July 31, 2025 • 18 mins
What if type 2 diabetes isn’t a lifelong condition—but a metabolic imbalance that can be reversed? In this episode of The Health Pulse, we explore the bold, controversial idea that a carnivore diet—an all-animal, zero-carb eating approach—may hold the key to reversing insulin resistance, the root cause of type 2 diabetes.
You’ll learn why conventional treatments often miss the mark by focusing only on lowering blood sugar, while metabolic dysfunction continues unchecked. We examine the compelling research behind very low-carb and ketogenic diets, and discuss survey data suggesting complete remission in a majority of carnivore diet participants with type 2 diabetes.
We also address safety concerns about kidney health, uric acid, and nutritional adequacy, offering a modern, evidence-based perspective. For those interested in trying this approach, we provide a data-driven implementation guide—including baseline testing, adaptation strategies, and retesting protocols focused on HbA1c, fasting insulin, HOMA-IR, and inflammation markers.
This episode will challenge your assumptions, shift how you think about chronic disease, and offer a science-backed pathway to real, lasting change.
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Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. The content discussed is based on research, expert insights, and reputable sources, but it does not replace professional medical consultation, diagnosis, or treatment. We strive to present accurate and up-to-date information, medical research is constantly evolving. Listeners should always verify details with trusted health organizations, before making any health-related decisions. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, such as severe pain, difficulty breathing, or other urgent symptoms, call your local emergency services immediately. By listening to this podcast, you acknowledge that The Health Pulse and its creators are not responsible for any actions taken based on the content of this episode. Your health and well-being should always be guided by the advice of qualified medical professionals.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to the Health Pulse, your go-to source for
quick, actionable insights onhealth, wellness and diagnostics
.
Whether you're looking tooptimize your well-being or stay
informed about the latest inmedical testing, we've got you
covered.
Join us as we break down keyhealth topics in just minutes.
Let's dive in.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Welcome to the Deep Dive.
We're here to cut through thenoise and really get to the
heart of things, and today we'refocusing on a really big health
topic type 2 diabetes.
I mean, did you know it affectsover 38 million Americans.
That's just staggering.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
It is, and the common story, you know, is that it's
this lifelong thing.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Right Something you just manage.
Right Right Pills, insulin,maybe some lifestyle tweaks.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
But always just symptom control.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Exactly.
But what if that whole standardapproach is kind of Backward?
What if we're missing somethingfundamental?
Speaker 2 (01:00):
And that leads us to this maybe radical dietary idea.
We're going to explore A prettyradical one.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
yeah, we're hinting at not just cutting carbs, but
maybe getting rid of them almostentirely.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
So that's the core of today's deep dive, this let's
call it controversial all meatprotocol, the carnivore diet and
looking at its potential maybefor actual remission in type 2
diabetes.
Now I know, first glance soundspretty extreme.
Speaker 3 (01:26):
It definitely does sound extreme, but when you
think about insulin resistance,which is really the key issue in
type 2 diabetes, the hallmarkyeah.
Yeah, the hallmark this kind ofapproach.
Well, it goes straight for thatunderlying metabolic mess.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
Okay, so our mission today, then we're going to
unpack how type 2 diabetesactually develops, right.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
Right.
And what makes this carnivorediet so different?
Speaker 2 (01:47):
With the early research and maybe some case
studies are showing.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
And, crucially, how you can use strategic lab
testing to actually track yourown progress, if this is a path
you're even considering, Becauseit really comes down to
understanding those metabolicroots, starting with insulin
resistance.
That's the key.
Got to understand that first.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
So let's start right there.
We always hear type 2 diabetestalked about as just high blood
sugar, but is that the wholestory or is something deeper
going on?
Speaker 3 (02:17):
Yeah, that's a great question.
High blood sugar is definitelywhat gets diagnosed.
It's the symptom, but the realproblem, the underlying issue,
is insulin resistance.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
Okay, explain that a bit more.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
So basically your body's cells.
They stop responding properlyto insulin.
Insulin's the hormone thatunlocks the cells to let glucose
in for energy.
Right.
When the cells get resistant,your pancreas has to work.
Overtime it pumps out more andmore insulin to try and force
the glucose in.
Ah okay, and that leads to thestate called hyperinsulinemia,
just chronically high insulinlevels.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
And this can happen silently, before the blood sugar
even goes up.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
Exactly For years, sometimes even decades, before
your blood glucose hits thosediabetic levels.
So by the time you get thediagnosis, well, a lot of the
metabolic damage is already done.
So by the time you get, thediagnosis.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
Well, a lot of the metabolic damage is already done
.
Wow, okay.
So what's actually driving that?
Why do the cells stopresponding?
Speaker 3 (03:11):
The main driver typically is just too many
carbohydrates, especially, youknow, the refined stuff, grains,
sugary drinks, all those ultraprocessed foods.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
The standard modern diet base.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
Pretty much.
These foods spike your bloodglucose again and again, forcing
the pancreas to just flood thesystem with insulin.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
And over time the cells just get numb to it.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
They get desensitized , they stop listening.
Think about this.
There's research showing yourbody might be whispering
warnings insulin resistance formaybe like 13 years 13 years.
Yeah, Before it shouts diabeteswith high blood sugar.
That just completely reframesthe timeline, doesn't it?
