Resistant Potato Starch Experiment, Blood Sugar, Fasting Glucose Test

Don’t you just love anecdotal evidence, home experiments, and self-guinea pig tests?  I honestly do, and they truly do serve a purpose.  You can “Google” just about anything and get entirely different results.  This is especially true about health & medical related topics.  Maybe it’s the “conspiracy theory Geek” inside of me shining through, but there always seems to be a money trail somewhere.  Are eggs good?  Are they bad?  Depends, who you ask right?  What about Potato Starch?  Today, I am going to do a Resistant Potato Starch Experiment to put my blood sugar and fasted morning glucose readings to the test!

The Great Resistant Potato Starch Experiment

(Pure Anecdotal Evidence at It’s Finest!)

First and foremost, I should disclose to first time readers that I’m a newly diagnosed type 2 PRE-diabetic.  Your either a diabetic or not.  I have just crossed the line at some point in the past couple of years.  I went in to do my yearly blood work, and my numbers jumped pretty dramatically from prior tests.  I then, went in for a 2 hour glucose tolerance test to confirm.

So, since this diagnoses I have been seeking ways in which to cure myself of diabetes before it is advanced and I’ve damaged all of my Pancreatic beta cells.

Glucose Control Methods I have Tried

Over the past few months I have experimented with intermittent fasting, usually between 16-20 hours a da y, for about 5 days a week.  I have learned a lot about what foods spike my blood sugar, and which ones to avoid like the plague.  I have went low carb, and currently doing the Ketogenic Diet and keeping my carbs below 30.  I have even did a 72 hour fast (which did get my blood sugars down into the 80’s… until the fast was over).

Potato Resistant Starch?  Just Saying Those Words Just Don’t Seem Right

Up until yesterday, all of the knowledge that I have gathered is to eat as few carbs as possible.  What, shocked me yesterday is when I heard that Resistant Potato Starch can actually help you to lower insulin resistance, reduce blood sugar, and even lower my fasted morning glucose (which I have had difficulty managing).  The “Dawn Phenomenon” has really gotten me puzzled.  Through fasting I could get my morning glucose within the normal range, but as soon as I went back to normal keto without fasting for at least 18 hours my morning blood sugars would creep back up to 100-110.

Not to mention, a “cheat day” would make them fly high once again.. So, I was able to manage my diabetes, but still haven’t made much progress in lowering my insulin resistance.  At this point, I have began to believe that my life would revolve around eggs, avocados and meat.. This isn’t a terrible thing, it just takes time to adjust to it all.  I still feel fortunate that I’m managing my diabetes.. How many people are running around the world, totally clueless about their condition, while high blood sugars wreak havoc on their kidneys, liver, pancreas, eyesight, etc…

The Revelation Moment

So, yesterday I was listening to the latest Dr. Ken Berry YouTube video about how Resistant Starch is basically a scam and that diabetics should beware.  I even made a post about it here.  Everything I have learned through self experimentation with my glucose meter, and everything I have read is that anything potato related is entirely off limits for diabetics.  I watched his video, and I agreed with everything that he said.

After watching Dr. Berry’s video, I kept thinking about resistant starch, and the curiosity got the best of me.. I will do anything, to better manage my diabetes in my goal to eventually reverse this condition..  I looked at a few studies, but most of them were very small trials with only a dozen or so people.  The hard evidence didn’t exactly blow me away.  However, this doesn’t mean that this potato starch couldn’t benefit me in some way.  I don’t want to leave any stone left unturned, so here I am getting ready to do the “Resistant Starch Potato Experiment.”

Is my blood sugar going to fly right through the roof?  Will it remain steady like the advocates of resistant starch so often claims?  Furthermore, I just had to know if it would help cure my fasted morning blood glucose levels.  I also had questions about whether I could eat a moderately high carb meal after taking resistant potato starch..

My goal is to answer all of these questions.  If my blood sugar flies high a few times, it’s not like it will be the first time.  My blood sugar readings have probably been sky high for the entire year before my diabetes diagnosis.  I remember many times out eating pizza, drinking beers, and yes ice cream… So, a few missteps during a beneficial experimentation would definitely be worth it..

Let the Potato Starch Experiment Begin

I have several questions about Potato Starch that I needed to be answered.. I’m sure there are more, but I’m starting off with these :

• In a fasted state, what will Potato Starch do to my blood sugar?
• After taking a dosage (starting out with 2 tablespoons) of Potato Starch, will my glucose be more stabilized if I eat a higher carb meal.
• Will Potato Starch lower my morning fasted glucose levels?

I’m sure this post will be updated many times, especially as new experiments arise in my head.  Can I eat cake after taking resistant potato starch?  LOL, no… I won’t be doing that experiment anytime soon.  Baby steps.  Let’s work on lowering insulin resistance first.

