A low-carbohydrate diet may improve kidney test results in individuals with diabetes, according to a new study from a group of Mount Sinai School of Medicine researchers. The team showed that laboratory mice that had developed diabetic nephropathy, or kidney failure, were able to reverse their condition after consuming a low-carb diet for a period of eight weeks.

The researchers said that while on a low-carb diet, which consists of replacing carbohydrates with protein and fats, the body begins to use fats for energy rather than glucose. This means that it does not metabolize glucose in any way. Persistently high levels of the sugar in the kidneys is the main cause of nephropathy.

While the researchers recognized that it may be difficult for individuals to stick to a low-carb diet long-term, their findings show that just eight weeks of regimen may be enough to return the organs to proper functioning. The fact that a relatively simple dietary intervention may solve one of the most dangerous complications of diabetes could be reason for hope, they said.