Dr. Westman Reacts: Insulin Resistance on Keto

There’s a lot of misinformation out there about keto diets. Dr. Westman has been treating patients with this dietary metabolic therapy for more than twenty years. During that time, he’s seen people lose hundreds of pounds and become completely free of type 2 diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, PCOS, and a few of his patients have even reversed heart failure!
Is it possible that a way of eating that’s so powerful it can reverse or put into remission serious medical issues, could have negative effects, too? Could it even cause insulin resistance?

It turns out, it depends on how “insulin resistance” is defined.

Watch Dr. Westman’s latest video for his reaction to another doctor’s claims that keto causes insulin resistance.

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[patrickh]

The person who is the most knowledgeable on insulin resistance is Dr Ben Bikman. I highly recommend his book, Why We Get Sick.

[rikwen]

A logical, sensible discussion of what insulin does in the body and if you want to remove insulin resistance, you don't eat a lot of carbs. The body is an efficient machine that can take care of itself if you don't add sugar to the mix.

[DrTonyHampton]

Yes, Dr Westman

All clinicians should be asking their patients what they are eating every visit

It’s the only way to truly guide them to the dietary changes that will lead to results.

[gazels]

I love the respect you give to other doctors that don't understand the proper human diet. Thank you for your channel 🌹

[maxsweetman]

Love the commonsense simple way you explain things and the way you respectfully respond to anti keto doctors
Thanks dr Westman

[richardhailes]

Doctor Westman, My Blood Sugar level was between 8.00 and 9.0 for many years. After being on PHASE 1 of your diet for TWO WEEKS my blood sugar is between 5, `0 and 6.40 every day.
I also had High Blood pressure and was on medication. After TWO WEEKS on PHASE 1 my Blood Pressure went too low. I have been OFF my medication for about 1 week, and my BP is 120/80.

[geopietro]

I really appreciate your commentary in general and specifically about this topic. I saw my HbA1c also increase slightly while on a very low carb (under 20 grams total) carnivore type diet. I also watched my post-prandial blood glucose. Weird result that my blood glucose never reached the levels implied by the HbA1c. Think this lends support to Dr. Westman's conjecture that the life of the red blood cells has increased. Thank you for the video.

[claycaudill]

First Doc I've ever seen that understands the math/physics behind how an A1C measurement works well enough to use the idea of a derivative to explain it. My education is in Engineering, and as I started learning about my diabetes (and the A1C) this is exactly what I thought of. I'm hooked. Subscribed, my journey with you begins, probably no sleep tonight watching vids!!!

[elainenilsson]

Why doesn't anyone address that the only real way to get insulin down is to give it someplace to put the blood glucose. If the muscles are at capacity and the liver is at capacity then the glucose has no where to go except out in urine. In which case insulin will always be high. It doesn't matter if you are eating keto or not at that point.

[tag]

I know that I am only one person but I found just the opposite — after 6 months on less than 10 grams of carbs/day (and my fasting insulin went from 35 to 8 and I got off of shooting insulin in the first 3 days) I ate some carbs (a hamburger bun) and my blood sugar didn’t go up near what it did six months earlier and it was back to normal in about 2-1/2 hours (which it never went back to normal, 82-84, before). This got me in trouble because I thought that I was healed and could eat some carbs again. But after just a few days of eating about 50-80 grams/day I quickly discovered that I was right back where I started & had to shoot insulin again. Now I’m fighting old battles all over again trying to get back into regular ketosis. I wish that I had never strayed. For me the big thing to remember is that carbs tempt me when I’m not even hungry, I just want a taste experience. Whereas I’ve never been tempted by a rib eye steak when I’m not hungry. I just need to retrain myself to only eat when I’m hungry.

[CashMoneyMoore]

I would love to see you react to some of Dr. Paul Saladino's criticisms of keto

[akirafujiwara]

really need one like Dr Westman to clarify the internet gurus' unprofessional points.

[corteltube]

Oh dear…I have been keto for 8 months..I have adhered I would say…fairly strictly. What do I do when I go to my doc and have my yearly blood work. I am Scared 😶. I live in a small town and it would be hard to find a keto friendly physician I think and I do like my doctor.

[smooth_pursuit]

I would like to call it temporary insulin insensitivity, to distinguish from insulin resistance

[peterpots]

To answer his question, Bart Kay says it takes 72 hours for your body to go back into ketosis once you kick yourself out eating carbohydrates.

[janelmaysthompson]

I've been on keto since my first appointment with you in September 2022, and I've lost 45 lbs. I was so excited yesterday to get my A1c test results of 5.4 (normal) after being diagnosed as diabetic (6.5) last March. My only issue is the cholesterol level went from 202 to 220. I would love to hear more about keeping cholesterol levels down on keto.

[TVTimSweden]

Hi Doc! We met on the Caribbean LCHF Cruise March 2015! I’m from Sweden 🇸🇪 and have followed Andreas and all you guys since! I’m now on Ketovore and feel great! Do you have any tips or videos about Carnivore ? Tim 😅

[amyk___]

This was most helpful. Prior to switching to Carnivore last October, I had an A1C of 5.1( was dirty Keto then). Then after 5 months Ketovore/ Carnivore (and a higher carb weekend right before bloodwork)I had my A1C tested again and it shot up to 6.1! I’ve never been over 5.5 in the 6 years that I’ve been doing lower carbs.
I’m going back to Ketovore/ Carnivore now and will test again in 3 months. Hopefully this was just a fluke 😮

[lisabennett]

So, what is "way up" with insulin? What number? What should we "aim" for?

[Debbie-Savings]

My friend wants to go on a keto diet to get healthier but is already a diabetic. He is taking Metformin. How should he handle this to work on getting off those meds? I hope I’m making sense with my question. Thanks for all responses in advance.