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New Delhi: According to a study conducted by researchers at Harvard University, blood sugar levels in patients with type 2 diabetes respond more to perception of the amount of sugar consumed than to actual intake.
As a result, researchers suggest that psychological programs may be important for managing diabetes, alongside medication, diet, and exercise.
The study, led by Chanmo Park, Francesco Pangini and Ellen Langer, published September 24, states: “The results provide compelling evidence for the psychobiological model of chronic disease, suggesting that psychological intervention programs may be important for the management. diabetes, beyond current programs in which type 2 diabetes is managed only through diet, exercise and medication. “
How the study was conducted
The study was conducted on 30 participants over the course of a week – participants going to the lab twice at three-day intervals.
The participants were given one of two drinks to consume. The two were actually the same at 62 grams of sugar, but had labels indicating different levels of sugar – one said zero grams, while the other said 124 grams.
Participants’ starting blood sugar point was also recorded to ensure it was the same.
The results showed that the blood sugar profiles were more consistent with what participants actually believed from the sugar content label – the figure was low in participants when they consumed the drink with the label indicating zero sugar, and high for participants consuming the drink with the 124g Label.
“In other words, blood sugar values changed according to participants’ expectations (low or high sugar content), and not according to the amount of sugar they actually consumed,” the study concludes.
Also read: White rice linked to diabetes, especially in South Asia, according to 21-country 10-year study
Classic comprehension
The study indicates that while the biomedical model primarily assumes that blood sugar levels rise and fall over time after sugar consumption, these results show that “subjective perception rather than objective shifting from real time has been shown to determine changes in blood sugar in people. type 2 diabetics ”.
The study targets the most widely accepted factor for explaining blood sugar fluctuations and attempts to establish that psychology is involved in the effect on blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes.
He says the results show “the insufficiency” of conventional methods to explain the metabolic and physiological responses to food intake in diabetics suggested by the biomedical setting. It also calls for future new research on the management of diabetes and emphasizes the influences that psychological processes exert on chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and chronic obstructive biopulmonary disease.
“These results challenge the current assumption that the natural processes of biological and physiological metabolic homeostasis require sufficient insulin to allow glucose to return to normal values. This is in line with other studies that have found no evidence that the action of insulin determines the level of glucose at steady state, ”says the study.
Limits
However, the study admits to having certain limitations. It does not say whether these results are valid for long-term efficacy, and indicates that no data is available to compare the results to be generalized for the general population.
Experts ThePrint spoke to said that while the study was interesting, it cannot be considered conclusive.
“It’s a small study in a controlled environment. It is fascinating and interesting to see how it shows the glucose response based on perceptions, ”said Dr Ambrish Mithal, President and Head of Endocrinology at Max Healthcare, Delhi.
“Psychological factors play a role – for example, in patients with depression, blood sugar management becomes very difficult. But it’s also because people with depression often don’t follow directions properly. So while this study provides clues for further research linking biology and psychology in the management of blood glucose levels, it cannot be considered conclusive, ”Mithal added.
Also read: Covid-19 with diabetes is more deadly. Here’s why you need to control it during lockdown and how
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