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Low carb diet may land you in depression
Reported November 11, 2009
A very low carbohydrate diet, seen as a sure shot way to shed weight, may
not be good for your mental health, warn researchers.
An Australian study published in prestigious medical journal, Archives of
Internal Medicine, a journal of America Medical Association, shows that
compared to low fat diets the very low carbohydrate diets can cause
depression, anxiety and mood swings in the patients. The study says that
very low carbohydrate diet takes away all the joys of weight loss.
The researchers from University of South Australia and Flinders and
University Adelaide, Australia, studied about 106 overweight and obese
individuals who were either given a low carbohydrate or a low fat diet for
about a year. The people were allowed to consume only 1433-1672 kcal. The
researchers observed the changes in body weight, psychological mood and well
being.
It was observed that both diets achieved a similar reduction in body weight
of approximately 14 kg. Compared with the low carb diet, the low fat diet
had greater improvements in psychological mood state. Both diets had similar
effects on cognitive functioning (working memory and speed of processing
information).
"These findings suggest that although dietary macronutrient composition may
have little influence on long-term weight loss, some aspects of the low carb
diet may have detrimental effects on mood that may negate any positive mood
effects following weight loss," the researchers wrote.
Renowned clinical nutritionist and Director of health food chain in Delhi,
Whole Foods, Ishi Kosla says carbohydrates are important for brain and
taking them out of food completely can cause depression.
"Lot of neurotransmitters are carbohydrate dependant and taking carbs out of
food can not only cause depression but also manifest in things like lack of
stamina. Brain requires a minimum of 100 gm of carbs daily and some crash
diets like atkins and others reduce carbs to less than 30 to 40 grams per
day which has bad impact on the brain," she said.
Even the psychiatrists agree. "We see a lot of such cases were eliminating
or giving less carbs than what the body requires is causing severe reaction
in people and the reactions manifest more in the physical functions like in
chronic fatigue syndrome, mixed anxiety, restlessness, palpitations and
panic attacks," said Dr Jitendra Nagpal, Delhi based clinical Psychiatrist.
"Carbs are fuel of the body and eliminating them can effect the emotion
regulating centers of the brain. It is wrong on part of dieticians or weight
loss management experts to even suggest taking carbohydrates out of the
diet," he added.
There however are some for whom the study warrants more study. A number of
factors have to be considered.
In context of diabetes management low carbohydrates have been seen to have
positive impact on disease management but the new study needs to be further
evaluated as if the patients gets depressed not only will it affect diet
control but taking medicines as well," said Dr Anoop Misra, HoD, department
of diabetes and metabolism at Fortis Hospitals Noida and Delhi. |
