The Claim
Insulin resistance may have evolved as a metabolic adaptation to low-carbohydrate, high-protein diets during the Ice Ages, providing a survival and reproductive advantage in human populations reliant on hunting and animal-based foods by conserving glucose for critical functions such as brain metabolism, fetal development, and lactation, which could explain the high prevalence of genetically determined insulin resistance in modern populations with recent hunter-gatherer ancestry.
What the research says
Not yet evaluated
We are still looking at what the research says.
These are independent scores, not a percentage. Higher-grade studies count more, so a single strong opposing study can outweigh several weaker ones.
Back when humans were hunters during the Ice Age, their bodies might have adapted to use less insulin so their brains and babies could keep getting enough sugar — and that same trait might still be common in people whose ancestors lived that way.
See the scientific wording
Insulin resistance may have evolved as a metabolic adaptation to low-carbohydrate, high-protein diets during the Ice Ages, providing a survival and reproductive advantage in human populations that relied on hunting and animal-based foods, particularly by conserving glucose for the brain, fetus, and lactation. This adaptation could explain the high prevalence of genetically determined insulin resistance in modern populations with recent hunter-gatherer ancestry.
What the research says
1 studyStudy: The carnivore connection: dietary carbohydrate in the evolution of NIDDM
The study says that when ancient humans ate mostly meat during icy times, their bodies adapted by becoming insulin resistant to save sugar for the brain and babies — which is exactly what the claim says.
Score breakdown, mechanism chain, raw evidence, ideal studies needed & 1 supporting studies
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.