The Look Ahead Trial $220 million down the drain.

The most damning piece of information regarding diet for type two diabetics, I have ever read in over eight years of studying type two diabetes, was the complete failure of the Look Ahead Trial to improve CVD outcomes for type two diabetics. By  using a modest reduction in weight and calorie reduction, the trial participants were on a 55% carb diet, the trial was doomed to fail from day one! I am wading through a mass of information, but one thing stands out a mile, the pitiful reduction in HbA1c (see chart below). The participants had a top HbA1c of eleven at the start of the trial, higher numbers excluded from taking part. After 11 years of a 13 year trial it was deemed ‘futile’ to continue. No benefits in outcomes regarding CVD among the participants was found. Average HbA1c reduction 0.5% and the boffins expected an improvement in CVD, what planet are these people on!

With the correct diet it would be normal to see massive reductions in HbA1c and vastly improved blood glucose control. Huge reductions in obesity, far better lipid counts and huge reductions in medication used. This has been proved countless times by low carbing diabetics, and they didn’t need 11 years and $220 million to find out a way to improve CVD. The good news we see on blogs and forums all over the world, counts for nothing with outfits like the BDA, NHS, DUK and the ADA, they call the good news reported ‘anecdotal’ they much prefer to accept the information received from big pharma and junk food companies. The fact that many of these outfits have been fined $billions for lying, bribery and corruption and falsifying drug trial evidence matters not a jot. Why, because the people we should be able to trust have sold out, and put money before peoples health and well being. We need far more people like Bernstein, Wortman, Taubes, Kendrick, Noakes, Eenfeldt, Harcombe, Spritzler et al. They have the courage to stick their heads above the parapet, and refuse to be lackeys and yes men and women to stupidity and greed.

Some HbA1c facts

For every percentage point drop in A1C blood test results (from 8.0 percent to 7.0 percent, for example), the risk of diabetic eye, nerve, and kidney disease is reduced by 40 percent. Lowering blood sugar reduces these microvascular complications in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Intensive blood sugar control in people with type 1 diabetes (average A1C of 7.4%) reduces the risk of any CVD event by 42 percent and the risk of heart attack, stroke, or death from CVD by 57 percent. 

Source: DCCT/EDIC, reported in December 22, 2005, issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

So folks, please spare a thought for the Medics, evidently they are 'perplexed' as to the best way to treat hyperglycaemia in type two diabetics. The truth is they are perplexed how to treat most conditions in type two diabetics. The $200 million plus Look Ahead Trial proved one thing without a shadow of a doubt. A reduced calorie diet with modest exercise done nothing for type two diabetic outcomes regarding CVD. It also proved the diet of death pushed by the BDA NHS, DUK and ADA i.e. 55% carbs does no diabetic any favours. The other question I’m asking myself is what meds were involved? Actos, Avandia etc. etc. One thing is for sure, type two diabetics on a 55% carb diet must have made med taking a full time job.

Well those good guys at the ADA wanted to ease the burden on these 'perplexed' Medics.

"As a consequence, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) convened a joint task force to examine the evidence and develop recommendations for antihyperglycemic therapy in non pregnant adults with type 2 diabetes"

The Task Force, anyone smelling a rat?

R.M. Bergenstal: membership of scientific advisory boards and consultation for or clinical research support with Abbott Diabetes Care, Amylin, Bayer, Becton Dickinson, Boehringer Ingelheim, Calibra, DexCom, Eli Lilly, Halozyme, Helmsley Trust, Hygieia, Johnson & Johnson, Medtronic, NIH, Novo Nordisk, Roche, Sanofi, and Takeda (all under contracts with his employer). Inherited stock in Merck (held by family)

J.B. Buse: research and consulting with Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; AstraZeneca; Biodel Inc.; Boehringer Ingelheim; Bristol-Myers Squibb Company; Diartis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Eli Lilly and Company; F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd; Halozyme Therapeutics; Johnson & Johnson; Medtronic MiniMed; Merck & Co., Inc.; Novo Nordisk; Pfizer Inc.; Sanofi; and TransPharma Medical Ltd (all under contracts with his employer)

M. Diamant: member of advisory boards of Abbott Diabetes Care, Eli Lilly, Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD), Novo Nordisk, Poxel Pharma. Consultancy for: Astra-BMS, Sanofi. Speaker engagements: Eli Lilly, MSD, Novo Nordisk. Through Dr. Diamant, the VU University receives research grants from Amylin/Eli Lilly, MSE, Novo Nordisk, Sanofi (all under contracts with the Institutional Research Foundation)

E. Ferrannini: membership on scientific advisory boards or speaking engagements for: Merck Sharp & Dohme, Boehringer Ingelheim, GlaxoSmithKline, BMS/AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly & Co., Novartis, Sanofi. Research grant support from: Eli Lilly & Co. and Boehringer Ingelheim

S.E. Inzucchi: advisor/consultant to: Merck, Takeda, Boehringer Ingelheim. Research funding or supplies to Yale University: Eli Lilly, Takeda. Participation in medical educational projects, for which unrestricted funding from Amylin, Eli Lilly, Boehringer Ingelheim, Merck, Novo Nordisk, and Takeda was received by Yale University

D.R. Matthews: has received advisory board consulting fees or honoraria from Novo Nordisk, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis, Eli Lilly, Johnson & Johnson, and Servier. He has research support from Johnson & Johnson and Merck Sharp & Dohme. He has lectured for Novo Nordisk, Servier, and Novartis

M. Nauck: has received research grants (to his institution) from AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly & Co., Merck Sharp & Dohme, Novartis Pharma, GlaxoSmithKline, Novo Nordisk, Roche, and Tolerx. He has received consulting and travel fees or honoraria for speaking from AstraZeneca, Berlin-Chemie, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Diartis, Eli Lilly & Co., F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Intarcia Therapeutics, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Novo Nordisk, Sanofi-Aventis Pharma, and Versartis

A.L. Peters: has received lecturing fees and/or fees for ad hoc consulting from Amylin, Lilly, Novo Nordisk, Sanofi, Takeda, Boehringer Ingelheim

A. Tsapas: has received travel grant, educational grant, research grant and lecture fees from Merck Serono, Novo Nordisk, and Novartis, respectively.

Eddie