{"id":1664,"date":"2010-12-12T12:05:43","date_gmt":"2010-12-12T20:05:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.functionalps.com\/blog\/?p=1664"},"modified":"2017-07-15T15:37:38","modified_gmt":"2017-07-15T22:37:38","slug":"low-carb-diet-death-to-metabolism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.functionalps.com\/blog\/2010\/12\/12\/low-carb-diet-death-to-metabolism\/","title":{"rendered":"Low Carb Diet – Death to Metabolism"},"content":{"rendered":"

Also see:
\nSucrose substitution in prevention and reversal of the fall in metabolic rate accompanying hypocaloric diets<\/a>
\nSugar and body weight regulation.<\/a>
\nrethink how you exercise: An interview with Rob Turner \u2013 Part 1<\/a>
\nrethink how you exercise: An interview with Rob Turner \u2013 Part 2<\/a>
\nLow carb + intensive training = fall in testosterone levels<\/a>
\nThe Dangers of Fat Metabolism and PUFA: Why You Don\u2019t Want to be a Fat Burner<\/a>
\nStress \u2014 A Shifting of Resources<\/a>
\nRay Peat, PhD on Low Blood Sugar & Stress Reaction<\/a>
\nBlood Sugar – Resistance to Allergy and Shock<\/a>
\nLow Blood Sugar Basics<\/a>
\nTemperature and Pulse Basics & Monthly Log<\/a>
\nRay Peat, PhD on Thyroid, Temperature, Pulse, and TSH<\/a>
\nBody Temperature, Metabolism, and Obesity
\n<\/a>Thyroid, Temperature, Pulse<\/a>
\nSugar (Sucrose) Restrains the Stress Response<\/a>
\nBelly Fat, Cortisol, and Stress<\/a>
\nPUFA Decrease Cellular Energy Production<\/a>
\nPUFA Promote Stress Response; Saturated Fats Suppress Stress Response<\/a>
\nSaturated and Monousaturated Fatty Acids Selectively Retained by Fat Cells<\/a>
\nFree Fatty Acids Suppress Cellular Respiration<\/a>
\nThe Randle Cycle<\/a>
\nLow-carbohydrate diets and all-cause mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies<\/a><\/p>\n

“…remember that prolonged dieting (Atkins, low-fat, low-calorie, or a combination) tends to shut down thyroid function. This is usually not a problem with the thyroid gland (therefore blood tests are likely to be normal) but with the liver, which fails to convert T4 into the more active thyroid principle, T3. The diagnosis is made on clinical ground with the presence of fatigue, sluggishness, dry skin, coarse or falling hair, an elevation in cholesterol, or a low body temperature. I ask my patients to take four temperature readings daily before the three meals and near bedtime. If the average of all these temperatures, taken for at least three days, is below 97.8 degrees F (36.5 C), that is usually low enough to point to this form of thyroid problem; lower readings than that are even more convincing. It may be appropriate for those of you who fit these criteria to be prescribed thyroid by your doctor, and if so, a natural form of the hormone, which contains T3, is far superior to the most popular form of prescription thyroid, synthetic T4.”<\/em> -Dr. Robert Atkins<\/p>\n

“Stress and starvation lead to a relative reliance on the fats stored in the tissues, and the mobilization of these as circulating free fatty acids contributes to a slowing of metabolism and a shift away from the use of glucose for energy. This is adaptive in the short term, since relatively little glucose is stored in the tissues (as glycogen), and the proteins making up the body would be rapidly consumed for energy, if it were not for the reduced energy demands resulting from the effects of the free fatty acids.”<\/em> -Ray Peat, PhD<\/p>\n

“I don’t have an eating plan, other than to be perceptive and to learn about your physiology, so that you can adjust things to your needs. Any craving is a good starting point, because we have several biological mechanisms for correcting specific nutritional deficiencies. When something is interfering with your ability to use sugar, you crave it because if you don’t eat it you will waste protein to make it<\/strong>.”<\/em> -Ray Peat, PhD<\/p>\n

===========================================<\/p>\n

“Low carb” is a nutritional buzz word and talks about avoiding sugar because “it’s the devil” are commonly echoed ad nauseam among both lay persons and health professionals. But does this approach having any sound backing to it when it comes to supporting health and metabolism?<\/p>\n

Carbohydrate’s function<\/strong>
\nStable and efficient cells have a constant supply of glucose, their preferred fuel source. We get glucose from dietary carbohydrate. Carbohydrates allows cells to produce carbon dioxide and ATP (adenosine triphosphate) via oxidative metabolism or cellular respiration. ATP<\/a> is a currency of energy that is spent in order to make chemical reactions occur. Without ample energy, optimal function and structure of cells cannot be maintained. If the diet isn’t supplying adequate glucose, the body will convert its own tissues to glucose (gluconeogenesis) to supply this vital fuel if stored sugar in the form of glycogen isn’t available.<\/p>\n

