What 23 trials say about low carb and type 2 diabetes

In 2021, Goldenberg and colleagues published a systematic review and meta-analysis in The BMJ. They pooled 23 randomized trials covering 1,357 adults with type 2 diabetes who followed low- or very-low-carbohydrate diets.

At six months, people on low-carb diets were more likely to reach the study's blood-sugar definition of remission than people on control diets. They also saw improvements in weight and triglycerides.

By 12 months, most of those benefits had become smaller, and there was less long-term evidence. Some participants still used diabetes medication, so the results are not a claim of cure.

What it means on the road: cutting sugary drinks, buns and large starchy sides can be a reasonable short-term strategy—but what you can keep doing matters most.

If you take diabetes medication, especially insulin or sulfonylureas, talk with your clinician before cutting carbs. Low blood sugar behind the wheel is dangerous.