Speaker 2 (03:47):
It absolutely does so if the usual treatments are
just lowering blood sugar withmeds but not fixing that core
insulin resistance.
Speaker 3 (03:55):
And disease just keeps progressing underneath.
Yeah, no-transcript.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
Okay, so that brings us squarely to the carnivore
diet.
Lay it out for us.
What exactly is it?
Speaker 3 (04:15):
Okay.
So at its core it's super lowcarb, like ultra low carb, high
fat, moderate protein.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
And it's only animal foods.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
High fat moderate protein, and it's only animal
foods, exclusively animal-basedfoods.
So think meat, organ meats,fish, seafood, animal fats like
butter or tallow.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
What about eggs Dairy ?
Speaker 3 (04:34):
Some versions allow eggs, maybe some dairy, yeah,
but the key difference even fromketo or paleo.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
Right, because they might allow some low-carb
veggies or nuts.
Speaker 3 (04:42):
Exactly the carnivore diet aims to eliminate all
carbohydrates no fruit, novegetables, no grains, no
legumes, zero sugar.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
Wow, okay, that sounds incredibly restrictive.
I mean really restrictive.
Speaker 3 (04:54):
It definitely sounds that way to most people, but the
reason it's so radical andpotentially therapeutic for
metabolic issues is thatcomplete removal of anything
that raises glucose.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
So by taking out all the carbs.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
Your body is forced into a deep state of nutritional
ketosis.
It starts burning fat andketones for fuel, not sugar.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
And we know ketosis can improve insulin sensitivity
and lower inflammation.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
We've more, and unlike even a standard keto diet
which might allow, say, 20,maybe 50 grams of carbs a day.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
Carnivore aims for zero.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
Aims for zero.
So you're minimizing thatglycemic load as much as humanly
possible.
You're basically removing alldietary glucose sources.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
Okay, now you mentioned.
Specific trials on thecarnivore diet itself might be
well still emerging, but can welearn from the studies on very
low-carb or keto diets?
Is the mechanism similar enough?
Speaker 3 (05:44):
That's a really good point.
Yeah, the formal large-scalerandomized controlled trials
specifically on carnivore arestill limited, but structurally
it's very similar to those verylow-carb ketogenic diets or
VLCKDs.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
Those have shown pretty significant results for
blood sugar control and insulinlevels.
Speaker 3 (06:02):
They absolutely have.
Now some carnivore proponentsalso talk about things like
plant anti-nutrients potentiallycausing gut issues or
inflammation.
That's still a bitcontroversial scientifically,
but the undeniable part bygetting rid of all the carbs,
you remove the main fuel thatdrives insulin resistance in the
first place.
For someone really strugglingwith blood sugar, that
(06:24):
simplicity can be incrediblypowerful.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
Okay, that makes sense.
So let's get to the mechanism.
How does this seemingly extremeapproach actually work to
potentially reverse type 2diabetes?
What's happening metabolically?
Speaker 3 (06:36):
The absolute key is removing that root trigger
dietary carbs Every time you eatcarbs, especially the refined
ones.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
Blood sugar goes up, insulin comes out.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
Right and over time, doing that constantly makes your
cells less responsive.
So by cutting out all dietarycarbs, you basically stop
needing those big insulin spikes.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
You take the pressure off the pancreas.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
Exactly.
Insulin demand plummets,fasting, insulin levels can
start to come down and cellularinsulin sensitivity has a chance
to actually improve.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
So it's like hitting a metabolic reset button.
What are the specific benefitswe're looking for here for
someone with type 2 diabetes?
Speaker 3 (07:12):
OK, first, zero glycemic load.
No carbs means no blood sugarspikes from food.
That keeps insulin low andstable.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Makes sense.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
Second, improved insulin sensitivity.
We see this in the very lowcarb diet studies.
Lab markers for insulinresistance, like HOPO-MA IR,
often improve pretty quickly,sometimes within weeks or months
.
Okay, what else?
Third, reduced inflammation.
Type 2 diabetes is, at itsheart, an inflammatory condition
.
A meat-based diet cuts out alot of common inflammatory
(07:42):
triggers seed oils, processedjunk, sugar, Right.
Studies on low-carb diets doshow reductions in C-reactive
protein, which is a key markerof inflammation.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
Okay, glycemic load, insulin sensitivity,
inflammation.
Is there another big one, mayberelated to body fat?
Speaker 3 (07:57):
Oh, absolutely Visceral fat loss, that deep
belly fat Losing that is crucialfor reversing insulin
resistance.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
Why is that fat so bad?
Speaker 3 (08:06):
It's metabolically active in a bad way.
It drives inflammation anddysfunction.
Diets high in protein and fatwith minimal insulin spikes seem
to really help accelerate fatloss from the liver and the
abdomen, those key areas drivingthe problem.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
So basically, you're shutting down that insulin
glucose roller coaster.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
Precisely Allowing the body to re-stabilize blood
sugar, calm inflammation andhopefully regain insulin
sensitivity, potentially gettingoff medications entirely.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
That is a very strong claim, which naturally leads us
to ask what does the actualresearch say?
You mentioned large carnivoretrials are new, but what about
those very low-carb studies?
Speaker 3 (08:42):
Yeah, the evidence from very low-carb and keto
diets is quite compelling.
