Efficacy of Intermittent or Continuous Very Low-Energy Diets in Overweight and Obese Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses
Table 2
Side effects.
Study ID
VLED
Control
Carter 2016
Hypoglycemia (<4 mmol/l) only occurred in insulin-controlled participants (), with no difference between treatment groups
Carter 2018
Hypoglycemia () Hyperglycemia () Headache ()
Hypoglycemia () Hyperglycemia ()
Paisey 1995
Severe hypoglycemic attack ()
Myocardial infarction ()
Paisey 1998
Nonfatal myocardial infarction () Severe hypoglycemic attack ()
Nonfatal myocardial infarction ()
Paisey 2002
Nonfatal myocardial infarction () Telogen effluvium (, which recovered within 2 years of stopping VLEDs in five)
Coldness, constipation, dry skin, diarrhea, dizziness, vomiting, or weakness—commonly reported side effects of VLEDs. There were no significant differences over time in any of these symptoms and no significant difference between subjects in the LED and VLED groups. However, uric acid increased significantly in the VLED group
Wing 1994
Common side effects included cold intolerance, constipation, and hair loss, which all resolved when the VLED was terminated
Unclear
Andorson 1994
Frequently reported side effects during the weight loss phase included constipation (56% of subjects), diarrhea (31%), dizziness (31%), fatigue (31%), flu/sore throat (13%), headache (10%), vomiting (10%), blurred vision (10%), muscle cramps (8%), and syncope (5%). None of these side effects required treatment alteration.
Li 2017
No serious adverse effects: slight headache (); slight dizziness ()
