by Prateek Chopra | June 11, 2026 | Diabetes Conferences | ADA 2026 | 0 comments
Study Design:
- This study evaluated diet-specific metabolomic signatures associated with ketogenic diets (KD) and low carbohydrate diets (LCD) and their eects on glycemic control and weight management in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).
- A total of 611 participants were enrolled, and 505 eligible individuals completed the 12-week intervention.
- All participants received metformin and were randomized to either a KD or LCD.
Methods:
- Clinical and serum metabolic parameters were assessed at baseline and after 12 weeks.
- BMI-stratified analyses were performed to evaluate responses across di erent weight categories.
- Untargeted high-throughput chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to characterize serum metabolomic profiles.
Effects on Glycemic Control and Body Weight:
- Obese participants receiving the KD achieved the greatest metabolic improvements:
- HbA1c decreased from 8.1±2.2% to 5.8±0.9%.
- Body weight decreased from 88.5±15.8 kg to 80.5±15.3 kg.
- Overweight participants experienced significant improvements in glycemic control and weight reduction with both KD and LCD.
- In participants with normal BMI, the LCD did not result in significant weight loss.
Metabolomic Findings:
- A total of 2,410 post-intervention metabolic markers were identified.
- In the LCD group:
- Body weight was negatively associated with Histidinyl Hydroxyproline.
- HbA1c was positively associated with 4-hydroxyphenylacetylglutamic acid.
In the KD group:
- HbA1c was positively associated with Glutamyl Isoleucine.
- HbA1c was negatively associated with Diethanolamine.
Clinical Implications:
- Dietary responses varied according to BMI category.
- Distinct metabolomic signatures were associated with improvements in glycemic control and body weight.
- Metabolomic profiling may help identify biomarkers of dietary response and support individualized nutritional interventions in T2DM.
The ketogenic diet produced the greatest improvements in glycemic control and weight reduction among obese individuals with T2DM, while both ketogenic and low-carbohydrate diets were beneficial in overweight patients. Distinct metabolomic signatures associated with each dietary approach may facilitate personalized nutrition strategies and improve metabolic outcomes in people with T2DM