People with Type 2 diabetes can efficiently control their diabetes through food, according to a recent study, and pharmacists are well-positioned to monitor the shift. The study, published in Nature Communications by the University of British Columbia and Teesside University in England, was part of a 12-week trial comprising a customised diet overseen by local pharmacists.
Participants in the study, all of whom had Type 2 diabetes, were given a meal plan consisting of low-calorie, low-carbohydrate, high-protein meals and they were encouraged to check in with their pharmacist on a frequent basis so that their medicines could be monitored.
The research co-author Dr. Jonathan Little said: ‘Type 2 diabetes can be treated and sometimes reversed, with dietary interventions. However, we needed a strategy to help people implement these interventions while keeping an eye on their medication changes.’
Dr Jonathan, an associate professor in UBC Okanagan’s School of Health and Exercise Sciences, claims that pharmacists are more accessible than family doctors, adding that individuals with Type 2 diabetes frequently see their pharmacist rather than their doctor. In rural regions, this is especially true.
‘When Type 2 diabetes patients follow a very low-carbohydrate or low-calorie diet, there is a need to reduce or eliminate glucose-lowering medications. Community pharmacists are ideally positioned to safely and effectively deliver interventions targeted at reducing diabetes medications while promoting Type 2 diabetes remission,’ Dr Jonathan added.
Also Read: Happiness comes from a better lifestyle, not the other way around
The low-calorie, low-carbohydrate, higher-protein diet was followed by half of the research participants, who checked in with their pharmacist on a regular basis. More than one-third of patients with Type 2 diabetes were off all diabetic medicines after 12 weeks, compared to none in the control group. Dr. Little further said that the first group’s glycemic management, average body weight, systolic blood pressure and general health all improved significantly.
Dr. Alan Batterham, co-investigator and professor in Teesside University’s School of Health and Life Sciences, believes the key was a tailored dietary approach monitored by a community pharmacist who could monitor prescription medicines. ‘The intervention was effective in reducing the need for glucose-lowering medications for many in our study,’ Dr Batterham said.
‘This indicates that community pharmacists are a viable and innovative option for implementing short-term nutritional interventions for people with Type 2 diabetes, particularly when medication management is a safety concern,’ he added.
Post Your Comments