What is an acceptable ("safe") blood glucose level on carnivore?

[toucansam]

Two years ago I did eight months of strict carnivore, absolutely no cheating, and tested my blood glucose several times throughout the day.  I was pretty strictly keto prior to that. 

 

Shortly after a meal (any meal -- eggs, steak, seafood), I would briefly hit 130-140 before coming back down quickly.  Without exception, I tested every morning as soon as I came downstairs to make breakfast.  I was fasted when I tested (8 hours or so, just fasting while sleeping).  The lowest number in that period was 88, the highest was 105, and I was almost always 99-101.  I know about the dawn phenomenon.

 

But, reading about and watching other carnivores online, I've seen many consistently post blood glucose levels in the 70-80 range.  I know the body can convert protein into glucose, and I lift weights 5x a week and stay very active, so I eat a large amount of protein.  During the pure carnivore days I was eating meat or eggs 5-6x a day.  My lowest blood sugar results, in the mid 80s, came after very long arduous heavy ruck sessions in the hills behind my house.

 

I have since moved to a non-carnivore diet, although I am still primarily meat-based.  I am eating less than 1/4 cup of greens and black olives with my morning eggs, an avocado with lunch (with steak), and my pre-workout is 1/3 cup of oats, blueberries, and a small handful of pecans.  That's it.  For dinner I'm back to one or two steaks, or several fish fillets and shrimp, etc.  

 

My blood glucose levels are still almost 101 first thing in the morning.  So even with the addition of carbs, albeit minimal amounts by SAD standards, my blood glucose seems to remain steady.  Perhaps I "trend high" although I'm not sure that's a thing.

 

I am contemplating going back to strict carnivore, or at the very least getting back into ketosis and remaining there for a while.  

 

Just curious if anyone has experienced these sorts of glucose levels on carnivore, a diet that is literally devoid of sugar of any kind.....

 

Thanks.

 

[Bob]

11 hours ago, toucansam said:

Shortly after a meal (any meal -- eggs, steak, seafood), I would briefly hit 130-140 before coming back down quickly.  Without exception, I tested every morning as soon as I came downstairs to make breakfast.  I was fasted when I tested (8 hours or so, just fasting while sleeping).  The lowest number in that period was 88, the highest was 105, and I was almost always 99-101.  I know about the dawn phenomenon.

All of this is completely normal. Healthy blood glucose when fasting is between 70 and 99, and as long as it's above 50 it is considered acceptable. Likewise, a spike up to 140 in after eating is also normal. 

11 hours ago, toucansam said:

But, reading about and watching other carnivores online, I've seen many consistently post blood glucose levels in the 70-80 range.

 I can only guess here, and I would assume they are very high fat and moderate to lower protein on their macros.

11 hours ago, toucansam said:

I know the body can convert protein into glucose, and I lift weights 5x a week and stay very active, so I eat a large amount of protein.

And so your body was converting some of that protein into glucose, which is then detected in your blood.

12 hours ago, toucansam said:

My blood glucose levels are still almost 101 first thing in the morning.  So even with the addition of carbs, albeit minimal amounts by SAD standards, my blood glucose seems to remain steady.

So you're still in the normal range. You burn off or store the carbs by the time morning has rolled around and that's why you still measure the same. 

The reason many on keto or carnivore will aim for moderate protein and really high fat macros is to become fat adapted. Until you are fat adapted, your body will convert some protein you consume into glucose. You say you were eating a large amount of protein and working out and being very active. Much of this excess protein was likely being converted to glucose. 

Welcome aboard "J". Sorry it took so long to approve these posts. I was installing a tile backsplash for my brother today and was away from the internet.

[toucansam]

My GF suggested I do a backsplash in my kitchen and its one of my many, many summer projects.  Heavy sigh.

 

I did at one point begin buying pure fat from the butcher (at $0.43/lb I might add, and got some truly amazing looks from other shoppers in the grocery store when we put 5 plates of pure fat in my cart).  But my bathroom visits were so frequent and borderline urgent that almost immediately reduced that.  I'll be honest, I probably never gave the "fat adapted" part a chance, because I was so focused on/addicted to performance in the gym (literally the time of day when I am at my happiest) that I didn't want to sacrifice protein for anything and risk reducing my already compromised performance even more. 

 

Perhaps I will revisit.

 

[Geezy]

I’m curious JM, why are you doing carnivore? What is your goal?


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[Geezy]

Check this video from Dr. Baker and see if this helps you.
Btw, he is carnivore.

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[toucansam]

On 3/24/2024 at 2:12 PM, Geezy said:

I’m curious JM, why are you doing carnivore? What is your goal?


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Grocery shopping takes 8 minutes from start to finish, my bill is tiny (its just me), and above all I feel like I'm 21.  My last testosterone score was 1046 naturally (I'm not on TRT) and at 47 YO I'll take that all day long.  I want to do three things: keep inflammation in my body at an absolute minimum, keep my insulin level as low as possible, and keep my mitochondria as healthy as possible.  All other considerations are secondary.  I'm not 100% carnivore now, and I may or may not go back to it strictly.  I'd like to lean out just a little more, but not at the cost of muscle mass like last time I did true carnivore (couldn't stop losing weight, literally couldn't stop).

[Bob]

13 hours ago, toucansam said:

but not at the cost of muscle mass like last time I did true carnivore

This is interesting. I figured with all the protein consumption our bodies hold onto their muscle mass, at least most of us. But I know you hit the gym and workout so maybe you had more than the usual muscle mass. I know you said your gym performance took a hit when you did carnivore.