High fasting blood glucose on low carb diet

[seven7seven]

I wonder if anyone has experienced this or can shed some light (Stewie?). Basically, I eat a very low carb diet with most of my carbs coming pre/during/post training and the rest of my meals being protein / fat / veggies (I don't eat veggies at every meal). All my blood work is good. Cholesterol numbers are great, no issues with blood pressure, and nothing else is out of range. No AAS or peptide usage.

My fasting glucose, however, is on the "high" side right around 92 mg/dL. Is this OK, given my diet? I've read that low carb diet can cause this due to low insulin production.

 

[OutToLunch]

I read this recently too. Could be a couple things. One that you mention as well as hereditary.

 

[bigguy35]

Mine is on the high side too around 95. I'm wandering and been thinking about metformin for this .

 

[Stewie]

Chris Kresser wrote a very good article on this particular topic.

Have you checked your postprandial glucose--- 1 and 2 hours post meal?

As well, we can have artificially low/high glucose readings for various reasons. If you're one of the fortunate individuals with a lowish hematocrit, this will show an false increase of glucose with most meters. This isn't the case with an actual vein puncture (lab assay). Squeezing your finger too hard can give a false high as well with a glucose meter.

Are you taking any Rx meds that may have an effect on your glucose levels?

Nevertheless, this should help.


Why your ?normal? blood sugar isn?t normal (Part 2)

"One caveat here is that very low-carb diets will produce elevated fasting blood glucose levels. Why? Because low-carb diets induce insulin resistance. Restricting carbohydrates produces a natural drop in insulin levels, which in turn activates hormone sensitive lipase. Fat tissue is then broken down, and non-esterified fatty acids (a.k.a. “free fatty acids” or NEFA) are released into the bloodstream. These NEFA are taken up by the muscles, which use them as fuel. And since the muscle’s needs for fuel has been met, it decreases sensitivity to insulin. You can read more about this at Hyperlipid.

So, if you eat a low-carb diet and have borderline high FBG (i.e. 90-105), it may not be cause for concern. Your post-meal blood sugars and A1c levels are more important."

 

[02z06]

*EDIT* I should've read the bolded section above first lol

I've never checked mine until recently. Keep in mind, my aunt is type 1 diabetic and has been for 30+ years, my mom was type 2 but is no longer considered diabetic.

I started checking it as I have started using insulin pre-workout.

Tuesday morning: 105(on monday I have a carb containing meal pre/intra/post/last meal of day)

Wednesday: 99(Tuesday was a completely carb free day)

I am kind of surprised it is so high. I had some 80's and even a few 60's on some of my pre-contest days.

Should I be concerned as I have increased carbs and decreased cardio since my pre contest time(it's been a week and a half since I made this change)?

I am planning on 4 weeks of insulin pre-workout, followed by 4 weeks of metformin use to 'resensitize' things.

 

[OutToLunch]

I noticed if I consume 2tbsp of Apple cider vinegar prebed before a morning blood draw, this will reduce my number a few %.

 

[warlock]

My fasting glucose, however, is on the "high" side right around 92 mg/dL. Is this OK, given my diet? I've read that low carb diet can cause this due to low insulin production.

Anyone knows how low carbs are we talking about?

 

[warlock]

Have you checked your postprandial glucose--- 1 and 2 hours post meal?

What would be an ideal number for postprandial glucose?

 

[Stewie]

What would be an ideal number for postprandial glucose?

I would use this as a general rule. Check your postprandial glucose one hour and two hours post high carb meal.

If at one hour your postprandial glucose is greater than 140 mg/dL. Or if at two hours your postprandial is greater than 120 mg/dL. Or fasting over 100 mg/dL. Then I would consider using metformin.

 

[seven7seven]

Chris Kresser wrote a very good article on this particular topic.

Have you checked your postprandial glucose--- 1 and 2 hours post meal?

As well, we can have artificially low/high glucose readings for various reasons. If you're one of the fortunate individuals with a lowish hematocrit, this will show an false increase of glucose with most meters. This isn't the case with an actual vein puncture (lab assay). Squeezing your finger too hard can give a false high as well with a glucose meter.

Are you taking any Rx meds that may have an effect on your glucose levels?

Nevertheless, this should help.


Why your ?normal? blood sugar isn?t normal (Part 2)

"One caveat here is that very low-carb diets will produce elevated fasting blood glucose levels. Why? Because low-carb diets induce insulin resistance. Restricting carbohydrates produces a natural drop in insulin levels, which in turn activates hormone sensitive lipase. Fat tissue is then broken down, and non-esterified fatty acids (a.k.a. “free fatty acids” or NEFA) are released into the bloodstream. These NEFA are taken up by the muscles, which use them as fuel. And since the muscle’s needs for fuel has been met, it decreases sensitivity to insulin. You can read more about this at Hyperlipid.

