Carnivore for type 1 diabetics

Idunno · February 12

Thus topic is for Type 1’s (insulin dependent)

the problem is that if a T1 has low blood sugar they will need to take some glucose tablets. The glucose tablets will pop you out of ketosis

so as an example, a T1 can go thru a week long period of pure carnivore diet and they will deal with keto fatigue for the week, but then for whatever reason the blood sugar is running low. so they are required to take glucose tabs

the second glucose tabs are consumed you’re out of ketosis

this is problematic always being in keto flu and never being able to stay in ketosis

also if a type 1 is going to exercise they eat glucose tabs.
Am I wrong about this?

it seems like carnivore is good for T1’s but not really because T1’s have to use glucose tabs to regulate blood sugars

any thoughts?

Geezy · February 13

That’s interesting. I know very little about T1 diabetics.
I didn’t know they used glucose tablets.
I have a hunting partner that’s a T1 and I’ve never seen him take anything but his insulin shots.
I can see what you are talking about would sound problematic.
The only thing I’ve heard from T1’s who are carnivore is that they have been able to reduce their insulin shots substantially but other than that not much.

Idunno · February 16

Well hopefully a few T1D’s come to answer

seems like a real predicament: because we definitely need glucose tablets to maintain blood sugar levels and basically 1 little glucose tablets is enough to stop ketosis

it would be a T1D eating carnivore diet would be in a nonstop keto flu ??

If so this would be a deal breaker for me. I would have to do low carb again or very low carb, with carnivore days mixed in…

Skeptic · 2025-02-23T12:04:05Z

Hi folks.

I always seem to be the one who reads posts with questions and says "hopefully someone that knows will chime in" but in this case, I think I can help.

SO, type 1 for the last 20 plus years. I have fought with lows nearly as much as highs over this time. What is worse is that no one in the medical establishment ever mentioned a word of this to me, so I was simply ignorant.

Several years ago, I thought that a Tandem pump with a CGM was the solution, but I was still over/under correcting for carbohydrates. There are so many variables. I was terrified of dying in the night from lows, so I took my drs advice and would "liberalize" my glucose levels. I was definitely not aware of animal based eating at the time, and downed all kinds of garbage. Carbs of course, but processed foods galore, seed oils, vegetables, fruits, coffee (hot bean water) ...the list goes on. The SAD diet, which modern western medicine has little to no problem with, yet they will flip out if you tell them you are eating a carnivore diet.

Once I cleaned up my diet, the insulin pump/CGM combo began REALLY showing its worth. Once you are animal based for a while, and your body gets adjusted, things get easier. For clarity, Im talking about NO carbs, as well as being fat adapted, where you get very hard stools without purposely adding in fats in a minimum of a 1 to 1 ratio.
Once your body re-learns how to operate on fats instead of on glucose, your body will regain its ability to make its own glucose when necessary through gluconeogenesis.
This fixes your trouble with lows, *without* the need for glucose tabs. Trust me, I used to carry em too.

A word of warning from my personal experience, if you eat any sugars or carbohydrates, it will kick you out of ketosis (as mentioned above) and your new found gluconeogenesis abilities will be put on hold. This can be dangerous if you are on insulin, and are not prepared for what comes next.
Example: If you go out for a burger with friends, for instance, and eat the burger with the bun, POOF, goodbye ketosis. I personally would be waking up at about 2am with my sugar level in the basement (sub 50) Ask me how I know. This is where your doctor will come in and say "see, you NEED carbs" but I say let clearer thinking prevail. Without the carbs from the bun, you (I) would have been fine. No highs to deal with, and self correcting lows! Carbs arent the solution, they are the problem.

Happy to be able to offer my two cents

*EDIT* I should also clarify that it does not take me more than 6 to 12 hours to recover back into ketosis, should I have something sugary or carby. Im not advocating carbs and sugars, but I know we are all human, and old habits do die hard.

Edited 4 hours ago by Skeptic