Why is My Blood Sugar High?

Seth RobertsTsinghua University & UC Berkeley

twoutopias@gmail.com

Blood Sugar Measurement

• First QS = home blood glucose measurement • Started by Richard Bernstein (who had Type 1

diabetes) in 1960s• He achieved much better blood sugar control• Now standard for diabetics

Blood Sugar Measurement Tools

“Fasting” Blood Sugar

• 8-12 hours without food• <100 = “normal”, 100-125 =

“prediabetic”, 126 or more = diabetes• I believe best = low 80s• In big U.S. study, mean = 105• Strong correlation with HbA1c

“Fasting” Blood Sugar

• 8-12 hours without food• <100 = “normal”, 100-125 =

“prediabetic”, 126 or more = diabetes• I believe best = low 80s• In big U.S. study, mean = 105• Strong correlation with HbA1c

Can I Reduce My Fasting Blood Sugar?

• After reducing carbs, didn’t know what else to do.

• Already did regular aerobic exercise

How to Reduce Fasting Blood Sugar? Online Answers

• “I exercise 3 times/week but my fasting blood sugar is 94-107. Why is this happening when I am not consuming carbs and sugar?”

• Answer 1: “Quit taking blood sugar test so often.” Answer 2: “There's no 'trick' to lowering blood sugar that you haven't already tried.” Answer 3: “These numbers are OK.” Answer 4: “You are TOTALLY NORMAL.”

How to Reduce Fasting Blood Sugar? Online Answers

• “I exercise 3 times/week but my fasting blood sugar is 94-107. Why is this happening when I am not consuming carbs and sugar?”

• Answer 1: “Quit taking blood sugar test so often.” Answer 2: “There's no 'trick' to lowering blood sugar that you haven't already tried.” Answer 3: “These numbers are OK.” Answer 4: “You are TOTALLY NORMAL.”

How to Reduce Fasting Blood Sugar? Online Answers

• “I exercise 3 times/week but my fasting blood sugar is 94-107. Why is this happening when I am not consuming carbs and sugar?”

• Answer 1: “Quit taking blood sugar test so often.” Answer 2: “There's no 'trick' to lowering blood sugar that you haven't already tried.” Answer 3: “These numbers are OK.” Answer 4: “You are TOTALLY NORMAL.”

Effect of Walking on Blood Sugar

Effect of Walking on Blood Sugar

Intermittent Fasting

• 2012 BBC TV show Eat Fast and Live Longer• Emphasized IGF (insulin growth factor)

improvement• Best-selling book The FastDiet. Advises 2 fast

days/week.• Lots of supporting research

Intermittent Fasting

• 2012 BBC TV show Eat Fast and Live Longer• Emphasized IGF (insulin growth factor)

improvement• Best-selling book The FastDiet. Advises 2 fast

days/week.• Lots of supporting research

Intermittent Fasting: My Friend’s Experience

• Started 9 months ago eating every other day– Same amount & type of food, different timing– Hungry first fast day, easy after that. Feels strong

hunger for first time on non-fast day– Three different food/digestive problems went

away• So I tried it

Intermittent Fasting: Other Effects

• No unpleasant hunger, not hard at all• No problem not eating while others eat• If anything, feel more energetic• Save 1-2 hours/day• Weight loss• No sleep change

Intermittent Fasting: Other Effects

• No unpleasant hunger, not hard at all• No problem not eating while others eat• If anything, feel more energetic• Save 1-2 hours/day• Weight loss• No sleep change

Q. I know fasting is healthy.What’s new?

• Blood sugar much easier to measure than other measures that improve, such as IGF

• Fast clear improvement• Blood sugar measurements can determine

details of fast (how often, how much)• Intermittent fasting rarely proposed to cure

high blood sugar

Q. I know fasting is healthy.What’s new?

• Blood sugar much easier to measure than other measures that improve, such as IGF

• Fast clear improvement• Blood sugar measurements can determine

details of fast (how often, how much)• Intermittent fasting rarely proposed to cure

high blood sugar

Conclusions• Expect to do this rest of my life•Worth trying for Type 2

Diabetes