A six-month low-carbohydrate diet high in fat does not adversely affect endothelial function or markers of low-grade inflammation in patients with type 2 diabetes: an open-label randomized controlled trial

While a low-carbohydrate diet (LCD) reduces HbA1c in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D), the associated high intake of fat may adversely affect cardiovascular risk factors. Flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD) and nitroglycerine-induced vasodilation (NID) were assessed by ultrasound in the brachial artery together with plasma interleukin-6 (IL-6) and serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) in the participants at baseline (n = 70) and after six months. The FMD and NID were unaltered in both groups after six months, and there were no between-group differences in change of either FMD  or NID in response to the interventions. The circulating hsCRP and IL-6 levels decreased only in response to LCD.