There was a 2021 study I thinkit was in Frontiers in
Endocrinology followed over 260adults with type 2 diabetes on a
low-carb, high-fat plan.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
Okay, what did they find?
Speaker 3 (08:55):
Get this.
After just one year, nearlyeveryone, like 94%, dramatically
reduced or completely stoppedtheir insulin use.
Speaker 2 (09:04):
Wow, 94%.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
Yeah, and over half achieved full diabetes remission
based on standard criteria.
That's not just managing,that's, like you said, potential
reversal.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
That's significant.
Any other examples?
Speaker 3 (09:16):
Well, there's the Virta Health trial.
They used a well-formulatedketogenic diet.
Participants saw, on average, aone point three percent drop in
their HbA1c.
That's a big deal, plussignificant weight loss
sustained over two years.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
And, while not strictly carnivore, they share
that core principle of minimalcarbs.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
Exactly Minimal carbohydrate intake, driving
those results.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
Also saw a survey, I think from 2021, in current
developments in nutrition.
They looked at over 2000 peopleactually following a carnivore
diet.
Yeah, what did that real worlddata show for diabetes?
Speaker 3 (09:49):
Yeah, that one was interesting because it was
self-reported, but still, 84% ofthe participants who had type 2
diabetes reported it was fullyresolved on the diet 84%
reported resolution.
That's what they reported andmost said they'd eliminated
their glucose-lowering meds.
They noted improvements inHbA1c fasting glucose weight
inflammation markers.
It points towards a trend.
(10:10):
You know people feeling likethey're actually reversing it.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
And we're seeing physicians like Dr Truro-Kalaji
and Dr Sean Baker reportingsimilar successes in their
practices.
Speaker 3 (10:19):
Right, they talk about using these meat-heavy,
very low-carb approaches to helppatients normalize A1c, lose
that dangerous visceral fat andget off medications.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
And they often emphasize lab monitoring, which
we'll get back to.
But OK, let's talk safety,because this is radical.
People worry, right.
What about kidneys?
What about gout from all thatmeat?
Speaker 3 (10:41):
Those are definitely common concerns and
understandable ones, butthankfully a lot of it seems
based on maybe outdated ormisinterpreted science.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
Okay, like the kidney issue.
Speaker 3 (10:51):
Yeah, the high protein damaging kidneys idea.
Multiple clinical reviews havelooked at this and they haven't
found evidence that high proteinintake hurts kidneys in people
with normal kidney function.
Speaker 2 (11:01):
So if your kidneys are healthy to start with, High
protein doesn't seem to be aproblem.
Speaker 3 (11:05):
Now, if someone already has advanced chronic
kidney disease, that's different.
Protein needs carefulmanagement there, but for most
people not an issue.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
And the gout connection Meat causing gout.
Speaker 3 (11:17):
That's another one.
Gout seems more strongly linkedto high fructose intake and
insulin resistance itself,rather than just red meat.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
Really Sugar and alcohol are bigger culprits.
Speaker 3 (11:27):
Recent studies point that way.
Yeah, sugar, sweetened drinks,alcohol those seem to be the
primary dietary triggers.
In fact, some studies show lowcarb and keto diets can actually
reduce inflammation and improvehow your body handles uric acid
.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
Huh, so some old beliefs might need updating.
Ok, so if someone is thinkingabout this, what are the
realistic things they need toconsider?
Any downsides or challenges?
Speaker 3 (11:51):
Well, there are definitely realistic
considerations.
Electrolyte imbalances canhappen, especially when you
first adapt the keto flu.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
some people talk about Right Feeling, tired
headaches, yeah.
Speaker 3 (12:01):
But that's usually manageable with enough fluids
and minerals, especially salt,sodium, potassium, magnesium.
Speaker 2 (12:07):
OK, what else?
Speaker 3 (12:08):
Some people might see their LDL cholesterol go up, at
least temporarily, that famousbad cholesterol.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
Oh, it would worry people.
Speaker 3 (12:15):
It does, but it's really important to look at the
whole picture.
Speaker 2 (12:25):
Often, while LDL might go up, other, arguably
stronger predictors of hearthealth get much better, like
triglycerides, hdl inflammationmarkers get much better.
Speaker 3 (12:28):
Like triglycerides, hdl inflammation markers Exactly
.
Triglycerides often plummet HDL, the good cholesterol goes up,
insulin drops, inflammation goesdown, so the overall
cardiovascular risk profileoften improves, even if LDL
bumps up.
Context is key.
So, while we need morelong-term trials, specifically
on carnivore, the short tomidterm metabolic benefits seem
(12:48):
pretty measurable and oftenquite significant for many
people.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
Okay, and who absolutely needs medical
guidance before even thinkingabout this.
Oh, definitely.
Speaker 3 (12:56):
Medical supervision is crucial if you're currently
taking insulin or anyglucose-lowering medications
Very important to avoiddangerously low blood sugar
hypoglycemia, as your needschange.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
Makes sense?
Who else?
Speaker 3 (13:09):
Also anyone with advanced kidney disease, serious
heart conditions, if you'repregnant or breastfeeding or
have a history eating disorders.
For pretty much anyone, though,starting this kind of major
shift, lab testing is essential.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
Right for safety and just tracking, if it's working.
Speaker 3 (13:27):
Absolutely.
You want to track things likeHbA1c, fasting glucose and
insulin so you can calculatehome AIR for insulin resistance.