Why go low carb?<\/strong>
\nMost people’s motivation for low carbohydrate eating stems from the desire to lose stored fat. When dietary carbohydrate intake is restricted and blood sugar becomes low, the body becomes stressed and will turn to backup fuel sources to get cells energy using two primary processes. One such mechanism is called lipolysis<\/strong> in which the adrenal hormone adrenaline (and other lipolytic stress mediators) signals the liberation of fatty acids from stored fat to be used for energy. This means that you will indeed use stored fat for energy, resulting in fat loss.<\/p>\n

The other mechanism that works in conjunction with lipolysis is called gluconeogenesis<\/strong>. During this inefficient process<\/a>, another adrenal hormone, cortisol, attempts to raise blood sugar and flight inflammation by converting the body’s own tissues (thymus, liver, muscle, skin, etc) to make glucose to fuel cells. This conversion occurs in the liver. A seemingly good sign, a loss of scale weight, can occur as a result of the loss of protein containing tissue, like muscle.<\/p>\n

Long-term effects of a low carb lifestyle
\n<\/strong>Low carb dieting appears to be a good strategy to spur fat loss and lower scale weight in the short term. However, the plan’s short-term fat loss comes at the expense of suppressing the resting metabolism long term, destroying our own tissues, depleting glycogen, burdening the liver, and stressing every cell in the body. The effects of chronically high adrenaline and cortisol used to support both lipolysis and gluconeogenesis are widespread.<\/p>\n

When fatty acids are liberated during lipolysis, these fats tend to be rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) which promote the stress response<\/a> and suppress the action of the thyroid, the gland which regulates metabolism, at multiple sites. Exposure to PUFA leads to a metabolism that is not running on all cylinders. PUFA also drags water into cells creating a “puffy” appearance<\/a> that we commonly see among Americans both young and old.<\/p>\n

Gluconeogenesis, which breaks down the body’s protein containing tissues to create glucose in the liver, is spurned by the hormone cortisol. If the protein containing tissues used to faciliate this process are rich in the amino acids cysteine or tryptophan<\/a>, these amino acids suppress thyroid function<\/a>. <\/p>\n

The tryptophan is likely to be made into serotonin, especially in an alarm state. Serotonin lowers metabolic efficiency, liberates free fatty acids, increases cortisol & other stress mediators, promoting a continued alarm state, edema, & inflammation. The body appears to intentionally slow the metabolic rate during chronic stress so it doesn’t quickly run out of tissues to use as fuel in this emergency state.<\/p>\n

High cortisol also depresses immune function, decreases glucose oxidation, affects bone health, raises serotonin<\/a>, contributes to belly fat<\/a>, and thins the skin.<\/p>\n

Being fight or flight hormones, both cortisol and adrenaline send oxygen and nutrients to the extremities to prepare for an emergency situation. When chronically high due to low carbohydrate intake and low blood sugar, these hormones shut down digestive processes as the gut doesn’t receive the nutrients and oxygen it needs to digest, assimilate, and eliminate foods resulting in micro and macronutrient deficiencies and digestive troubles (constipation, bloating, gas, loose stool, etc). The resulting low thyroid function also severely hinders digestive function, leading to malabsorption of food and intestinal bacterial overgrowth<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Emergency hormones no longer
\n<\/strong>Adrenaline and cortisol have morphed from adaptive, use as needed hormones into ones that are being used around the clock to provide cells with energy. The greater a role that these emergency hormones play in our daily function, the quicker the body is breaking down, the faster we age, and the more thyroid suppression we have over time. <\/p>\n

When stress mediators like adrenaline and cortisol are low, the body’s ability to create protective, anti-aging hormones such as DHEA, T3, progesterone, and pregnenolone is improved. Detoxification, digestion, and the immune system are more likely to function optimally as well. The temptation to lose fat quickly by limiting carbohydrate intake is a slippery slope in the long run due to the tissue wasting, accelerated aging, and metabolism suppression that occurs with a low carb strategy.<\/p>\n

A different approach
\n<\/strong>The irony of the low carb approach is that the very thing such eaters are trying to avoid actually supports thyroid (metabolic) function and their long-term success. The right sugars (fruit juice, ripe fruits, milk sugars) lower adrenaline and cortisol, feed cells the glucose they need, are easy on the gut, spare our protein containing tissues, and support the production of the active thyroid hormone (T3).<\/p>\n

