The paper opens with “We showed that three months of a ketogenic diet was able to improve beta-cell function in patients with type 2 diabetes, and these improvements were associated with changes in the proinsulin-C-peptide ratio, a biomarker of pancreas stress….Other than bariatric surgery or large-volume intentional weight loss, interventions for improving beta-cell function in type 2 diabetes do not currently exist.”
So: “In English PLEASE!”
First of all, is a “ketogenic diet” the same as “being on keto” (Or is it “going keto” or “On a keto diet”?) “The ketogenic or keto diet…” Answer to first question is “Yes, they are the same thing.”
Second then, is what the HECK is a “keto diet”: it’s a diet that “includes eating high-fat, low-carbohydrate foods to reach ketosis. In ketosis, the body uses fat for fuel, instead of sugar (glucose). This produces acids known as ketones.”
Something I’ve never read in these glowing advertisements for these FABULOUS “Keto Diets” is that ketones STINK: “It is a very common and predictable side effect that occurs when your body enters ketosis”, ketone breath has been “compared to your breath smelling like acetone (aka, nail polish remover), paint thinner, rotten fruit, or sweetly metallic…” YUMMY!
Second, it basically ditches balanced eating: “…eating different amounts of fat, protein and carbs in a day.” It breaks out like this, besides the fact that you weigh everything (the science is sound here – you’re balancing the fats, proteins and carbs in order to lose weight and become more healthy.) It looks like this: “four grams of fat for every 1 gram of combined protein/carb eaten throughout the day. Avoiding all carb-rich foods (like pasta, potatoes, fruit, etc.) is key here. Also, for every serving of protein-rich food, you need four servings of a fatty food (heavy cream, avocado, olive oil, full fat cheese, etc.)”.
So, let’s say we do this. It will “…improve beta-cell function in patients with type 2 diabetes; the improvements were associated with changes in the proinsulin-C-peptide ratio, a biomarker of pancreas stress….”
And I’m lost again…what is a “proinsulin-C-peptide ratio”? In plain English: “…A proinsulin-C-peptide ratio is a lab test that measures how hard your pancreas is working to produce insulin. In the pancreas, proinsulin is the inactive "raw material" your body builds into insulin – which you need to change glucose into something your CELLS can use. The pancreas chops the proinsulin in half, turning it into active, usable insulin. The C-peptide is the leftover "waste" and is dumped. When everything is working perfectly, your pancreas easily chops up all the raw proinsulin into ready-to-use building blocks for insulin. BUT, if your pancreas is under heavy strain it gets overwhelmed and starts dumping unfinished, "raw" proinsulin into the bloodstream before it has a chance to fully process it, You now have high levels of unfinished proinsulin compared to C-peptide. It is a warning sign that your beta cells are struggling and may be a predictor for developing diabetes.”
So, properly managed, a keto diet can HELP repair OUR messed up pancreas – NOT heal it, but help it work better. So, the choice is ours; at least now you have somewhere to start when you ask your doctor if a keto diet is something you want to try…
Links: https://www.endocrine.org/news-and-advocacy/news-room/2026/keto-diet-may-improve-beta-cell-function-in-people-with-type-2-diabetes, https://health.ucdavis.edu/blog/good-food/what-is-the-keto-diet-and-can-it-be-beneficial-for-you/2025/05 Image: https://asploro.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Diabetes-Research_Open-Access.jpg
