Blood Glucose and Insulin levels

#1

I’ve been Keto about five years. My MD is a big Keto proponent. Just had annual blood work done Insulin level was 3.0. Last year it was 3.1. However my BG after 12/18 hours of fasting will be 103 to 108. Why?

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #2

What is your serum glucose at other times? And what is your concern about its being in the range of 103-108?

#3

After exercise it will be 85ish, but 100+ is pretty standard, even though just a bit above. Doesn’t seem to matter meals, fasting, etc. I guess I’d have expected it to be lower with insulin level where they are.

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #4

Not really. It’s insulin that lowers blood sugar, though it’s not the only factor involved in setting the level. Some people are naturally set at a somewhat higher level. The real question is whether the level stays in a reasonably narrow range, or whether there are noticeable highs and lows. The former is better.

If you find that your blood sugar is higher than it has been, try eating more fat. Amber O’Hearn has a hypothesis that if fat intake is insufficient to meet the body’s energy needs, glucose will rise to fill the gap.

(Bob M) #5

Fasting insulin is 3? That’s very low. I can’t get that low unless I fast 4+ days.

(Bob M) #6

Let’s say you’re exercising 5+ hours per week. Where do you get your muscle glycogen on this high fat system? Something has to make glycogen.

And how does this factor into those of us who gain weight eating high fat?

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #7

The demand for glucose stimulates the liver to release its stores of glycogen, and then it goes into gluconeogenesis to replace its glycogen. The difference between the liver and the skeletal muscles, is that glycogen formed in muscle is trapped there till it is used; whereas the liver’s glycogen can be shared.

I don’t know. And I don’t think Amber has explored this. But her advice was for people whose serum glucose seems to be unaccountably rising, and who can’t figure out the reason. Is your glucose rising in an unexplained fashion? I was under the impression that it was stable, in the same narrow range it’s always been in. In which case, I’d say to keep on doing whatever you’re doing, and not to worry about advice targeted at people who aren’t as fortunate as you.

#8

On keto my fasting BG was becoming higher and higher. During and after exercise, it was at its highest. If I don’t eat carbs, postprandial BG is good, but fasting BG is bad. It’d go up until I’d eat, roughly.

I hope you’re not like me. Many health issues are correlated with high blood glucose.