A full lipid panel, c-reactiveprotein for inflammation.
Speaker 2 (13:38):
And basic kidney function markers too.
Speaker 3 (13:40):
Yeah, electrolytes, bun, creatinine, just to keep an
eye on kidney function andhydration.
Speaker 2 (13:46):
And that's where you know services making testing
easier, like at-home collection,really help.
Quicklab Mobile, for instance.
Speaker 3 (13:51):
Definitely makes it more convenient to get that data
.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
So, okay, someone's listened to all this.
They're intrigued, they'reworking with their doctor.
What's sort of functional,medicine-informed way to
actually start this transition?
Speaker 3 (14:02):
Right, it's about doing it safely, personalizing
it and measuring.
Functional medicine alwayslooks upstream, right?
The insulin resistance, theinflammation, maybe
mitochondrial issues driving theblood sugar problems.
So step one is testing.
Before you start Step onebaseline labs.
Absolutely, you need thatcomprehensive snapshot of where
you are before changing anything.
(14:22):
All those markers we justtalked about A1C, insulin,
glucose, hmar, crp, lipids,electrolytes, kidney markers,
maybe even liver enzymes.
That's your benchmark.
Speaker 2 (14:33):
Okay, got the baseline Again, maybe using
at-home testing for convenience.
Then what?
Step two is the actualtransition.
Speaker 3 (14:40):
Step two is managing that adaptation phase.
Most people feel a bit off forthe first week or two.
The keto flu again adaptationphase.
Most people feel a bit off forthe first week or two.
The keto flu again, yeah, soreally push hydration, add sea
salt or specific electrolytesupplements.
Make sure you're eating enoughfat.
That's your new energy source,critical for ketosis.
And don't skimp on protein.
Eat until you're satisfied.
Speaker 2 (15:00):
Track how you feel.
Speaker 3 (15:01):
Track symptoms, yeah, energy levels, mental clarity,
even bowel habits.
Now, interestingly, ifsomeone's insulin resistance is
really severe, sometimes goingkind of cold turkey into
carnivore might actuallystabilize their blood sugar
faster.
Speaker 2 (15:14):
But carefully, if on meds.
Speaker 3 (15:15):
Crucially important to work with your doctor.
If you're on diabetes, meds,dosages will likely need to come
down, maybe quickly, as yourglucose levels improve.
Safety first.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
Okay, so you get through the adaptation phase,
maybe a few weeks.
What's next?
Speaker 3 (15:28):
Yeah, after maybe four to eight weeks on the diet,
retest your labs.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
Step three See what's changed from the baseline.
Speaker 3 (15:35):
Exactly.
Look at the changes in HbA1c.
Fasting insulin.
Are triglycerides down, HDL up?
Is inflammation lower?
How's the body compositionchanging?
Energy Focus.
Speaker 2 (15:46):
Use the data to guide the next steps.
Speaker 3 (15:48):
Precisely From there.
Maybe you stay full carnivore,if it's working wonders, or
maybe you strategicallyreintroduce some low-glycemic
veggies or fermented foods,seeing how your body responds.
It's not about dogma.
Speaker 2 (15:59):
It's about data-driven personalization.
Speaker 3 (16:01):
Exactly.
Using those lab markers takesthe guesswork out.
Measure what matters.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
This has been really eye-opening.
We started by saying type 2diabetes is so often treated as
this lifelong sentence, right?
Speaker 1 (16:12):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
Managed but not cured .
Speaker 3 (16:14):
Just managed with pills, shots, maybe dietary
advice.
That, frankly, often doesn'tget to the root cause.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
But the evidence, especially from these low-carb
approaches, it really doessuggest that when you remove the
underlying cause, the body hasan amazing capacity to heal.
Speaker 3 (16:32):
It really does seem that way.
And the carnivore diet?
Well, it challenges almosteverything.
Speaker 2 (16:35):
Mainstream nutrition tells us doesn't it, cutting out
sugar, starch, fiber, evenplants.
Speaker 3 (16:41):
Yet for many people stuck in that cycle of insulin
resistance, that extremesimplicity might be exactly why
it works.
You remove the foods drivingthe blood sugar spikes and
inflammation.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
And you give the body space, space to reset, maybe
regenerate, restore somemetabolic function.
Speaker 3 (16:57):
That seems to be the potential mechanism.
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (16:59):
But it's so crucial to remember, like you said, it's
not just the diet in a vacuum.
Speaker 3 (17:04):
No diet works in isolation.
You absolutely have to testtrack personalize.
Speaker 2 (17:08):
Understand your insulin, not just your glucose.
Look at inflammation, lipids,organ function.
Speaker 3 (17:12):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:13):
Not just the number on the scale.
Speaker 3 (17:14):
Right, and that's where accessible testing like
QuickLab Mobile's at-home labsbecomes so powerful.
It gives you the actual datayou need to measure what's truly
changing metabolically.
Speaker 2 (17:25):
Because that reversal potential seems real.
Speaker 3 (17:27):
It seems possible.
Yes, but only if you stop justmanaging the symptom, the high
blood sugar, and start trulyaddressing the root cause.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
Which leaves us with a final thought for you, the
listener, to chew on Ifreversing type 2 diabetes is
possible by tackling the rootcause insulin resistance instead
of just managing symptoms, whatother chronic health conditions
that we currently just managemight also be fundamentally
improved, or maybe even reversed, if we took a similar approach
(17:59):
a radical dietary shift plus amuch deeper understanding,
through testing, of our ownunique metabolic responses?
