Originally published Feb 2020, updated July 2023
With reduced carbohydrate consumption, insulin requirements are dramatically reduced.
Of course, this is the case with bolus insulin (rapid-acting, also called mealtime insulin) because insulin doses correlate directly to the amount of carbohydrates consumed.
But insulin reduction is often needed with basal (long-acting) insulin as well.
For example, a follower of diaVerge recently commented on our Facebook page, sharing his own experience of switching to low carb (shared with permission).
Shane says,
Shane used to use 40u of basal insulin per day and now after 4 months of low carb, he needs only 12u of basal insulin per day and from 12u bolus per meal (36u total per day) to only 3u per meal (9u total per day).
What does that reduction look like?
Shane's insulin Needs Per Day
Pretty dramatic, isn’t it?
What does that insulin reduction mean for how LONG a vial (or pen) of insulin used to last Shane vs how long it lasts now?
Just the facts:
Each 10 mL vial of insulin contains 1000u
Each 3 mL pen/penfill of insulin contains 300u
How many days a vial/pen of insulin lasts Shane
With a high-carb diet:
A 10 mL vial of insulin USED to last only 25 days (1000u total /40u per day = 25 days)
A 3 mL pen of insulin used to last 7 days (300u total /42u per day = 7.14 days - This adds 2u/use to prime the pen)
NOW with low carb,
A 10 mL vial NOW lasts 83 days! (1000/12 = 83 days)
A 3 mL pen NOW lasts 21 days!! (300/14= 21.4 days - using 2u to prime each day)
(NOTE: I know some will argue that insulin is not supposed to be used for more than 30 days, but that depends on the insulin and how it has been stored. As long as the insulin is not cloudy and is producing the expected results, there is no reason to discontinue use of a vial or pen after only 30 days.)
The best part: Shane’s achieved this reduction in insulin after ONLY 4 months of low carb and the insulin vials/pens that he’s using will now last 3-4x LONGER than before.
Instead of 3 pens or vials of insulin over a certain time, he’ll need just 1!
That is an incredible cost savings for anyone in the USA who is struggling with high insulin prices.
The benefits of reduced insulin usage go well beyond cost savings.
High levels of circulating insulin (whether naturally high levels of insulin in the case of type 2 diabetics OR injected insulin in this case) is called hyperinsulinemia. This is associated with hypertension, obesity, dyslipidemia, and glucose intolerance. These conditions are collectively known as Metabolic syndrome and when seen in a type 1 diabetic, this is referred to as Double Diabetes. Read more about Type 1s and the increased health risks of Double Diabetes here.
**We anticipate Shane will still be adjusting his insulin doses as he continues to lose weight and refine his diet and blood sugar levels.
A huge congratulations to Shane on his success! Thanks for sharing your experience with diaVerge and allowing us to share it as an example to others!
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