Will Potato Starch Effect My Blood Sugar in a Fasted State?

At the time I am writing this, it is 1130 AM..  I had last eaten at 8:00 PM last night.  My morning blood glucose reading was 110 (There’s that Dawn Phenomenon again).  It has been 15 hours since I have eaten last. Oh, and by the way my last meal was a chicken breast (fried in butter), with avocado, and a healthy side of Brussels sprouts.

Be Sure You Purchase UNMODIFIED Potato Starch

(Here is where I purchased mine. It’s cheaper than you will find in Walmart.. I’ve checked!)

 

 

So, here we go.  Let’s see what happens.

Starting Glucose level = 99

I have not ate dinner since 8:00 PM last night, and it’s  nearly noon.. So, it’s been almost 16 hours.  This is an average reading after intermittent fasting. My morning blood sugar was 110, which is higher than you want it to be…  A morning fasted blood sugar should be between 70-90 for a non diabetic..  My goal is to get back down into this range.

The 30 Minute Mark after Mixing Resistant Potato Starch in a Glass of Water

Ok, great! This is exactly what I was wanting to see! My blood sugar actually went down!

I should disclose that I’m using a “Relion” blood glucose meter for this test. They tend to be not the most reliable and will fluctuate a little.. Usually between 5-10 when I have did self testing, testing my blood sugar immediately after one another. I have an Accucheck, but I’m out of strips and they are much more costly.. As long as we can verify that my blood sugar doesn’t spike during this testing is what we are looking for. Pin point accuracy doesn’t change the outcome in my mind.

If I were to eat a potato… Even a few bites of a potato, my blood sugar would go sky high.. Seeing my readings steady like this is very encouraging.

So, what is the potato starch supposed to be doing right now?

The starch is “resistant” so it is making it’s way past my small intestine, without being absorbed and immediately turning into glucose (which is what a baked potato would do)..  It is working it’s way to my large intestine and then into my colon..

In the large intestine and colon is where my “good” bacteria will feed on the starch.  Doing my research, I have read that in the beginning days this can cause flatulence (my wife will be overjoyed!), and some digestive disturbances.   What’s actually is happening is that the good bacteria is doing a happy dance in my gut!  This will create short chain fatty acids, including butyrate..

Butyrate has many beneficial effects for your entire body..  This is thought to be what is so beneficial to glucose control.

Butyrate benefits include :

• Energy source for colon cells
• Has anti-cancer effects
• Increases mitochondrial activity
• Lowers blood sugar
• Prevents toxins from crossing the gut barrier
• Prevents activation of intestinal glucose production
• Improves insulin sensitivity (Yes, this is what type 2 diabetics want!)
• Increases energy expenditure by improving mitochondrial function, reducing obesity
• Increases intestinal barrier function with anti-inflammatory potential
• Can help you to lose weight
• Increases the synthesis of leptin (you won’t be as hungry!)

Ok, time has flown by… I haven’t gotten up from this chair.. So, in case you are wondering I have had zero exercise during this testing.. I have sat in front of this computer without doing anything that would affect my glucose in a positive or negative way.  No food, no movement, totally sedentary.. I will be sure to get some exercise in after this test is over!

 

Resistant Starch Test at 60 Minutes

 

Wow…  My blood sugar doesn’t drop like this..  Granted, I haven’t eaten since 8PM last night, but I have been intermittent fasting for a few months. It usually hovers around 100 until after 20 hours before it drops after all glucose has been used up.

My blood sugar usually peaks at the 60 minute mark, so I’m now convinced that unmodified resistant potato starch will not do anything to spike your blood sugar whatsoever.  Not only that, the benefits are for lower insulin resistance, and better glucose control when you do eat some carbohydrates.

Be sure to Like “Healthy Body Hacks” on Facebook.  There will be a lot more experimentation to come.

I will soon be doing more testing with resistant starch, like what will my blood sugar do after eating a semi high carb meal..  It will be interesting to see what a meal that would normally spike my blood sugar to 200 and take 3 hours to get back under 140 will do after taking resistant starch.

Resistant Potato Starch Test at 90 Minutes

 

 

So, there you have it.. My blood sugar after 90 minutes after drinking a potato starch and water drink mixture did not spike my blood sugar in any way.. In fact, it went down a few points.  Stay tuned, for my next experiment when I take resistant starch before a high carb meal.

Also, stick around because I will be posting about my fasted morning blood sugar, which is always much too high.  I will take a tablespoon of resistant starch before bed and hope for the best!

Furthermore, I have a bag of green banana flour, which I will test as well.

If you have any ideas on how I can further test resistant starch, please comment below!