Speaker 3 (18:05):
Makes you think.
Doesn't it about applying thatroot cause, thinking much more
broadly in health?
Speaker 2 (18:09):
Really makes you think about the power of getting
to the bottom of things.
Thanks for diving deep with ustoday.
Speaker 3 (18:14):
My pleasure.
Speaker 1 (18:19):
Thanks for tuning into the Health Pulse.
If you found this episodehelpful, don't forget to
subscribe and share it withsomeone who might benefit.
For more health insights anddiagnostics, visit us online at
wwwquicklabmobilecom.
No-transcript.
Welcome to the Health Pulse, your go-to source for
quick, actionable insights onhealth, wellness and diagnostics
.
Whether you're looking tooptimize your well-being or stay
informed about the latest inmedical testing, we've got you
covered.
Join us as we break down keyhealth topics in just minutes.
Let's dive in.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Welcome to the Deep Dive.
We're here to cut through thenoise and really get to the
heart of things, and today we'refocusing on a really big health
topic type 2 diabetes.
I mean, did you know it affectsover 38 million Americans.
That's just staggering.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
It is, and the common story, you know, is that it's
this lifelong thing.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Right Something you just manage.
Right Right Pills, insulin,maybe some lifestyle tweaks.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
But always just symptom control.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Exactly.
But what if that whole standardapproach is kind of Backward?
What if we're missing somethingfundamental?
Speaker 2 (01:00):
And that leads us to this maybe radical dietary idea.
We're going to explore A prettyradical one.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
yeah, we're hinting at not just cutting carbs, but
maybe getting rid of them almostentirely.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
So that's the core of today's deep dive, this let's
call it controversial all meatprotocol, the carnivore diet and
looking at its potential maybefor actual remission in type 2
diabetes.
Now I know, first glance soundspretty extreme.
Speaker 3 (01:26):
It definitely does sound extreme, but when you
think about insulin resistance,which is really the key issue in
type 2 diabetes, the hallmarkyeah.
Yeah, the hallmark this kind ofapproach.
Well, it goes straight for thatunderlying metabolic mess.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
Okay, so our mission today, then we're going to
unpack how type 2 diabetesactually develops, right.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
Right.
And what makes this carnivorediet so different?
Speaker 2 (01:47):
With the early research and maybe some case
studies are showing.
Speaker 3 (01:51):
And, crucially, how you can use strategic lab
testing to actually track yourown progress, if this is a path
you're even considering, Becauseit really comes down to
understanding those metabolicroots, starting with insulin
resistance.
That's the key.
Got to understand that first.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
So let's start right there.
We always hear type 2 diabetestalked about as just high blood
sugar, but is that the wholestory or is something deeper
going on?
Speaker 3 (02:17):
Yeah, that's a great question.
High blood sugar is definitelywhat gets diagnosed.
It's the symptom, but the realproblem, the underlying issue,
is insulin resistance.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
Okay, explain that a bit more.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
So basically your body's cells.
They stop responding properlyto insulin.
Insulin's the hormone thatunlocks the cells to let glucose
in for energy.
Right.
When the cells get resistant,your pancreas has to work.
Overtime it pumps out more andmore insulin to try and force
the glucose in.
Ah okay, and that leads to thestate called hyperinsulinemia,
just chronically high insulinlevels.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
And this can happen silently, before the blood sugar
even goes up.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
Exactly For years, sometimes even decades, before
your blood glucose hits thosediabetic levels.
So by the time you get thediagnosis, well, a lot of the
metabolic damage is already done.
So by the time you get, thediagnosis.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
Well, a lot of the metabolic damage is already done
.
Wow, okay.
So what's actually driving that?
Why do the cells stopresponding?
Speaker 3 (03:11):
The main driver typically is just too many
carbohydrates, especially, youknow, the refined stuff, grains,
sugary drinks, all those ultraprocessed foods.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
The standard modern diet base.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
Pretty much.
These foods spike your bloodglucose again and again, forcing
the pancreas to just flood thesystem with insulin.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
And over time the cells just get numb to it.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
They get desensitized , they stop listening.
Think about this.
There's research showing yourbody might be whispering
warnings insulin resistance formaybe like 13 years 13 years.
Yeah, Before it shouts diabeteswith high blood sugar.
That just completely reframesthe timeline, doesn't it?
Speaker 2 (03:47):
It absolutely does so if the usual treatments are
just lowering blood sugar withmeds but not fixing that core
insulin resistance.
Speaker 3 (03:55):
And disease just keeps progressing underneath.
Yeah, no-transcript.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
Okay, so that brings us squarely to the carnivore
diet.
Lay it out for us.
What exactly is it?
Speaker 3 (04:15):
Okay.
So at its core it's super lowcarb, like ultra low carb, high
fat, moderate protein.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
And it's only animal foods.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
High fat moderate protein, and it's only animal
foods, exclusively animal-basedfoods.
So think meat, organ meats,fish, seafood, animal fats like
butter or tallow.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
What about eggs Dairy ?
Speaker 3 (04:34):
Some versions allow eggs, maybe some dairy, yeah,
but the key difference even fromketo or paleo.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
Right, because they might allow some low-carb
veggies or nuts.
