The Sinister Side Effects of Popular Diets: Keto & Low Carb
Low Carbohydrate & Ketogenic Diets
Working as a Registered Dietitian over the last decade, I’ve seen many fad diets come and go. Atkins. Weight Watchers. You name it, I’ve seen it and in my days of disordered eating, I probably tried it. I was like a walking science experiment, with the nutrition knowledge to know why I shouldn’t be following said diet, but with the disordered eating brain running the show, logic went out the window. One diet that has been around in some form or another has been particularly concerning for me: low carbohydrate and ketogenic diets. They are just the new Atkins, wrapped up in a shiny bow. But updated marketing doesn’t change the science behind it all.
Carbohydrates provide a major source of energy to the brain and body. They are required for the production of the neurotransmitter serotonin, which is needed for mood stability and promotes healthy sleep. Serotonin is also linked to feelings of well-being. Without an adequate source of carbohydrates, many individuals may notice a drop in their energy levels and difficulty concentrating.
In my current job, I work with a lot of individuals struggling with anxiety, depression, and other mental health diagnoses. Many of them are on medications called Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs). These medications promote more “feel good” serotonin to hang around in the brain, instead of being reabsorbed by the nerve cells. But, if someone is not eating enough throughout the day, in particular carbohydrates, the medication cannot do its job effectively. There isn’t enough serotonin in the brain to begin with, so how will the medication keep it from being reabsorbed? Anytime I meet with a patient who is struggling with their mood or are on an SSRI, and they tell me they're trying to eat keto or low carbohydrate, I immediately stress how that is the worst thing for mental, and in turn physical, health.
On top of impacting mood and energy levels, low carbohydrate diets can trigger hormonal changes in the body. Going on extreme diets, cutting out entire food groups, puts an unnecessary amount of stress on the body. When the body is stressed, it tends to shut down what it deems the “non-vital” functions of the body. It goes into survival mode, in turn impacting things like the endocrine system. This cascades into issues such as irregular or stopped menstrual cycle, hypoglycemia, mood swings, chronic fatigue, suppressed immune function (which is SUPER important right now because… PANDEMIC), and thyroid disturbances.
I can tell you from personal experience, having your thyroid take a shit on you is NOT fun. Before I was diagnosed, I was beyond emotional. Severe depression. Mood swings. Weight fluctuations. Fatigue. My hair was falling out. I’m not saying my disordered eating and dieting triggered it, but it definitely did not help the situation.
Another side effect of low carbohydrate diets, and honestly most strict diets in general, is binge eating. Despite living in a modern world, we are still wired like cave-people. When we severely restrict carbohydrates, our body releases a chemical called neuropeptide Y. This tells the body to EAT ALL THE CARBS. It is trying to protect us, prevent those nasty side effects I mentioned above. If a wooly mammoth were chasing you, you wouldn’t want to get a dizzy spell and faint mid-run! Your body is looking out for your best interests, despite your efforts otherwise. So this triggers individuals to binge eat on the food they’re restricting, in this case carbohydrates.
Binge eating often feels like a personal failure, a lack of discipline or willpower. After a binge, I would feel so much guilt and shame. Why couldn’t I hold my shit together? Why did I lose all my resolve at the sight of whatever food I was restricting at the moment? It’s because my body was trying to PROTECT me. My body was crying out for energy, nutrients, nourishment.
Why would someone intentionally eat in a way that could potentially trigger permanent health conditions? Binge eating? Anxiety? To lose weight in the name of “health”? To me, that is the COMPLETE opposite of health.
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