Virta’s Low‑Carb Review
Virta Health pooled 76 low‑carb studies covering 6,786 participants and highlighted benefits for insulin resistance and weight loss, especially when combined with calorie control. The roundup adds to the evidence base for therapeutic low‑carb interventions. (x.com)
The Virta roundup was posted on Virta’s site on January 31, 2018 and authored by Dr. Sarah Hallberg, then Virta’s medical director. (virtahealth.com) The blog notes that six of the listed trials lasted two years or more and it includes a downloadable spreadsheet that links each study to outcomes and primary endpoints. (virtahealth.com) Virta subsequently ran a 2‑year, non‑randomized clinical trial that enrolled 262 participants in its continuous care intervention and 87 participants receiving usual care. (doi.org) At 2 years the trial reported intent‑to‑treat improvements across HbA1c, fasting glucose, fasting insulin, weight, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, triglycerides and ALT, plus increased HDL‑C; use of glycemic medications (excluding metformin) fell from 55.7% to 26.8%, insulin use fell 62% and sulfonylurea use fell 100%. (doi.org) Virta has continued to publish and summarize longer‑term program outcomes on its research pages and released a peer‑reviewed study in 2024 reporting its personalized nutrition approach supported sustained weight loss after discontinuing GLP‑1 therapy. (virtahealth.com 1) (virtahealth.com 2)
