Raised blood glucose

[StewJ]

Hi, just want to share this. I’m diabetic (type mody)
Been on huel a few months now. To begin with black edition, latest I’ve had 1 bag black and 1 white v3.0.
1 week ago I got a libre monitor to try so been checking sugars more regular.
Taking v3.0 vastly raises blood glucose after breakfast or dinner, I’ve shared some screenshot taken 5 mins after huel to show, smaller rise on black so I’m going back to 2 bags black edition.
Any other diabetics noticed a spike as when I first ordered huel I looked online and all seemed good for diabetics but this obviously isn’t the case.
Would only allow me to post one photo but you can see the spike

[Taliesin]

Hi Stew,

I have type 2… At present I’m not testing because things are stable, but being a little OCD I have the xlr files from the last time I was testing regularly. That testing was basically to confirm that the way I had things going was working (early on in the first lockdown I discovered that I had gone seriously off the rails with my Hba1c in the seventies). I live alone, so don’t have to worry about anyone else’s meals and I have limited mobility so my day’s calories are accordingly reduced.

I take a gram of metformin twice a day, and two gliclazides at eleven and eleven. I have 500 calories’ worth of Black Huel at eleven. Testing just before eating the Huel, I’d be seeing a result of 7 to 8 (that’s a couple of hours after metformin). By three thirty or so my blood glucose would be down to 4 or 5. I don’t know how much it spiked after brunch (a spike is going to happen, and I don’t care to frighten myself with the temporary number!), but it goes down to an acceptable level. Another 500 calories’ worth of Huel and on Coronation St nights maybe a pack of samosas as a treat, and a supper of cheese and nuts (with another two glics and the other metformin).

I’m expecting to have my meds reduced at my next review as my Hba1c is regularly around 28 (the HIV clinic have been monitoring my Hba1c, so I get two or three tests a year instead of the standard once).

The tl/dr is that I wouldn’t worry about a spike like that: it’s going to go up after food. Leave it at least a couple of hours before testing again…

[StewJ]

Hi Taliesin,

Thanks for sharing that, I’m also on 2 Metformin and 2 gliclazide on morning with breakfast and same on evening with tea.
My recent hba1c was 63, 3 month prior I started huel and back at the gym (4/5 per week)
My previous (about 6 month earlier) was 64, so huel and gym hasn’t helped get it down.
But has checking with libre, at the gym my sugars spike due to release of testosterone then settles about 30-60 mins after.

I’ve been having 1 or 2 huel per day (depends, work days I have 2, when off mainly 1) and meals accordingly, so 1 meal at tea if have 2 and 2 meals when have 1 huel. With a grenade bar in between and a bit fruit or plain porridge most days or a bag of crisps on evening.

From today I’m not taking anymore v3.0 and sticking with black edition only and will monitor it see how goes.

[Taliesin]

I’ve no experience with libre monitors - not sure I’d want access to a running commentary on my glucose levels But it’s all a question of what works for you…

I switched to Black as soon as it was available (and I’d got through a stockpile of White) - much better on the carbs. You might do better with Huel instead of the porridge, and, I hate to say it, I’d lose the crisps Hope you see a lower a1c at your next review!

[JamesCollier]

Hi both

Thanks for sharing this information. Although we have done work looking at both the glycaemic index (GI) of Huel products and the post-prandial glucose effects following consumption and found the results to be favourable, your experience demonstrates the complexities of diabetes. As you’ll know, numerous factors can affect both short- and long-term impacts on blood glucose. For example, cortisol can have a profound effect that’s often not considered which might help to explain some of the inter-individual differences in response to foods.

It’s really useful to read this, so thanks for sharing.