Speaker 3 (04:42):
Exactly the carnivore diet aims to eliminate all
carbohydrates no fruit, novegetables, no grains, no
legumes, zero sugar.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
Wow, okay, that sounds incredibly restrictive.
I mean really restrictive.
Speaker 3 (04:54):
It definitely sounds that way to most people, but the
reason it's so radical andpotentially therapeutic for
metabolic issues is thatcomplete removal of anything
that raises glucose.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
So by taking out all the carbs.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
Your body is forced into a deep state of nutritional
ketosis.
It starts burning fat andketones for fuel, not sugar.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
And we know ketosis can improve insulin sensitivity
and lower inflammation.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
We've more, and unlike even a standard keto diet
which might allow, say, 20,maybe 50 grams of carbs a day.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
Carnivore aims for zero.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
Aims for zero.
So you're minimizing thatglycemic load as much as humanly
possible.
You're basically removing alldietary glucose sources.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
Okay, now you mentioned.
Specific trials on thecarnivore diet itself might be
well still emerging, but can welearn from the studies on very
low-carb or keto diets?
Is the mechanism similar enough?
Speaker 3 (05:44):
That's a really good point.
Yeah, the formal large-scalerandomized controlled trials
specifically on carnivore arestill limited, but structurally
it's very similar to those verylow-carb ketogenic diets or
VLCKDs.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
Those have shown pretty significant results for
blood sugar control and insulinlevels.
Speaker 3 (06:02):
They absolutely have.
Now some carnivore proponentsalso talk about things like
plant anti-nutrients potentiallycausing gut issues or
inflammation.
That's still a bitcontroversial scientifically,
but the undeniable part bygetting rid of all the carbs,
you remove the main fuel thatdrives insulin resistance in the
first place.
For someone really strugglingwith blood sugar, that
(06:24):
simplicity can be incrediblypowerful.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
Okay, that makes sense.
So let's get to the mechanism.
How does this seemingly extremeapproach actually work to
potentially reverse type 2diabetes?
What's happening metabolically?
Speaker 3 (06:36):
The absolute key is removing that root trigger
dietary carbs Every time you eatcarbs, especially the refined
ones.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
Blood sugar goes up, insulin comes out.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
Right and over time, doing that constantly makes your
cells less responsive.
So by cutting out all dietarycarbs, you basically stop
needing those big insulin spikes.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
You take the pressure off the pancreas.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
Exactly.
Insulin demand plummets,fasting, insulin levels can
start to come down and cellularinsulin sensitivity has a chance
to actually improve.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
So it's like hitting a metabolic reset button.
What are the specific benefitswe're looking for here for
someone with type 2 diabetes?
Speaker 3 (07:12):
OK, first, zero glycemic load.
No carbs means no blood sugarspikes from food.
That keeps insulin low andstable.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Makes sense.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
Second, improved insulin sensitivity.
We see this in the very lowcarb diet studies.
Lab markers for insulinresistance, like HOPO-MA IR,
often improve pretty quickly,sometimes within weeks or months
.
Okay, what else?
Third, reduced inflammation.
Type 2 diabetes is, at itsheart, an inflammatory condition
.
A meat-based diet cuts out alot of common inflammatory
(07:42):
triggers seed oils, processedjunk, sugar, Right.
Studies on low-carb diets doshow reductions in C-reactive
protein, which is a key markerof inflammation.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
Okay, glycemic load, insulin sensitivity,
inflammation.
Is there another big one, mayberelated to body fat?
Speaker 3 (07:57):
Oh, absolutely Visceral fat loss, that deep
belly fat Losing that is crucialfor reversing insulin
resistance.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
Why is that fat so bad?
Speaker 3 (08:06):
It's metabolically active in a bad way.
It drives inflammation anddysfunction.
Diets high in protein and fatwith minimal insulin spikes seem
to really help accelerate fatloss from the liver and the
abdomen, those key areas drivingthe problem.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
So basically, you're shutting down that insulin
glucose roller coaster.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
Precisely Allowing the body to re-stabilize blood
sugar, calm inflammation andhopefully regain insulin
sensitivity, potentially gettingoff medications entirely.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
That is a very strong claim, which naturally leads us
to ask what does the actualresearch say?
You mentioned large carnivoretrials are new, but what about
those very low-carb studies?
Speaker 3 (08:42):
Yeah, the evidence from very low-carb and keto
diets is quite compelling.
There was a 2021 study I thinkit was in Frontiers in
Endocrinology followed over 260adults with type 2 diabetes on a
low-carb, high-fat plan.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
Okay, what did they find?
Speaker 3 (08:55):
Get this.
After just one year, nearlyeveryone, like 94%, dramatically
reduced or completely stoppedtheir insulin use.
Speaker 2 (09:04):
Wow, 94%.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
Yeah, and over half achieved full diabetes remission
based on standard criteria.
That's not just managing,that's, like you said, potential
reversal.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
That's significant.
Any other examples?
Speaker 3 (09:16):
Well, there's the Virta Health trial.
They used a well-formulatedketogenic diet.
Participants saw, on average, aone point three percent drop in
their HbA1c.
That's a big deal, plussignificant weight loss
sustained over two years.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
And, while not strictly carnivore, they share
that core principle of minimalcarbs.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
Exactly Minimal carbohydrate intake, driving
those results.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
Also saw a survey, I think from 2021, in current
developments in nutrition.
