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Lifestyle intervention more effective than drug therapy in improving cardiovascular risk and glucose tolerance. It is well known that diabetes increases the risk for cardiovascular disease. What may not be as well known, is that pre-diabetic individuals also are at higher risk for cardiovascular disease. Pre-diabetics have impaired glucose tolerance which means they have insulin resistance. The cells are not as sensitive to insulin as they used to and it takes more insulin to transfer the blood glucose (sugar) into the cells where it can be used for energy. The study referred to here, examined the relationship between some of the cardiovascular risk factors blood pressure, triglycerides, HDL the good cholesterol, LDL the bad cholesterol and LDL peak particle density and glycemia in three treatment groups (Goldberg RB, et al. 2009). 3234 participants were followed for 3.2 years treating one group with lifestyle intervention (diet, exercise) and 1 group was given Metformin a diabetic drug and one group was given a placebo. The researchers found a strong relationship between risk factors and measures of glycemia (blood sugar status). Reversion to normal glucose tolerance was associated with improvement in risk factors. Early intervention with lifestyle intervention improved cardiovascular risk and glucose tolerance more effectively than the drug Metformin. If you want to know more about how to eat to effectively improve your biochemistry and risk factors you will find more information in the book “The Food Connection”. Click here for more information
Wishing you the best of health, Didrik
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