Put Type 2 Diabetes Into Remission With This Intermittent Fasting Diet

We've already discovered that intermittent fasting (IF)—an eating strategy where you alternate between set periods of eating and set periods of abstaining from food (i.e., fasting)—is effective at helping individuals regulate blood sugar levels and support their overall metabolic health. 

In this randomized controlled trial (RCT) from the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, researchers have discovered that an IF diet called Chinese Medical Nutrition Therapy (CMNT) helped some individuals with Type 2 diabetes (T2D) achieve remission for at least one year2! The RCT looked at participants between 38 and 72 years old diagnosed with T2D for one to 11 years. 

After the three-month intervention and a three-month follow-up period, almost half (47.2%) of the CMNT diet participants achieved diabetes remission—which was defined as stable hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels less than 48 mmol/mol (6.5%) for at least three months after stopping all antidiabetic medications—while the control group only saw one participant out of 36 (2.8%) achieve remission. 

Overall, the results of the RCT demonstrate clinical efficacy in IF diets as a treatment option for Type 2 diabetes.