They looked at over 2000 peopleactually following a carnivore
diet.
Yeah, what did that real worlddata show for diabetes?
Speaker 3 (09:49):
Yeah, that one was interesting because it was
self-reported, but still, 84% ofthe participants who had type 2
diabetes reported it was fullyresolved on the diet 84%
reported resolution.
That's what they reported andmost said they'd eliminated
their glucose-lowering meds.
They noted improvements inHbA1c fasting glucose weight
inflammation markers.
It points towards a trend.
(10:10):
You know people feeling likethey're actually reversing it.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
And we're seeing physicians like Dr Truro-Kalaji
and Dr Sean Baker reportingsimilar successes in their
practices.
Speaker 3 (10:19):
Right, they talk about using these meat-heavy,
very low-carb approaches to helppatients normalize A1c, lose
that dangerous visceral fat andget off medications.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
And they often emphasize lab monitoring, which
we'll get back to.
But OK, let's talk safety,because this is radical.
People worry, right.
What about kidneys?
What about gout from all thatmeat?
Speaker 3 (10:41):
Those are definitely common concerns and
understandable ones, butthankfully a lot of it seems
based on maybe outdated ormisinterpreted science.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
Okay, like the kidney issue.
Speaker 3 (10:51):
Yeah, the high protein damaging kidneys idea.
Multiple clinical reviews havelooked at this and they haven't
found evidence that high proteinintake hurts kidneys in people
with normal kidney function.
Speaker 2 (11:01):
So if your kidneys are healthy to start with, High
protein doesn't seem to be aproblem.
Speaker 3 (11:05):
Now, if someone already has advanced chronic
kidney disease, that's different.
Protein needs carefulmanagement there, but for most
people not an issue.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
And the gout connection Meat causing gout.
Speaker 3 (11:17):
That's another one.
Gout seems more strongly linkedto high fructose intake and
insulin resistance itself,rather than just red meat.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
Really Sugar and alcohol are bigger culprits.
Speaker 3 (11:27):
Recent studies point that way.
Yeah, sugar, sweetened drinks,alcohol those seem to be the
primary dietary triggers.
In fact, some studies show lowcarb and keto diets can actually
reduce inflammation and improvehow your body handles uric acid
.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
Huh, so some old beliefs might need updating.
Ok, so if someone is thinkingabout this, what are the
realistic things they need toconsider?
Any downsides or challenges?
Speaker 3 (11:51):
Well, there are definitely realistic
considerations.
Electrolyte imbalances canhappen, especially when you
first adapt the keto flu.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
some people talk about Right Feeling, tired
headaches, yeah.
Speaker 3 (12:01):
But that's usually manageable with enough fluids
and minerals, especially salt,sodium, potassium, magnesium.
Speaker 2 (12:07):
OK, what else?
Speaker 3 (12:08):
Some people might see their LDL cholesterol go up, at
least temporarily, that famousbad cholesterol.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
Oh, it would worry people.
Speaker 3 (12:15):
It does, but it's really important to look at the
whole picture.
Speaker 2 (12:25):
Often, while LDL might go up, other, arguably
stronger predictors of hearthealth get much better, like
triglycerides, hdl inflammationmarkers get much better.
Speaker 3 (12:28):
Like triglycerides, hdl inflammation markers Exactly
.
Triglycerides often plummet HDL, the good cholesterol goes up,
insulin drops, inflammation goesdown, so the overall
cardiovascular risk profileoften improves, even if LDL
bumps up.
Context is key.
So, while we need morelong-term trials, specifically
on carnivore, the short tomidterm metabolic benefits seem
(12:48):
pretty measurable and oftenquite significant for many
people.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
Okay, and who absolutely needs medical
guidance before even thinkingabout this.
Oh, definitely.
Speaker 3 (12:56):
Medical supervision is crucial if you're currently
taking insulin or anyglucose-lowering medications
Very important to avoiddangerously low blood sugar
hypoglycemia, as your needschange.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
Makes sense?
Who else?
Speaker 3 (13:09):
Also anyone with advanced kidney disease, serious
heart conditions, if you'repregnant or breastfeeding or
have a history eating disorders.
For pretty much anyone, though,starting this kind of major
shift, lab testing is essential.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
Right for safety and just tracking, if it's working.
Speaker 3 (13:27):
Absolutely.
You want to track things likeHbA1c, fasting glucose and
insulin so you can calculatehome AIR for insulin resistance.
A full lipid panel, c-reactiveprotein for inflammation.
Speaker 2 (13:38):
And basic kidney function markers too.
Speaker 3 (13:40):
Yeah, electrolytes, bun, creatinine, just to keep an
eye on kidney function andhydration.
Speaker 2 (13:46):
And that's where you know services making testing
easier, like at-home collection,really help.
Quicklab Mobile, for instance.
Speaker 3 (13:51):
Definitely makes it more convenient to get that data
.
Speaker 2 (13:54):
So, okay, someone's listened to all this.
They're intrigued, they'reworking with their doctor.
What's sort of functional,medicine-informed way to
actually start this transition?
Speaker 3 (14:02):
Right, it's about doing it safely, personalizing
it and measuring.
Functional medicine alwayslooks upstream, right?
