How does what we had in our glucose levels influence?

The Night regulation of glucose levels It is a determining factor in fasting glucose of the next day, an indicator that shows the Amount of blood sugar at the time you should present the minimum levels. This data is particularly important in people suffering from dysgucemia, that is, they have alterations in glucose levels. Despite the importance of this indicator, not too much investigated about it. Now, A studyin which the Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) has participated, has demonstrated the importance of the last meal of the day in the regulation of glucose level of the next morningespecially in people with prediabetes, and that can be decisive to prevent this chronic disease.

According to World Diabetes Atlas, this disease has a High prevalence in Spainwhich is the fifth European country with the greatest affectation: it suffers the 14 % of the population, with more than 5 million people affectedand represents a cost of more than 14 million euros per year for the health system.

The study Biological vs. Chronological Overnight Fasting: Influence of Last Evening Meal On Morning Glucose in Dysglycemiapublished in Open in the magazine Nutrientshas analyzed the role of fasting glucose levels after the last meal of the day and has demonstrated The influence of carbohydrate consumption, as well as the sensitivity of the individual to insulin. This discovery can have implications in the recommendations of eating habits In individuals in prediabetes, to avoid developing the disease in the future.

“It could be recommended that the distribution of carbohydrates and calories In the last intake of the day, it is optimized according to the patient’s insulin sensitivity. AND that the blood glucose level is monitor after nighttime food (postprandial glycemic response) To adjust dietary or pharmacological treatment. This would allow manage blood glucose levels more customized and dynamic“He explains Diana Díaz-RizzoloProfessor of the Health Sciences of the UOC and researcher at the Nutrition, Food, Health and Sustainability Research Group (Nutraliss), attached to the Digital Health, Health and Welfare Research Unit. Rizzolo is also postdoctoral researcher at Columbia University, who has participated in the study.

The time of food and chronotype also imports

In addition to the UOC, research institutions in the United States and have taken part in the study and have taken part 33 individuals, men and women, between 50 and 75 yearsoverweight or obesity and prediabetes, that is, that had higher blood glucose levels than desirablewithout becoming diabetic. After consuming a diet that was delivered controlled at schedules and composition during the day, the next day the glucose levels were measured after 10 hours on an empty stomach during the night. Patients carried a continuous glucose monitor to constantly control blood sugar levels.

The results of the research show that dietary recommendations do not have to limit the amount of carbohydrates that patients can ingest, as is usually done, and that The time of the last intake and the nutritional content of the food are also key to helping to control the night levels of glucose. Likewise, researchers have made clear how The sensitivity of the individual to insulin It influences glucose regulation. The later it eats, the more difficulties in regulating glucose, such as They had already demonstrated The same researchers previously

Díaz-Rizzolo believes that the chronotype, that is, if we are morning or nocturnal people, it can also have an important role: “The internal biological clock can play a key role in the night metabolism of glucose and at the levels of fasting glucose. This information could be fundamental to further customize the recommendations, not only according to insulin sensitivity, but also according to the circadian profile of each individual (morning people versus evening). Understand how chronotype and glycemic response interact could improve accuracy in diabetes prevention and management strategies“The researcher explains.

For Diana Díaz-Rizzolo, the Dietary recommendations For patients with prediabetes or insulin resistance they should be based on:

• Control the composition and glycemic load of the last intake of the dayavoiding an excessive amount of carbohydrates.
• Adjust the amount of carbohydrates according to insulin sensitivity of the individual, since patients with less sensitivity may present a worse glycemic response.

Consider the moment of intake to Avoid night glycemic spikes that can interfere with the metabolism and fasting glucose.

The new technologies: a point and apart in the management of diabetes

Continuous glucose monitors, Mobile applications to control diet and artificial intelligence platforms are changing the diabetes management paradigm among patients, because they allow a more detailed and real time control of glucose. “These tools, says Díaz-Rizzolo, can greatly improve the quality of life and the metabolic control of the sick. On the one hand, They help to detect glycemic mismatches early and allow modifying the diet, medication and physical activity according to objective data. On the other hand, they are a tool through which patients can actively and informed in their treatment. “

Precisely, Díaz-Rizzolo and the rest of the researchers from the previous study have recently presented a New methodology based on Artificial intelligence algorithms to measure the BOF (Biological Overnight Fast)that is, the Real time that passes on an empty stomachmore automatically and reliable. This innovative method, presented at the Congress of the North American Diabetes Association in Chicago, allows us to see how Night fast impacts glycemia levels in patients with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.

“The use of continuous glucose monitors, along with these algorithms, can help the person to know how the time or type of food at night determines their glucose levelsas well as the BOF, which could be a metabolic health marker, “explains the UOC researcher and Columbia University. With these tools, in addition, they can identify metabolic subtypes and postprandial response patterns that cannot be determined with conventional methods, which will allow customize treatment from better understanding patient metabolism.

“The world of artificial intelligence in medicine opens doors that we could not even imagine. In metabolic diseases, we can facilitate the early prediction of the risk of development of diabetes and complications. It can also be useful for jointly analyze genetic and epigenetic, metabolomic risk factors and composition of the intestinal microbiotawhich will help us even more to customize treatments, “explains the researcher.