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Permalink Reply by acidrock23 on January 3, 2013 at 3:49pm

They affect your BG. 53% of protein is converted to carbohydrates so a can of tuna, say 2x 15G of protein servings, would be 15G of carbs. I think it might be a bit slower to work than carbs, particularly faster acting ones but I get better results when I add in a bit of extra carbs in my count to cover the protein. Particularly if it's a lot of it.

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Permalink Reply by Shahenda on January 4, 2013 at 12:17pm

Ok .. Thanks .. I guess i'll just keep the proteins loww as well !

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Permalink Reply by gene on January 4, 2013 at 9:52am

Glad you asked because I've gone back and forth on this topic a lot and I'm always wondering the same thing. I started trying to bolus for protein a while back since it's still something that breaks down into carbohydrates. Same with fats. The insulin always seems too sharp to play around with. Nowadays protein seems to be part of my IC ratio. I don't calculate for the 53% but I need to include some protein as it covers the tail.
I still wonder if I should do some math with each meal and sorta "dual-wave".
Thankfully there are many ways to cook a chicken.

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Permalink Reply by Brian (bsc) on January 4, 2013 at 11:03am

Since I only eat about 50g/day of carbs, much of my glucose load comes from protein. I bolus half the grams of protein as carbs. protein is digested over a longer period of time (3-5 hours), I might also delay my bolus until after the meal (or take an extended or dual wave bolus with a pump).

I also eat my fair share of chicken. It is hard to beat a $5 rotisserie chicken.

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Permalink Reply by Shahenda on January 4, 2013 at 12:19pm

Yeah ..I think I've noticed that my BG actually starts to rise after a huge protein meal after 4 or 5 hours and then i get confused .. so i might as well delay the shots instead of not taking at all .. Thanks :)

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Permalink Reply by Tim on January 4, 2013 at 12:32pm

Many talk about proteins as if they were "free foods", and they only count carbohydrates, but that has simplification has NEVER worked for me.

They kick in as a bg rise not immediately after the meal, but 3-4 hours after the meal.

Good old Regular insulin is a good match to a lot of low-carb high-protein meals. Humalog or other fast acting analogs can kick in way too fast.

I think that here or elsewhere, dosing for proteins is part of "TAG" = "Total Available Glucose".

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Permalink Reply by Terry on January 4, 2013 at 12:59pm

Shahenda - It looks like you're trying to limit carbs to help control your BG. I starting doing this since last May and have had great success with not only controlling my BG but also helping me to lose a fair amount of weight.

There's a group on TuD called TAGers United. There's a great deal of info on protein and fat conversion to glucose, especially in the absence of carbohydrates. Many of the posters in this group have related stories of being able to "flatline" BG using this method.

I recommend that you visit this group and use some of its suggestions to start your own experiment to figure out a way of insulin dosing that makes sense for you. Keeping a log will greatly aid your project.

As an example of dosing that works for me (your diabetes will vary), here's how I dose for two boiled eggs, two slices of bacon, and six grams CHO of tomatoes in the morning: 1.5 units immediately to cover the tomatoes and 2.8 units over 2.5 hours to cover the protein and fat in the eggs and bacon. The extended bolus only works with a pump and I know you're on shots. Perhaps a separate second shot of old fashioned Regular, like Tim mentions, could give you the same effect as the pump-extended bolus.

Like I said, you'll need to experiment and find out what works for you. I encourage you to keep up with this direction you're headed. This way of eating and dosing insulin has greatly improved the quality of my life. While I have not eliminated hypos, I've reduced them a great deal. I wish I would have discovered and acted on this tactic many years ago.

Good luck!

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Permalink Reply by Shahenda on January 4, 2013 at 6:47pm

Thanks for the example Terry .. but can u please give me the link to that group ??
Thank You soo much for the support ! :)

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Permalink Reply by Shahenda on January 4, 2013 at 6:52pm

ohh .. i just found the group .. never mind .. Thanks :D

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Permalink Reply by Christopher on January 4, 2013 at 2:12pm

Hi Shanenda:

Absolutely. Proteins will elevate your blood sugar like anything else, but just at a slower rate over a longer period of time. I use Regular insulin to cover my bacon and eggs breakfasts, for example, and it does an excellent job in keeping my BG almost flat.

Yes, when you cut out processed carbs your body turns to fats and proteins as its primary source of fuel. My appetite also grew substantially, but I also dropped down to my ideal weight within 3 months and my energy levels increased dramatically.

I can easily devour a whole chicken in a day and then some... Gotta love those grocery store rotisserie chickens. :-)

Christopher

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Permalink Reply by Shahenda on January 4, 2013 at 6:49pm

yeah .. so u really think if i turn to proteins and fats more than carbs i'd lose the extra weight ?! then i'm sticking to what i'm doing but i'll just try to adjust the bolus i guess .. well thanks for the support Christopher :)

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Permalink Reply by Christopher on January 6, 2013 at 11:27am

Yes indeed. If you transition your metabolism to a ketogenic state, only deriving your carbs from vegetables and a very limited amount of nuts (almonds, pistachios), you will see remarkable results in blood sugar control, weight loss, and energy levels.

There is a lot of good information out there that gives greater detail and supporting research and data. I would recommend Diet101 by Jenny Ruhl (a member of this forum), Wheat Belly by William Davis, and Dr. Bernstein's Diabetes Solution.

I dropped from 205 to 175 in around 3 months and have leveled off there, which is my ideal BMI of around 23 (I'm 6ft). This is the first holiday season where I did not feel bloated or where I gained weight. I've also shed my carbohydrate cravings in the process (this can happen pretty quickly, in fact. Even within the first couple of weeks).

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