Acarbose is a medication used to lower postprandial (post mean) glucose by slowing down the digestion of carbohydrates in the small intestine, which helps to lower blood sugar levels after meals.
It is not effective at slowing the digestion of simple sugars, which are already in a form that can be absorbed by the body without being broken down further.
Therefore, taking acarbose with a meal that contains simple sugars but no carbohydrates would not be very effective in controlling blood sugar levels. It is best to take acarbose with meals containing carbohydrates as these are the types of foods that acarbose is designed to help regulate.
If you are on a keto diet, does it make sense to through in some carbs and take acarbose to get the benefits to microbiota?
This is a tricky question. We don’t advocate for a specific diet. Should an individual benefit from a ketogenic diet, we would refrain from recommending modifications to their macronutrient intake. Nevertheless, one may consider supplementing 10% of their carbohydrate intake with acarbose to potentially enhance the gut microbiota. A comprehensive assessment of the individual’s subjective well-being and metabolic profile would be necessary before and after initiating acarbose administration.