Low Carb Diets Causing Insulin Resistance? What is Going On!

DeLauer explains that the body adapts to the fuel it predominantly uses. On low-carb, it becomes efficient at fat oxidation but loses some ability to handle carbs. By occasionally introducing carbs, you prevent the loss of glucose tolerance. He suggests that this practice also helps avoid the 'keto police' mentality and promotes metabolic flexibility. He personally used honey and fruit for this purpose.

DeLauer acknowledges the mechanistic plausibility of the sugar diet: by drastically reducing fat and protein, the body is forced to use sugar for fuel, upregulating the necessary machinery. This can rapidly improve glucose tolerance. However, he warns that the same adaptation can be achieved with periodic carb refeeds without the risks of prolonged high sugar intake. He emphasizes that the sugar diet should be treated like a fasting intervention—short and strategic—rather than a permanent diet.

DeLauer recommends Manoora Manuka honey because of its high MGO content (850 MGO). He explains that you only need a teaspoon or two to get the antioxidant effect, making it suitable for low-carb diets. He used to use honey on low-carb for this reason. He provides an affiliate link for a starter pack.

DeLauer argues that the body adapts to whatever fuel is provided. By occasionally switching, you can maintain metabolic flexibility. He suggests that both low-carb and high-carb camps can benefit from occasionally dipping into the other side. This is the overarching theme of his message: avoid extreme permanence.

DeLauer explains that when you restrict carbohydrates, the body downregulates insulin receptor substrates in muscle cells because insulin is not needed. This peripheral insulin resistance is an adaptive mechanism to spare glucose for the brain. It is not the same as the pathological insulin resistance seen in type 2 diabetes, which involves ectopic fat accumulation and pancreatic beta-cell dysfunction. He emphasizes that this adaptation is reversible within a few weeks of reintroducing carbs. He cites rodent studies showing quick reversal. He also notes that the longest low-carb study (10 years) shows improvements in metabolic markers, not deterioration. The key distinction is that this is a muscle-level phenomenon, not systemic or pancreatic.

DeLauer explains that the sugar diet works on the same principle as low-carb: the body adapts to the predominant fuel source. By drastically reducing fat and protein and flooding the system with sugar, cells upregulate glucose transporters and enzymes for glycolysis. This can rapidly improve glucose tolerance and even lower HbA1c in some people. However, he warns that high sugar intake over long periods leads to advanced glycation end-products (AGEs), which damage tissues. He suggests that the sugar diet should be used only in short bursts, akin to a fasting intervention, rather than as a permanent dietary pattern. He also notes that not everyone succeeds on it, and it's not a cure-all.

DeLauer explains that the body can efficiently adapt to a high-fat, low-carb diet or a high-carb, low-fat diet. Problems arise when both are consumed in excess simultaneously, as in the standard American diet. This creates 'metabolic gridlock' where the body cannot efficiently partition fuel, leading to insulin resistance. He references Dr. Walter Longo's work showing that high fat intake in isolation does not cause insulin resistance. He emphasizes that the body is designed to handle one dominant fuel source at a time.

DeLauer recounts that during his low-carb phase, he would occasionally have a couple tablespoons of honey post-workout or intra-workout, or eat berries or fruit, or have a refeed day. He explains that this practice kept his glucose tolerance intact by periodically upregulating the machinery for carbohydrate metabolism. He criticizes the 'keto police' who insist on zero carbs, stating that maintaining metabolic flexibility is more important than strict adherence to a label.