The insulin resistance, theinflammation, maybe
mitochondrial issues driving theblood sugar problems.
So step one is testing.
Before you start Step onebaseline labs.
Absolutely, you need thatcomprehensive snapshot of where
you are before changing anything.
(14:22):
All those markers we justtalked about A1C, insulin,
glucose, hmar, crp, lipids,electrolytes, kidney markers,
maybe even liver enzymes.
That's your benchmark.
Speaker 2 (14:33):
Okay, got the baseline Again, maybe using
at-home testing for convenience.
Then what?
Step two is the actualtransition.
Speaker 3 (14:40):
Step two is managing that adaptation phase.
Most people feel a bit off forthe first week or two.
The keto flu again adaptationphase.
Most people feel a bit off forthe first week or two.
The keto flu again, yeah, soreally push hydration, add sea
salt or specific electrolytesupplements.
Make sure you're eating enoughfat.
That's your new energy source,critical for ketosis.
And don't skimp on protein.
Eat until you're satisfied.
Speaker 2 (15:00):
Track how you feel.
Speaker 3 (15:01):
Track symptoms, yeah, energy levels, mental clarity,
even bowel habits.
Now, interestingly, ifsomeone's insulin resistance is
really severe, sometimes goingkind of cold turkey into
carnivore might actuallystabilize their blood sugar
faster.
Speaker 2 (15:14):
But carefully, if on meds.
Speaker 3 (15:15):
Crucially important to work with your doctor.
If you're on diabetes, meds,dosages will likely need to come
down, maybe quickly, as yourglucose levels improve.
Safety first.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
Okay, so you get through the adaptation phase,
maybe a few weeks.
What's next?
Speaker 3 (15:28):
Yeah, after maybe four to eight weeks on the diet,
retest your labs.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
Step three See what's changed from the baseline.
Speaker 3 (15:35):
Exactly.
Look at the changes in HbA1c.
Fasting insulin.
Are triglycerides down, HDL up?
Is inflammation lower?
How's the body compositionchanging?
Energy Focus.
Speaker 2 (15:46):
Use the data to guide the next steps.
Speaker 3 (15:48):
Precisely From there.
Maybe you stay full carnivore,if it's working wonders, or
maybe you strategicallyreintroduce some low-glycemic
veggies or fermented foods,seeing how your body responds.
It's not about dogma.
Speaker 2 (15:59):
It's about data-driven personalization.
Speaker 3 (16:01):
Exactly.
Using those lab markers takesthe guesswork out.
Measure what matters.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
This has been really eye-opening.
We started by saying type 2diabetes is so often treated as
this lifelong sentence, right?
Speaker 1 (16:12):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
Managed but not cured .
Speaker 3 (16:14):
Just managed with pills, shots, maybe dietary
advice.
That, frankly, often doesn'tget to the root cause.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
But the evidence, especially from these low-carb
approaches, it really doessuggest that when you remove the
underlying cause, the body hasan amazing capacity to heal.
Speaker 3 (16:32):
It really does seem that way.
And the carnivore diet?
Well, it challenges almosteverything.
Speaker 2 (16:35):
Mainstream nutrition tells us doesn't it, cutting out
sugar, starch, fiber, evenplants.
Speaker 3 (16:41):
Yet for many people stuck in that cycle of insulin
resistance, that extremesimplicity might be exactly why
it works.
You remove the foods drivingthe blood sugar spikes and
inflammation.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
And you give the body space, space to reset, maybe
regenerate, restore somemetabolic function.
Speaker 3 (16:57):
That seems to be the potential mechanism.
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (16:59):
But it's so crucial to remember, like you said, it's
not just the diet in a vacuum.
Speaker 3 (17:04):
No diet works in isolation.
You absolutely have to testtrack personalize.
Speaker 2 (17:08):
Understand your insulin, not just your glucose.
Look at inflammation, lipids,organ function.
Speaker 3 (17:12):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:13):
Not just the number on the scale.
Speaker 3 (17:14):
Right, and that's where accessible testing like
QuickLab Mobile's at-home labsbecomes so powerful.
It gives you the actual datayou need to measure what's truly
changing metabolically.
Speaker 2 (17:25):
Because that reversal potential seems real.
Speaker 3 (17:27):
It seems possible.
Yes, but only if you stop justmanaging the symptom, the high
blood sugar, and start trulyaddressing the root cause.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
Which leaves us with a final thought for you, the
listener, to chew on Ifreversing type 2 diabetes is
possible by tackling the rootcause insulin resistance instead
of just managing symptoms, whatother chronic health conditions
that we currently just managemight also be fundamentally
improved, or maybe even reversed, if we took a similar approach
(17:59):
a radical dietary shift plus amuch deeper understanding,
through testing, of our ownunique metabolic responses?
Speaker 3 (18:05):
Makes you think.
Doesn't it about applying thatroot cause, thinking much more
broadly in health?
Speaker 2 (18:09):
Really makes you think about the power of getting
to the bottom of things.
Thanks for diving deep with ustoday.
Speaker 3 (18:14):
My pleasure.
Speaker 1 (18:19):
Thanks for tuning into the Health Pulse.
If you found this episodehelpful, don't forget to
subscribe and share it withsomeone who might benefit.
For more health insights anddiagnostics, visit us online at
wwwquicklabmobilecom.
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