes
• Weight gain: Many patients experienced significant weight gain on insulin

Balancing act. Physicians and patients had to learn to balance:

• Insulin dosage
• Dietary intake (especially carbohydrates)
• Blood sugar monitoring
• Physical activity

Long-term complications. As patients lived longer with diabetes, new concerns emerged:

• Cardiovascular disease
• Retinopathy (eye damage)
• Nephropathy (kidney damage)
• Neuropathy (nerve damage)

3. The shift from low-carb to high-carb diets for diabetes was based on limited evidence

"Each new research adds detail, reduces areas of uncertainty, and, so far, provides further reason to believe"

Paradigm shift. In the 1970s, diabetes associations began recommending high-carbohydrate, low-fat diets for diabetics, a dramatic reversal from previous guidelines. This shift was driven by:

• Short-term studies showing improved blood sugar control with high-carb diets
• Concerns about heart disease and the belief that dietary fat was harmful
• Influence of the American Heart Association's dietary recommendations

Limited evidence. The shift was based on:

• Short-term studies (often just days or weeks)
• Small sample sizes
• Lack of long-term randomized controlled trials

Unintended consequences. The high-carb dietary recommendations may have contributed to:

• Increased obesity rates among diabetics
• Difficulty in blood sugar control
• Potentially accelerated cardiovascular disease

4. The fat-cholesterol hypothesis of heart disease overshadowed alternative explanations

"The fat-cholesterol hypothesis filled a vacuum in our understanding of the relationship between diet and heart disease."

Dominant paradigm. The idea that dietary fat, especially saturated fat, caused heart disease by raising cholesterol levels became widely accepted in the 1960s and 1970s. This hypothesis:

• Was promoted by influential researchers like Ancel Keys
• Shaped public health recommendations for decades
• Influenced diabetes dietary guidelines

Alternative hypotheses ignored. Other explanations for heart disease, particularly in diabetics, were overlooked:

• Role of carbohydrates in raising triglycerides
• Insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia as risk factors
• Importance of inflammation and oxidative stress

Impact on research. The focus on the fat-cholesterol hypothesis:

• Directed funding towards studies supporting this idea
• Limited exploration of alternative hypotheses
• Created a confirmation bias in interpreting new data

5. Metabolic syndrome links obesity, diabetes, and heart disease through insulin resistance

"Insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia, though, played 'the central role,' as Reaven described it, driving the development of all of these chronic disorders: type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension."

Unifying concept. Metabolic syndrome, characterized by insulin resistance, provides a framework for understanding the connections between:

• Obesity
• Type 2 diabetes
• Cardiovascular disease
• Hypertension

Key components of metabolic syndrome:

• Insulin resistance
• Hyperinsulinemia (high blood insulin levels)
• Abdominal obesity
• High triglycerides
• Low HDL cholesterol
• High blood pressure

Implications for treatment. Recognizing metabolic syndrome suggests that addressing insulin resistance through diet and lifestyle changes could simultaneously improve multiple health outcomes.

6. The quality of carbohydrates, not just quantity, plays a crucial role in diabetes management

"The problem with refined or processed carbohydrates and sugar, they said, was simply that they lacked fiber—the bulky, indigestible roughage in vegetables, starches, legumes, and grains that was removed in the refining process."

Carbohydrate quality matters. Not all carbohydrates have the same effect on blood sugar and insulin levels:

• Refined carbohydrates and sugars cause rapid spikes in blood sugar
• Whole grains, vegetables, and legumes have a more gradual effect

Glycemic index and load. These concepts help differentiate between carbohydrates:

• Glycemic index: Measures how quickly a food raises blood sugar
• Glycemic load: Accounts for both the glycemic index and the amount of carbohydrate in a serving

Fiber's role. Dietary fiber has multiple benefits for diabetics:

• Slows digestion and absorption of carbohydrates
• Improves insulin sensitivity
• Promotes satiety and may aid in weight management

7. Evidence-based medicine faces challenges when long-held beliefs conflict with new data

"Science is helplessly opportunistic; it can pursue only the paths opened by technique."

Confirmation bias. Researchers and medical professionals often interpret new data in ways that confirm existing beliefs, making it difficult to change established paradigms.

Institutional inertia. Large organizations like the American Diabetes Association and American Heart Association are slow to change recommendations, even in the face of new evidence.

Challenges in nutrition research:

• Long-term studies are expensive and difficult to conduct
• Dietary compliance is hard to ensure in free-living populations
• Multiple confounding factors make interpretation complex

Need for skepticism. The history of diabetes treatment underscores the importance of:

• Questioning established beliefs
• Considering alternative hypotheses
• Demanding rigorous evidence before making sweeping recommendations

8. The role of dietary fat in diabetes and heart disease remains controversial

"The available evidence linking circulating lipids to atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease also appears to apply to the diabetic patient."

Shifting perspectives. Views on dietary fat have changed dramatically over time:

• Pre-insulin era: High-fat diets were standard for diabetes management
• Mid-20th century: Fat, especially saturated fat, was demonized
• Recent years: Reevaluation of fat's role, with some advocating for higher fat intakes

Complexity of lipid metabolism. Research has revealed that:

• Different types of fats have varied effects on blood lipids
• The ratio of different lipoproteins (e.g., LDL, HDL, VLDL) may be more important than total cholesterol
• Triglycerides, often raised by high-carbohydrate diets, may be a significant risk factor

Ongoing debate. The optimal amount and type of dietary fat for diabetics and heart disease prevention remains uncertain, highlighting the need for more research and individualized approaches.

9. Technological advances have shaped our understanding of diabetes and metabolism

"What You See Is All There Is"

Measurement drives understanding. The development of new technologies has repeatedly transformed our understanding of diabetes and metabolism:

• Blood glucose meters allowed for more precise monitoring
• Radioimmunoassay techniques revealed the importance of insulin levels
• Ultracentrifuges enabled the study of different lipoproteins

Key technological milestones:

• 1921: Discovery and purification of insulin
• 1960s: Development of radioimmunoassay for measuring hormones
• 1970s-present: Continuous glucose monitors and insulin pumps

Future directions. Emerging technologies like artificial pancreas systems and gene editing techniques may further revolutionize diabetes treatment and our understanding of metabolism.

10. Public health recommendations often lag behind scientific discoveries

"What is required is less advice and more information."

Delay in implementation. There is often a significant gap between scientific discoveries and changes in public health recommendations due to:

• Need for consensus among experts
• Concerns about public confusion from changing advice
• Institutional inertia in large organizations

Challenges in nutrition science:

• Difficulty in conducting long-term randomized controlled trials
• Conflicting results from observational studies
• Influence of industry funding on research

Evolving recommendations. Dietary guidelines for diabetes and heart disease prevention have changed significantly over time, reflecting:

• New scientific discoveries
• Changing understanding of disease mechanisms
• Shifts in public health priorities

Need for flexibility. The history of diabetes treatment suggests that public health recommendations should:

• Be more nuanced and individualized
• Acknowledge areas of uncertainty
• Be updated more frequently as new evidence emerges

Last updated: April 24, 2025