Blood-sugar experiment coming up
Over the next few months, we’ll be testing the impact different foods and lifestyle choices have on blood-sugar levels.
To do this, I will wear a constant-glucose-monitoring device that measures blood-sugar levels 24/7. We recently got the device, and I put it on immediately.
What would you like us to test?
How the device works
1. A blood-glucose sensor and transmitter is inserted into the body.
2. The sensor measures glucose levels just underneath the skin.1
3. A transmitter attached on top of the sensor sends glucose data over bluetooth to an iPhone app.
4. An iPhone app displays the glucose data.
Here’s what the data can look like:
What we’re going to use the device for
First we’ll doing some tests to make sure everything is working properly.
After that, we’ll start testing the impact different foods and lifestyle choices have on my blood sugar. For example, what do you think will happen when I’m:
– drinking coffee,
– drinking alcohol,
– consuming artificial sweeteners,
– eating different types of low-carb foods,
– eating different types of high-carb foods,
– eating dairy,
– eating low vs. high amounts of protein,
– exercising,
– fasting,
– in optimal ketosis vs. not?
We plan to test all of the above and more. When we have tested something, we’ll write a short blog posts about it.
Please note: This is a n=1 self experiment and my findings may not apply to you. I am a 36-year old insulin-sensitive male, weigh 152 pounds, exercise for 10-15 minutes five times a week, with no history of obesity or diabetes.
What would you like us to test?
Feel free to let us know in the comments below.
Earlier tests
Are you interested in my earlier tests? Check out this earlier series of 3 posts:
The device measures glucose by picking up electrochemical signals from glucose-oxidase reactions in the interstitial fluid.
Note that the glucose readings from this device are meant to be used for trending only. A regular blood-glucose meter, and a constant-glucose-monitoring device, measure glucose from two different types of body fluids: blood and interstitial fluid. Therefore, the numbers from the blood-glucose meter and sensor may not match exactly. ↩
Fiber is still highly debated and I would like to see how much different types of fiber (soluble/insoluble fiber, resistant starch) raise your blood sugar.
Also different types of artificial sweeteners, e.g. sugar alcohols (erythritol, xylitol, Maltitol), stevia and Sucralose. I am not very interested in aspartame, saccharin or Ace-K as they are old school and bad tasting.
Protein powders such as whey would also interest me. Thanks again.
Varies from around 4% to around 10% in standard UK supermarket own brand PB, to over 20% for Hershey's imported American PB.
Many thanks. What a great experiment!
Do you get the same blood sugar impact from eating a given meal in the morning vs in the evening?
Also, if you're willing to make a drastic change, I would be curious about the effects of a very low fat diet (Ornish, MacDougall, Pritikin style). Proponents say it reverses diabetes (after a period of adaptation).
And what about Bullet Proof Coffee? Coffee seems to raise bloodsuger - is it prevented by fat??
I was about to ask the same, then I read your comment.
The weight training session should be around 45 minutes, with 5 or 6 differents exercises comprise of 3 set of 8 repetitions.
Example: squat, shoulder, pec, back, arms, deadlift
Also compared eating windows 1 8 12 or from the time you wake up till sleep
Eric
Other things would be potato starch (raw and ideally from Bob's Mill due to their production process) and Yakon Root as people claim that those carbs are not digested and can actually lower the BG.
Good luck...
Have heard various Sugar Alcohols affect blood glucose differently. & I'd like to know if high levels affect Legos as well. TIA
Btw, I'll love to follow this article, it seems so interesting and important to me :)
Hope you'll update it soon.
Thanks a lot!
You can find them here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0jeQngoP1c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLrGs2jOMIM
one 8-ounce container / serving of Plain Total (full fat) Fage Greek Yogurt.
Thank You!