So, if you eat a low-carb diet and have borderline high FBG (i.e. 90-105), it may not be cause for concern. Your post-meal blood sugars and A1c levels are more important."

Thanks Stewie. Nope, never checked postprandial glucose as I don't have a meter. My reading came from a blooddraw I had went testing a few other markers as well. No RX medication.

I have run into that Chris Kresser article before and I think that's probably what's going on with me. Next step would be to buy a glucometer and see what my levels are post meal as you mentioned.

 

[kitchenchemist]

I've recently been experimenting with a glucose meter to see how my body reacts to certain foods/situations. This will be my 8th or 9th season utilizing a "keto" diet (bb'er style keto, not true 70fat/30protein keto).....results are always the same year after year....just wanted to experiment and get some personal knowledge on food types/body reactions as well as how I respond on high-carb/refeeds with AND without the use of GDAs. Needless to say, its ALOT of finger pricks!

THIS thread just answered every single question I had been generating over the last 2 wks!
-Thanks to all who participated.

 

[nothuman]

Mine is high genetically, about the same as yours. Sucks

 

[kid1dakota]

I wonder if anyone has experienced this or can shed some light (Stewie?). Basically, I eat a very low carb diet with most of my carbs coming pre/during/post training and the rest of my meals being protein / fat / veggies (I don't eat veggies at every meal). All my blood work is good. Cholesterol numbers are great, no issues with blood pressure, and nothing else is out of range. No AAS or peptide usage.

My fasting glucose, however, is on the "high" side right around 92 mg/dL. Is this OK, given my diet? I've read that low carb diet can cause this due to low insulin production.

Actually your fasting numbers are fine as they are within fasting range 0f 70-100.

Yes as you stated when you get deep into a keto Diet insulin production is decreased(which is one reason why they work) and this can happen.

Morning readings can also be a little higher not from your diet keto or otherwise but from:

The dawn phenomenon is a surge of hormones that the body produces daily around 4:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. or according to your own bodies rhythm.
These hormones are cortisol, glucagon, and epinephrine. All these hormones increase insulin resistance and tell the liver to make more glucose. The whole process is started by growth hormone (hence the reason for all of the protocols here about injection times etc...) So it isn't so much about the food you ate the evening prior(unless it was a gorge of carbs) but more about hormones

If your AM fasting sugars are indeed high regularly then you aren't producing enough insulin and/or resistant to the insulin being produced. One of the 3 things metformin does is cause the liver to convert and release less glucose. So it is effective aiding with high fasting sugars.

I posted this in another thread as a lot of people don't know what normal blood sugar numbers should be :

Fasting AM sugars should be 70-100

Post meal:

1 hour post: sugars should be below 180


2 hours post: sugars should be below 130

4 hours post: sugars should be at fasting level below 100

 

[seven7seven]

Just an update / more food for thought:

Had some more blood work done again as my employer offers it for free once a year:

Total cholesterol: 183
HDL: 72
LDL: 101
Trig: 51

Fasting glucose: 84
Hemogloblin: 5.0%

Hematocrit: 44.6%

So, my glucose numbers are getting better. All I did was add in some fiber supplements and a greens supplement. I think the few extra carbs from those helped with the glucose.

 

[bananas007]

Are you on Gh? You probably aren't..


That hemoglobin 5% is that supposed to be hemoglobinA1C . ? If so that's a good range. If not get you HgA1C checked. If normal enjoy life.

You don't need to hyper fixate on the number.. If it's in normal range. Would you worry if you woke up one morning and you were breathing at 12 breaths per miniute and the next morning you are breathing at 18 breaths per minute?? You wouldn't right?

Yes post prandial and all that can be checked but if you have glucose intolerance that is clinically significant it wil show up on you HgA1C . There are rare instances it won't but that doesn't apply to general population.

 

[bananas007]

Btw bad ass lipid numbers. Congrats. Are you natural?

 

[seven7seven]

Btw bad ass lipid numbers. Congrats. Are you natural?

Thanks for two responses.

Yes that's HemoglobinA1C. No. I'm not on GH, AAS, slin, or any sort of peptide. All natural for now.

I agree about not fixating on a number(s). I'm just happy everything is in a good range. All I'm going to do is get bloodwork done 1x - 2x a year (more if/when I make the jump to the dark side) and keep eating with the same basic principles I've been using.