Wednesday, July 13, 2016

Effects of a low glycemic index, low glycemic load diet

The Study
Twenty six overweight women were randomized to a low glycemic index, low glycemic load diet or their usual diet for 12 weeks. All of the subjects were infertile at the time of this investigation and were on a waiting list for IVF treatment. By the end of follow-up, the women in the low glycemic group lost 10 lbs, reduced their BMI by 2 units and reduced their body fat by almost 4%. The women in the usual diet group had slight increases in all of these variables. The low glycemic group had 85.4% more oocytes retrieved than the control group and had 3 spontaneous pregnancies resulting in 3 live births. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2015; 102:1365-72.

Take Home Message
This is an interesting study for a couple of reasons:

1) It shows the efficacy of the low glycemic diet for weight loss. To lose 4% of your body fat and 2 BMI units in 12 weeks is extraordinary weight loss. I am not at all surprised, as I have been using this approach with my own clients for decades and have had great success with it.

2) The changes in oocyte retrieval and the 3 spontaneous pregnancies in the low glycemic group just goes to show you how the stabilization of blood sugar can benefit hormone levels and body systems in surprising and unforeseen ways. 

 

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