HbA1c not moving?

(Lisa) #1

Any tips on why this isn’t heading down? weight gone down, waist circumference responding, feeling great. still 39-41 for over 6 months.

#2

Can you give us an idea as to what sort of things you’re eating on a regular basis?

(Lisa) #3

I fast 16 : 8 every day. Bulletproof coffee morning, Bacon and eggs for lunch with spinach or mushrooms. Dinner is meat and above ground vege. I eat 90% dark choc as a treat or cheese. Occassionally a keto dessert using stevia and if I ever eat carbs it’s just some rice when I’m out for dinner. No alcohol or sweet drinks with artificial sweeteners. I have hashimotos don’t know if that has anything to do with it??? I’m puzzled because the last 3 months I have been really good and there was no change. The test before included Christmas period where I did slip up for a bit.

#4

Well your diet looks OK to me although it is possible you’re having more carbs than your body can process right now. Do you test your fasting, pre prandial & post prandial bg? What are those numbers like?

Not sure if Hashimotos impacts HbA1c but I do know that iron deficiency anemia can give elevated results - how are your iron levels?

(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #5

I’ve spotted the problem. You do realize that alcohol gives your metabolism a pit stop? :wink:

I guess I’d better add: /s

(Full Metal KETO AF) #6

What does that mean exactly Micheal? Are you claiming some alcohol to be beneficial ion keto? It’s my understanding that it just causes a temporary loss or at the very least a reduction of the liver’s ability to process fats into ketones. :cowboy_hat_face:

(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #7

Do you understand /s ? It was a joke!

(Full Metal KETO AF) #8

@amwassil I guess not! I don’t know what /s means. :cowboy_hat_face:

(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #9

It means sarcasm and specifically the end of a sarcastic statement. Not always used if the statement is obviously sarcastic/joking. I initially thought the statement was obvious, but then had second thoughts and decided to add the /s just in case.

< s >I guess I’ve been using the Internet so long I’m showing my age.< /s >

Which means the sarcasm ONLY applies to the statement contained in the < > < > tag set.

(Doug) #10

Just to be sure - HbA1c is 39 to 41?

(Full Metal KETO AF) #11

@amwassil It confused me because I have read that a shot of liquor or a small glass of wine before bed can offer some kind of beneficial effect on the morning after, I can’t remember the proposed benefit but it was interesting enough to peak my curiosity, especially since alcohol is generally discouraged on keto.

Not looking for an excuse to drink! :cowboy_hat_face:

(Bunny) #12

I would give it more time, it may start moving eventually! :+1:

Interesting side notes:

New discovery could explain metabolic benefits of low-carb diet:

Tue, 19 Sep 2017, Researchers have made a discovery that could explain why a low-carb, high-fat diet can promote healthy aging and prevent age-related diseases.

Previous studies have shown that eating less sugar and more healthy fat can protect against type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease and cancer, but the mechanics behind this metabolic process have been unclear.

Now, researchers have observed a detoxification system in the body which has not previously been identified, and could explain how the body protects itself from the harmful effects of sugar.

Metabolic processes:

The process involves a metabolite called methylglyoxal, which originates from the body’s sugar metabolism, and has been known to cause age-related diseases.

In this detoxification system observed by scientists at Aarhus University, Denmark, a ketone called acetoacetate, which originates from the body’s fat-metabolism, was shown to inhibit methylglyoxal from working.

The detoxification process also led to a third metabolite emerging known as 3-HHD, which does not have the harmful effects of methylglyoxal.

The Aarhus researchers then conducted in vivo studies and discovered 3-HHD in the blood of people who lacked insulin or had fasted the night before, which is known to induce ketosis. On a general level, this discovery indicates that fat-metabolism in the cells occurs simultaneously as the detoxification of the harmful effects of methylglyoxal. This could therefore have positive effects on blood sugar levels and metabolism.

"We have found a new metabolite that demonstrates an alternative chemical detoxification of methylglyoxal when we burn fat," said lead author Mogens Johannsen.

Ketosis:

Ketosis can be a healthy state for people with diabetes because the body relies less on glucose for fat burning and more on ketones, which can lead to improved blood sugar levels and lower medication requirements. Johannsen is convinced ketones have a valuable role regarding biological aging.

