Low-Carbohydrate Diets Cause Long-Term Blood Sugar Problems

Written by Shoshana Pritzker Tuesday, 18 October 2011 15:26

Low-Carbohydrate Diets Cause Long-Term Blood Sugar Problems

Low-carbohydrate weight-loss diets increase the production of ketones formed from the incomplete breakdown of fats. Ketogenic diets cause rapid short-term weight loss but are no more effective than other low-calorie diets for long-term weight loss or weight maintenance.

A Purdue University study using rats showed that ketogenic diets have long-lasting negative effects on blood sugar regulation. Rats that were fed low-carbohydrate diets and then switched to a normal diet showed impaired insulin sensitivity and poor blood sugar control. Yo-yo dieting (bouncing between ketogenic and normal diets) may have long-term negative effects on blood sugar regulation. (Endocrinology, 151:3105-3114, 2010)