A low-carb diet works effectively in tackling type-1 and type-2 diabetes, a new research by the University of Alabama at Birmingham suggests.

Researchers gave 12 points of evidence showing that diabetics should first switch to low-carbohydrate diets to treat type-2 diabetes. This diet should be followed along with insulin in those with type-1 diabetes.

According to Barbara Gower, Ph.D., professor and vice chair for research in the UAB Department of Nutrition Sciences, diabetes is a disease of carbohydrate intolerance and reducing carbohydrates is the obvious treatment.

She explained that it was the standard approach before the discovery of insulin and was, in fact, practiced with positive results. "The resistance of government and private health agencies is very hard to understand," she said in a press release.

The researchers noted that dietary carbohydrate restrictions had a deep influence on reducing blood glucose levels.

For most people with type-2 diabetes, low-carbohydrate diets proved to be a game changer as they did not require taking drugs and did not have symptoms. Moreover, their blood glucose was normal and they generally lost weight.

The researchers suggest that diabetics undergoing treatment for type-2 diabetes or those who are on standard insulin should change to a low-carbohydrate diet only after consulting a physician because the diet might have a similar sugar-lowering effect. It is critical that drug doses be tapered off in order to avoid dangerous low blood sugar.

The study was published in the journal Nutrition.