Patients with diabetes definitely should consult with medical providers when considering fasting. They will need to adjust insulin and medications to prevent low blood sugar.

Hi @jakedduck1,

You’ve raised some very valid points. Conversations on Connect focus on sharing experiences to help inform and support members in the pursuit of understanding their own situation. And, it’s always a good idea to offer supportive data––something which I inadvertently overlooked in my post!

But first, please allow me to explain the intention behind sharing my personal experience with fasting.

As a Connect moderator, I often look for ways to encourage meaningful conversation, to continue to build a community of members that are learning and connecting alongside each other––and to be a clear and present community member myself.
To accomplish this, sometimes I share my own experiences. Rest assured that sharing my insights, should not mean that I’m “suggesting (IF) is safe.” I would be seriously remiss if I made such recommendations, more so as a moderator on Mayo Clinic Connect.

You are absolutely correct about checking with your doctor before starting anything new. Mayo Clinic always advises that people consult with their current care provider before making any changes to their existing medication or treatment plan. Here are a few recently published studies you might be interested in viewing:

– Therapeutic use of intermittent fasting for people with type 2 diabetes as an alternative to insulin https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6194375/
– Early Time-Restricted Feeding Improves Insulin Sensitivity, Blood Pressure, and Oxidative Stress Even without Weight Loss in Men with Prediabetes: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1550413118302535
– Intermittent Fasting and Prevention of Diabetic Retinopathy: Where Do We Go From Here? https://diabetes.diabetesjournals.org/content/67/9/1745
– The role of intermittent fasting and meal timing in weight management and metabolic health http://bit.ly/399G0n3

Ultimately, much remains to be learned about intermittent fasting (various forms); however, the findings to date have certainly paved the way for future research. Does this help answer your concerns, @jakedduck1 ?