Can the Paleo Diet Help Manage Type 2 Diabetes?

More and more people with type 2 diabetes are exploring the paleo diet, a high-protein, low-carbohydrate way of eating that minimizes processed foods and emphasizes lean meats and vegetables, as a means of managing their condition.

Some tout life-changing results within just a few weeks of following the paleo diet, including improvements in blood pressure and cholesterol, blood sugar levels consistently in their target range, and even the ability to stop taking medications to manage their diabetes. However, clinical evidence supporting the use of this diet for type 2 diabetes is limited.

In recent years, the popularity of the paleo diet has skyrocketed, with many of its proponents touting health benefits including weight loss, improved blood pressure, and more. When it comes to the impact of the paleo diet in people with type 2 diabetes specifically, clinical research remains limited to a few small, short-term trials.

It’s possible that paleo-friendly foods may be better suited for a type 2 diabetes diet than other foods, says Lynda Frassetto, MD, a nephrologist at UCSF Medical Center in San Francisco. “We believe there are multiple factors involved, including more fiber, leading to decreased uptake of sugar from the intestines, more micronutrients and antioxidants, and potentially a healthier impact on gut microflora,” says Dr. Frassetto.

People with type 2 diabetes who follow a paleo diet may find that it helps them better control their blood sugar, says Melissa Joy Dobbins, RDN, CDCES, founder of Sound Bites in Wilmette, Illinois. “You’re hardly eating anything that would raise your blood sugar,” says Dobbins. “You’re really restricting carbohydrates, and that can keep your blood sugar down.”

“For people with diabetes, the primary goal is to control blood sugar, but the second goal is to reduce the risk of heart disease and its complications,” says Dobbins.

Paleo diet success stories among people with type 2 diabetes aren’t unheard of, because their bodies still produce insulin on their own that can be enough to process the small amount of carbohydrates in a paleo diet, says Dobbins. However, that doesn’t mean going paleo is a permanent solution.

“Whether it’s paleo or any restricted-carbohydrate diet, yes, people may go off insulin [shots],” says Dobbins. “But they may eventually need to go back on it, even if they don’t change their diet. It depends on how exhausted the pancreas is.”

People with diabetes who are interested in trying a paleo diet should first consult their doctor or a registered dietitian before beginning the program. If you have kidney problems or are taking certain medications, you may not be able to follow the plan safely.

Because the paleo diet also involves eating large quantities of whole, fiber-rich foods, those with certain intestinal conditions may not be able to tolerate it, either. “It is a huge amount of food,” says Frassetto. “If you have problems with your intestines moving, you will have a lot of problems with this diet,” she says.

Those who aren’t sure about following a paleo diet to manage their diabetes may see some benefit from simply incorporating a few of its principles into their current way of eating, like eating more fresh produce and less pasta and bread.

“I think people in general eat too many carbohydrates,” says Dobbins. “You could get rid of the excess. I’m a firm believer in getting a little more protein, making sure the fats are as heart healthy as possible, and having fewer carbohydrates. I think that’s something people can live with and see good results in their blood sugar and their weight.”

• The high-protein, low-carbohydrate paleo diet may help people with type 2 diabetes lose weight, improve their insulin sensitivity, and better manage their blood sugar by significantly restricting carbohydrate consumption.
• Experts believe these benefits may stem from the higher fiber and micronutrient content of whole, unprocessed foods the diet prioritizes, but some research finds the paleo diet isn’t necessarily superior to other healthy diets, like the Mediterranean diet.
• Critics point out the paleo diet is unbalanced because it eliminates entire food groups like whole grains, and some versions may encourage high saturated fat intake, posing a heart disease risk for people with diabetes.
• People with type 2 diabetes should consult a doctor or registered dietitian before starting the diet, especially if they have kidney or intestinal health concerns.