The Dark Side of Low Carb Diets
Words by Katherine Castillo Eustaquio
Published in Total Fitness Magazine 2011 Issue
We all know that our body needs carbohydrates for energy. If you eat fewer carbs, your body will automatically burn the fat for energy, ergo, you keep burning fat until you trim your waistline. It sounds pretty damn promising indeed. So the game plan is pretty simple: go on a low-carb diet so your body will go after the fats instead. However, there is a downside to this cutting-edge diet plan: ketosis.
In one particular study on the effects of low-carbohydrate diet, the participants were allowed to consume no higher than 20 grams of carbohydrates a day. The amount is equivalent to a medium-sized orange. Yes, one orange for the whole day and for the long list of body functions that require carbohydrates. One of which is the production of glucose that the brain demands in order to work effectively. Since the body has a shortage on carbohydrates, lipolysis, a process wherein the body breaks down its own fat storage for energy, takes place.
If the body continuously converts fat from the liver and kidney into energy, it results in the formation of byproducts called ketones or ketone bodies—the water soluble compounds used as energy sources for the brain and heart. There are three kinds of ketone bodies: acetone, acetoacetic acid, and beta-hydroxybutyric acid. The production of ketone bodies is called ketogenesis and the body produces them in small amounts as necessary. However, when they are produced in excess amounts, the condition is called ketosis, which comes with a string of negative effects: bone diseases, kidney problems, acidity caused by the production of acetone, unclear thinking, and very low energy levels.
Here are some more hidden dangers in low-carb diets:
- Dehydration and muscle loss – These two are often misinterpreted as “weight loss” in most low-carb diets because your weight will really drop in the first two weeks. When your muscle glycogen level is low, it makes exercise very uncomfortable. So it leaves you to feel lethargic and causes your metabolism to slow down drastically.
- Higher risk of heart diseases and cancer – Since low-carb diets eliminate even the fiber-rich foods, vegetables, and fruits, you indirectly increase the risk of heart diseases and certain cancers, and not to mention recurring constipation and bowel disorders.
- Unhealthy lifestyle – Since low carb diets make exercising a pain in, well, not only in the ass but almost in every inch of your body, this lethargic state can lead to saggy skin and muscles that make you look unhealthy.
- Keto breath / Acetone breath – A condition where a person breathes out excess acetone in the body. Aside from having a slightly fruity smell, you will also get a mild metallic taste in your mouth.
Verdict:
As I have written before, carbohydrates, per se, do not make you fat. Rather it’s a number of carbs you eat that cause you to gain and lose weight, especially if they are not converted into energy through movement. Personally, I think all diets come with their respective downsides. If you are itching for quick results, go and try the low carb diet for a long as you have the discipline and determination not to snap in the throes of agonizing temptation. But is it really worth it?
If you think about it, you can lose the same amount of weight through healthy eating and active lifestyle. It may not be as quick but this road is far more rewarding in the long run. Fitness, I think, is really a state of mind and definitely not an overnight sensation.
