Blood glucose levels

[Gratefuldawg]

So I have been randomly testing my BG and when I first started eating LCHF my fasting BS was in the low 80's and would be mid to upper 90's after meal, 2-3 hours after. I also was using urine ketone test strips and was consistently in the moderate range 40 mg/dl. I don't have a blood ketone tester, yet. Today when I tested after 12 hours of fasting it was 93. I went out for a mounting bike ride after only having coffee with unsweetened almond milk and tested when I got home and was 107. This seemed strange but got me wondering about my low level of insulin, <2, from my early May blood test. The other results were estimated average glucose - 111, A1c was 5.5 down from 5.6 and fasting glucose was 73.

So with all of this does the increase signify anything important, good or bad? Could it just be something different in my diet? Or could it just part of potentially becoming keto adapted? Thanks for the help!


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[circular]

I think this is called 'physiological insulin resistance'. Someone may correct me, but in the meantime you can look that up and see.

Also be aware the variation in readings using the same meter can be quite wide. I did three in a row on multiple occassions with mine and found that 10 point differences were common. YMMV

[Julie G]

So with all of this does the increase signify anything important, good or bad? Could it just be something different in my diet? Or could it just part of potentially becoming keto adapted? Thanks for the help!

My guess is that it's part of becoming keto-adapted. Testing your ketones will help you confirm. After 12 hours of fasting, you were likely in mild ketosis which can cause a boost in BG. I find it fascinating to simultaneously test both glucose and BHB to observe the drop in BG, rise in BHB, and eventual rise in BG. Exercise can temporarily increase BG and insulin, because the extra demand draws glucose from liver stores. Your cells can't use the glucose without insulin. Both temporarily dampen KBs. My understanding is that this is transient and that you'll soon settle back into an even deeper level of ketosis. Your fasting insulin and A1c drop suggest things are moving in the right direction. Kudos.

[Gratefuldawg]

Thank you both!


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[apod]

So I have been randomly testing my BG and when I first started eating LCHF my fasting BS was in the low 80's and would be mid to upper 90's after meal, 2-3 hours after. I also was using urine ketone test strips and was consistently in the moderate range 40 mg/dl. I don't have a blood ketone tester, yet. Today when I tested after 12 hours of fasting it was 93. I went out for a mounting bike ride after only having coffee with unsweetened almond milk and tested when I got home and was 107. This seemed strange but got me wondering about my low level of insulin, <2, from my early May blood test. The other results were estimated average glucose - 111, A1c was 5.5 down from 5.6 and fasting glucose was 73.

So with all of this does the increase signify anything important, good or bad? Could it just be something different in my diet? Or could it just part of potentially becoming keto adapted? Thanks for the help!


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These numbers sound about right to me -- here's a pic from an old average HFLC day for me while wearing a CGM. I would reach a low point around 4am (right in the middle of sleep) then by the time I would get up it would be around 90 gradually rising to a peak ~ 110 mg/dL after a couple meals (each peak a little higher than the last) followed by a very slow drop off until ~4am. Exercise would usually lower my serum ketones.

Screen Shot 2017-06-17 at 4.03.25 PM.png

According to Paul Jaminet (http://perfecthealthdiet.com/2011/11/sa ... -rosedale/) "Mortality is a U-shaped function of blood glucose and blood glucose levels around 90 to 100 mg/dl are healthiest, not low blood glucose levels. Moreover, the diet that delivers the lowest blood glucose levels is a high-carb, insulin-sensitizing diet, such as the Kitavans eat, not a low-carb diet. If I truly believed Dr Rosedale’s argument for lower blood glucose, he would have persuaded me to eat a high-carb Kitavan-style diet. However, I am not persuaded."

It is kind of annoying to try to target a low A1C by consuming less glucose, only to find that this often produces higher serum glucose. Reading the new Mercola book Fat For Fuel, it's also mentioned toward the end of the book that long term HFLC dieters often see a rise in body fat : muscle mass, which is also annoying. There's some finesse in getting the right amount of carbs in around the right time to pull everything off well long-term (eg. seasonal carbs, low carb, or some sort of cyclical or targeted keto regimen.) Then again, there's also outliers who seem do exceedingly well with long term uninterrupted HFLC. Tricky!

[Gratefuldawg]

That makes me feel better, I think! What's the best resource you have seen on the subject? Thanks again for the help.


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[progranulindefect]

"...long term HFLC dieters often see a rise in body fat : muscle mass, which is also annoying." people as they head into middle age often have that body composition problem. so is it the diet or aging? i'm 52 and my previous carb restricted diet is not working as well as it used to. i'm hitting the gym this summer and also going to 2 meals a day- 8am and 4pm ala Art De Vany.