Research
Hormonal
VLCDs improve specific medical comorbidities (diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia) more rapidly than LCDs, with some metabolic benefits (e.g., glycemic control in Type II diabetes) persisting even after weight regain.
If you have Type II diabetes or high blood pressure, a VLCD can improve your health markers faster than a standard diet. Crucially, some of these benefits (like better blood sugar control) may last even if you regain some weight, likely due to improved insulin function.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Typically, a diabetic patient's glycemic control improves within 1 week of starting a VLCD... Wing et al found that 1 year after diabetic women underwent 8 weeks of a VLCD, fasting blood glucose and hemoglobin A1C levels were significantly improved compared with women who underwent 8 weeks of a balanced LCD, despite the fact that both groups regained similar amounts of weight.
Why this rating
Based on controlled studies cited in the review.
Source
Very Low-Calorie Diets
Richard L. Atkinson · JAMA · 1993
DOI 10.1001/jama.1993.03510080071034
narrative_reviewCited 274×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
Related findings · Hormonal
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