VIDEO: Low-fat vegan diet may improve insulin sensitivity by reducing ‘harmful substances’

A low-fat vegan diet improved insulin sensitivity in adults with type 1 diabetes, according to an analysis presented at the Lifestyle Medicine Conference.

A mechanism behind the results may be a reduction in dietary advanced glycation end-products, or AGEs, a researcher noted.

Speaking to Healio, Hana Kahleova, MD, PhD, MBA, the director of clinical research at the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, explained that AGEs “are harmful substances that build up in our body as we age” and contribute to the development of chronic diseases like diabetes.

Some AGEs “are being built during metabolism, but most of them are being consumed through the diet, and the major dietary sources are meat and dairy,” she said.

In the 12-week randomized controlled trial, researchers assigned 58 participants with type 1 diabetes to either a low-fat vegan diet consisting of fruits, grains, legumes and vegetables, or to a portion-controlled diet.

They found that insulin sensitivity increased in the vegan group compared with but did not in the portion-controlled group. Additionally, a 1-unit increase in insulin sensitivity corresponded with a decrease of 2,090 kilounits a day in dietary AGEs.

According to Kahleova, there are several patient groups who could benefit from the results.

“It’s not only people with type 1 diabetes, but plant-based diets have been shown [to be] beneficial for people [with] overweight, [who] have type 2 diabetes [or] who have CVD,” she said. “The majority of patients in the primary care practice could really benefit from this approach.”

Reference:

• Kahleova H. The effect of a dietary intervention on insulin sensitivity in type 1 diabetes and the role of dietary advanced glycation end-products: a 12-week randomized clinical trial. Presented at: LM2024 Lifestyle Medicine Conference; Oct. 27-Oct. 30, 2024; Orlando.