Body Changes After a Low-Carb Diet

Low-carbohydrate diets have increasingly gained popularity in recent years as an alternative way to lose weight. Low-carb diet followers are usually on a strict diet plan that suggests weight loss is more attainable by reducing the majority of carbohydrates in your diet, while increasing the amount of daily protein intake. Although low-carb diets have become well-known for promoting weight loss, these diets do not come without risks associated with reducing carbohydrates from your daily diet. Body changes are evident not only in weight loss, but also in overall health.

Weight Loss

• According to Vanderbilt University, individuals following a low-carb diet lose more weight than patients following a low-fat diet. Low-carb diets generally decrease your overall intake of calories because of the strict limits on the types of foods allowed. Carbohydrates such as pasta, cookies, breads, cereals, milk, several fruits and all sweets are prohibited, in turn cutting many people’s daily caloric count in half. The Mayo Clinic suggests weight loss while following the low-carb diet also results from the loss of water weight and a suppressed appetite, and since fats and proteins generally take longer to digest, a longer feeling of fullness. However, a low-carb diet will not tone your body or increase your fitness level if not combined with an exercise regime.

Atherosclerosis

• According to the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, individuals following a low-carb diet are at a higher risk of developing atherosclerosis, a condition that build ups plaque in the arteries of the heart, which can lead to stroke and a heart attack. Laboratory studies performed at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center found that a low-carb diet not only significantly increased the risk of atherosclerosis but also led to the inability to form new blood vessels, which in turn could lead to heart problems.

Ketosis

• According to Vanderbilt University, individuals following low-carb diets run a high risk of developing ketosis, a metabolic disorder in which elevated levels of ketones, organic compounds, accumulate in your body's fluids and tissues. Ketosis is caused by a deficiency of carbohydrates in the body, leaving people feeling fatigued and sluggish with diminished energy levels. Ketosis may also lead to a decrease in physical activity that can result in loss of muscle tone and stamina. Fortunately ketosis is not a long-term condition, and energy is restored once your body is replenished with carbohydrates. On the other hand, the weight you lose on the low-carb diet will usually be gained back in full when carbohydrates are incorporated back into your daily diet.