Reduce cravings, fatigue, migraines, even inflammation… Measure and reduce your blood sugar spikes would cause miracles, according to the followers of the “glucose revolution”. At the head of this theory: Jessie Inchauspé, aka “The Goddess of Glucose”. If the author is not a doctor but a biologist, a doctor is releasing a book this Wednesday which seems to go in her direction.
In Sugar: public enemy number 1, Réginald Allouche wishes, to avoid a “diabetes epidemic which has already started”, that all French people, even those in good health, test themselves more or less regularly using blood sugar sensors. Too much? This is what we sought to find out.
The “glucose revolution”
Of course, we will not surprise anyone by saying that sugar consumed in excess has an impact on health. But followers of the “glucose revolution” do not just reduce their sugar intake, but follow a much more precise diet based on several rules. Never eat a sweet product alone but accompany it with fiber and protein. Always ingest them in the right order: first fiber, then proteins, then fats, starches and sugars (hello pleasure). Finally: eat savory breakfasts and snacks and choose a dessert at the end of the meal rather than a sweet snack. Followers of this “revolution” praise it in Instagram posts and TikTok and YouTube videos.
Not everything in Jessie Inchauspé’s speech can be ruled out, according to the doctors we interviewed. “When a product with a high glycemic index (GI) is ingested, such as pasta and white rice [eh oui, dedans il y a plein de glucides, ce qu’on appelle les sucres lents], the body reacts by producing insulin via the pancreas,” explains nutritionist Corinne Chicheportiche Ayache. Since insulin has the function of reducing blood sugar levels, “the higher a product has a GI, the more intense the insulin reaction will be, subsequently leading to sudden hypoglycemia. » For those who have a memory, this was part of our SVT classes in high school. And this would have an impact on the occurrence of the famous cravings. “When insulin decreases, we have defervescence and that gives us a craving,” confirms Laurent Chevallier, nutritionist, attached to the clinic and university hospital.
“The blood sugar peak is slowed when carbohydrates are mixed with lipids,” adds Jean-Pierre Riveline, diabetologist endocrinologist at Lariboisière hospital in Paris.
Blood glucose sensors in non-diabetics
Doctors are unanimous in saying that people with diabetes must be vigilant about these curves. But Réginald Allouche wants to go further. “I say, ‘Test yourself every five years, regardless of your age and health.’ » In his book, he recommends using a specific diet for fourteen days, during which the person will observe their peaks with a blood sugar sensor (a tool only reimbursed for type 1 diabetics and those with type 2 having insulin shots).
“There are 35-year-old men who are doing very well but who are too sedentary and who, when they eat a pizza for example, will rise very high in blood sugar levels,” assures the doctor. This means that the pancreas produces more and more insulin and gets tired, until one day it no longer makes enough insulin. » According to him, when these people see their curves, they will no longer behave in the same way “and we can therefore avoid diabetes”.
On paper, why not? But in reality, do we have any proof? According to diabetologist Jean-Pierre Riveline, sensors are tools “with fantastic educational virtues” for people with diabetes. And only for them. “No scientific study shows that it prevents the development of diabetes. To prove it, we would have to put a sensor on subjects at risk and not on others and see after five years if those who had one had less diabetes. » Laurent Chevallier is more cash: “These devices are of absolutely no use in healthy people. »
“No contract” with sensor manufacturers
“We are not going to create psychoses with this kind of thing,” continues Laurent Chevallier. Everyone experiences blood sugar spikes throughout the day, and the body “knows how to handle them.” If these peaks remain within the norms, “no scientific study shows that they have a clinical impact”, maintains Jean-Pierre Riveline.
But Réginald Allouche insists: “Even if we don’t have a problematic peak, we repeat the test with the sensors in five years and if we have significant variations, every three years. » When asked about his potential conflicts of interest with sensor manufacturers, he defends himself: “I have neither a contract nor received any money from these people. I don’t even know who they are. »
Biological assessments are sufficient
For people who do not show any warning signs of diabetes, the benefit of sensors therefore seems low or even zero. The intake of rapid sugar certainly increases the risk of diabetes, but mainly in patients with a predisposed condition, insists endocrinologist Jean-Pierre Riveline. Thus, a person who is not sick but has several risk factors such as family history, obesity, a sedentary lifestyle or a woman who already had diabetes during pregnancy are, according to the doctor, at very high risk of develop diabetes. “Limiting fast sugars reduces this risk. »
For these patients, there are already techniques for measuring their blood sugar levels. “Regular medical monitoring with biological assessments including fasting blood sugar, HbA1c [qui donne une idée de l’équilibre glycémique sur les trois derniers mois]but also the indexes reflecting insulin resistance [HOMA et Test QUICKI] is enough,” believes Corinne Chicheportiche Ayache.
The risk of eating disorders
The doctors interviewed also fear that regular use of these blood glucose sensors could lead to eating disorders. “I have patients who weigh themselves three to four times a day and who, with these sensors, could become obsessed with their blood sugar level,” says Arnaud Cocaul. This also risks creating potential hypochondriacs. »
According to Arnaud Cocaul, rather than staying with your eyes glued to your peaks, the interest is above all to understand why we eat too richly. “It can be emotional kilos, overly restrictive diets, depression or other external parameters which sometimes have nothing to do with the plate. » For him, you have to listen to your patient’s experience rather than adhering to constraints that are difficult to apply in real life.