"Now we have evidence for saying that ketones can minimise the amount of harmful methylglyoxal in living organisms, and that is a discovery that gets noticed, as it involves two of the most debated substances within biological aging and late diabetic complications. Moreover, these substances react with each other.

"One perspective could be to follow a diet with fewer carbohydrates and more fat. The fat helps to encapsulate and destroy the sugars that cause the pain."

Johannsen added that the findings could be relevant for people with diabetes-related complications such as neuropathy.

The findings have been published in the journal Cell Chemical Biology. …More

Related:

[1] Why Your “Normal” Blood Sugar Isn’t Normal (Part 2)

[2] What Is Measuring Our Hba1c REALLY Telling Us About Our Blood Glucose and Diabetes Risk?

[3] Is Insulin Really a Response to Blood Glucose?

[4] Ketone Body Acetoacetate Buffers Methylglyoxal via a Non-enzymatic Conversion during Diabetic and Dietary Ketosis

[5] Why your fasting blood sugar might still be high on low carb

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8E6689B9-837D-4828-BA30-D47847DB34F2.jpeg800×800 95.6 KB

[6] “…This now fits in to an overall pattern. Elevated non esterified fatty acids induce physiological insulin resistance and a higher than expected FBG level. A simple switch to higher carbohydrate eating (in myself) allows the normal underlying pancreatic and muscle function to show. It also fits in with the FBG of 3.5mmol/l found in the carbohydrate fuelled natives in the Kitava studies. So do I worry about a FBG of over 5.5mmol/l? Not while my HbA1c is 4.4%. …” …Hyperlipid

[7] Reversing Type 2 Diabetes An evidence-based guide to type 2 diabetes reversal options

[8] 3-HHD Structure of the Human Fatty Acid Synthase KS-MAT Didomain as a Framework for Inhibitor Design

(Bunny) #13

Some possible and interesting correlations:

[1] What cardiovascular disorder has the lowest mortality rate?

The population is representative of Italy, where the incidence of the disease is low. Data from the Progetto CUORE, a prospective study of cohorts enrolled between 1983-1997, were used; 7520 men and 13127 women aged 35-69 years free of previous cardiovascular events and followed for an average of 11 years. …More

[2] Which country has the lowest rate of heart disease?

Females in France and Switzerland have the lowest death rates for stroke, and Australian females have 1.4 times their rate. Unlike for coronary heart disease, Greece and Japan have one of the highest death rates for stroke. …More

[3] The Italian town where residents live to 100 – and scientists want to know why

[4] Polyphenols content in some Italian red wines of different geographical origins

[5] Wines With High Levels of Polyphenols

[6] Which Wines Are The Best For Your Health? And Why?

[7] 7 Pine Bark Extract Benefits You Won’t Believe

(Lazy, Dirty Keto 😝) #14

No worries, I made a post not too long ago questioning why I always seem to lose about a pound or so after a night of drinking. Apparently it’s dehydration :woman_shrugging:t4:

(Full Metal KETO AF) #15

As usual you’ve given me much to read and absorb, I did read the last link about pine bark extract you put on another thread. Very compelling. I’m looking it up on Amazon to see if it’s in my budget to try it for a while. I think the thing I read about a wee bit of alcohol (far from intoxication) at bed time offered some morning after benefit. I can’t remember if it was sleep related or metabolic improvement. May have been both. :cowboy_hat_face:

#16

A bit of booze can lower fasting blood sugar - I think it hits pause on the dawn phenomenon/morning liver dump.

(Doug) #17

Right, Safi - and there is potential danger for people who aren’t eating carbs - the liver is making glucose for the relatively few parts of the body that do require it, and a lot of booze will have the liver quit making it for a possibly harmful length of time.

(Lisa) #18

Thanks for the great input from everyone even the suggesting to drink! I have been using a keto meter but not sure about it’s accuracy so am switching to blood meter as soon as it arrives so what is pre and post prandial?
I have been doing low carb, IF and lazy keto for the last 2 years (eaten carbs when on vacation) and lost 22kg but my HbA1c has always been either 39 or 41 anytime it was tested over the last 2 years!
Iron levels fine.

(Lisa) #19

one test in Feb was 41 and one in May 41 May last year 39

#20

Pre & post prandial bg are blood glucose tests taken before & after you eat to see the impact that food has on your glucose levels. You may be better off testing glucose rather than ketones.