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Is it Safe to Fast With Type 2 Diabetes?

Type 2 diabetes is an insulin disorder where the body either can't produce insulin, or produces very little. The National Diabetes Education Program states type 2 diabetes makes up 90 to 95% of all diabetes cases in the U.S. In 2005, a study on fasting in diabetic patients was published in the journal Clinical Nutrition.

  1. Function

    • People who fast generally don't eat, or eat very little, for a period of days; fasting is sometimes used as a diet method.

    Time Frame

    • In the Clinical Nutrition study, 10 type 2 diabetics and 10 people with obesity were asked to consume only water and plain tea for 60 straight hours.

    Types

    • The people with type 2 diabetes continued taking insulin for the duration of the fast.

    Theories/Speculation

    • The study produced negative results; all participants had a harder time regulating insulin and glucose when fasting.

    Expert Insight

    • According to the American Diabetes Association, this study may or may not apply to the population at large; it's difficult to make definite recommendations because only 20 people were studied.

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