What protein powder is best on a low-carb diet? Or for a ketogenic diet? Or for a Pre or Post workout meal?
None.
Isolated amino acids and powdered protein have a very high insulin response. And they stimulate the same phase 2 response as sugar and grains do…not the healthy phase one response whole proteins stimulate.
It is the stimulation of the phase 2 insulin response along with the long clearing of insulin that makes the insulin curve dangerous and can predict the onset of Type 2 Diabetes with over 90% accuracy in most cases……even with normal fasting blood sugar levels…..and even with a normal glucose tolerance test. SCARY!
Whey seems to be the worst offender on this chart by raising insulin 650% more than glucose.
So eating pure sugar is less impactful than taking whey protein to our metabolic/insulin health!
We need to think through the bigger picture of all of this. It is not about blood sugar, carbs, or protein but about insulin, our insulin response.
This determines whether we are healthy and can predict our overall health and metabolic state in the future.
How do I know if this is affecting me?
- Test your fasting blood sugar:
- 87 or lower = Great
- 100-124 = Pre-Diabetes
- 125- up Type 2 Diabetes
- Check your last blood test and see if you have 3 of the following 5: (A.K.A. Metabolic Syndrome)
- BS over 100
- High Blood Pressure
- Low HDL cholesterol
- Triglycerides over 150
- Increased Waistline: >35 in for women and >40 for men
- Insulin Resistance correlates well with:
- Low Vitamin D (under 60 functionally)
- Triglycerides over 100
- Overweight, obesity, morbid obesity
- 15 lbs in fat gain over 12 months
- Chronic inflammation and oxidative stress
- Weight loss resistance
- PCOS, Endometriosis
- Low Testosterone
- High-Stress hormones
What can you do about it?
Follow an Insulin Friendly Diet and Lifestyle.
If you need or are interested in a custom program, please feel free to message me for more information.
The same program I work with people in my distance/virtual programs, we did in large population health programs, and that I write about in the hundreds of posts, dozens of CME teaching slides like these, and many videos on my wall…. are all available to you here FREE.
If you have questions, please comment or message me and ask your friendly neighborhood chiropractor, nutritionist, Functional Medicine doc, or other QUALIFIED practitioners WITH experience in this.
We can do better!
Dr. Don
Readings for reference:
- Salehi, A., Gunnerud, U., Muhammed, S., et al. (2012). The insulinogenic effect of whey protein is partially mediated by a direct effect of amino acids and GIP on β-cells. Nutr Metab, 9:48.
- Claessens, M., Saris, W. H. M., & Baak, M. a van. (2008). Glucagon and insulin responses after ingestion of different amounts of intact and hydrolysed proteins. The British journal of nutrition, 100(1), 61-9.
