Following a low-calorie diet everyday for just 4-months could cure type-2 diabetes, according to a study done at Leiden University in the Netherlands. These findings may revolutionize the treatment of the lifelong condition which has no cure.
Researchers studied 15 obese men and women with type-2 diabetes. The volunteers were asked to follow a 500-calorie-a-day diet for 4-months. The researchers observed that diabetics who cut down on calories actually had a far more significant improvement in the condition and in their general health than medication offered. They did not need life-saving insulin, the level of dangerous fat deposition around their heart (pedicardial fat) was significantly reduced and their cardiac function improved, their BMI's dropped.
Study's lead author Sebastiaan Hammer said, "It is striking to see how a relatively simple intervention of a very low-calorie diet effectively cures Type 2 diabetes. Moreover, the effects are long term, illustrating the potential of this method. Lifestyle interventions may have more powerful beneficial cardiac effects than medication in these patients."
The benefits of calorie restriction persisted even after the volunteers went back to their usual eating habits and regained weight. However, the study only demonstrates an improvement to diabetes symptoms rather than a cure. Dr. Hammer has warned that calorie restriction may not be for everyone with diabetes and diabetics considering trying it should consult a doctor beforehand.
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