Cells need a constant supply of glucose so your nutrition program should have blood sugar regulation as priority numero uno. Blood sugar and macronutrient balance is the name of the game as is choosing foods that we are designed to digest and that support the thyroid. Carbohydrate (push blood sugar up) and protein (pulls blood sugar down) work synergistically to maintain blood sugar while fats help slow the entrance of protein and carbohdyrate into the bloodstream. This is why fat, protein, and carbohydrate consumption should be balanced within each meal to provide long lasting, stable energy (glucose) to cells. There also needs to be an emphasis on the right sources of protein, fat, and carbohydrate as all sources are not created equal.<\/p>\n

Some carbohydrates are very hard for us to digest (green vegetables) while others (grains, legumes, starchy veggies) will raise blood sugar so quickly that they will cause blood sugar regulation issues leading to the perpetuation of the affects of high cortisol and adrenaline. Undigested food matter from starches and green plants becomes food for bacteria in the intestines creating an environment not suitable for optimal intestinal health. <\/p>\n

Glycine<\/a>, an amino acid found in abundance in bone broth\/gelatin, inhibits lipolysis. Saturated fats are protective to our physiology whereby an abundance of PUFA in the diet produce inflammation, low thyroid, lipid peroxides and free radicals, and degeneration on a wide scale.<\/p>\n

A low carbohydrate diet is the enemy of those looking for long-term weight management success and optimal health. The reduction in scale weight and stress-induced fat loss is what pulls people into the methodology, but I encourage those currently using or considering using the method to consider the big picture. The blow back from the approach can take months or years to unwind, especially if combined with illogical exercise methodologies.<\/p>\n

FPS coaches a 12 week nutrition course based solely on the methodology of Ray Peat, PhD. Please click here<\/a> for more information.<\/p>\n

Resources<\/strong>
\nGelatin, stress, longevity by Ray Peat, PhD<\/p>\n

=================================<\/p>\n

Low Carb, Sucrose, and Metabolism:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Am J Med. 1986 Aug;81(2):280-4.
\nSucrose substitution in prevention and reversal of the fall in metabolic rate accompanying hypocaloric diets.<\/strong><\/a>
\nHendler RG, Walesky M, Sherwin RS.
\nHypocaloric diets cause a fall in resting metabolic rate that interferes with weight loss. To evaluate the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon, resting metabolic rate was measured sequentially in six healthy obese women on a weight maintenance diet (more than 2,300 kilocalories), after 15 days of an 800 kilocalories carbohydrate-free diet, and after isocaloric sucrose replacement for an additional 15 days. The carbohydrate-free diet produced a 21 percent decline in resting metabolic rate (p less than 0.005) as well as a decrease in circulating triiodothyronine (41 percent, p less than 0.02) and insulin (38 percent, p less than 0.005) concentrations. Plasma norepinephrine levels also tended to decline (10 percent, 0.05 greater than p less than 0.1). However, when sucrose was substituted, resting metabolic rate rose toward baseline values even though total caloric intake was unchanged and weight loss continued. The sucrose-induced rise in resting metabolic rate was accompanied by a rise in serum triiodothyronine values, but not plasma insulin or norepinephrine concentrations. Throughout, changes in resting metabolic rate correlated with changes in serum triiodothyronine levels (r = 0.701, p less than 0.01). In four obese women, a hypocaloric sucrose diet was given at the outset for 15 days. The fall in both resting metabolic rate and triiodothyronine concentration was markedly reduced as compared with values during the carbohydrate-free diet. It is concluded that carbohydrate restriction plays an important role in mediating the fall in resting metabolic rate during hypocaloric feeding. This effect may, at least in part, be related to changes in circulating triiodothyronine levels. Incorporation of carbohydrate in diet regimens may, therefore, minimize the thermic adaptation to weight loss.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Also see: Sucrose substitution in prevention and reversal of the fall in metabolic rate accompanying hypocaloric diets Sugar and body weight regulation. rethink how you exercise: An interview with Rob Turner \u2013 Part 1 rethink how you exercise: An interview with Rob Turner \u2013 Part 2 Low carb + intensive training = fall in testosterone […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[646,403,645,402,481,473,472,643,532,400,364,363,453,471,474,644,222],"class_list":["post-1664","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general","tag-atkins-diet","tag-carbohydrate","tag-dr-atkins","tag-fat","tag-flex-appeal","tag-fps","tag-functional-performance-systems","tag-glendora","tag-hypoglycemia","tag-low-carb","tag-polyunsaturated-fatty-acids","tag-pufa","tag-ray-peat","tag-rob-turner","tag-simi-valley","tag-south-beach-diet","tag-sugar"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.functionalps.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1664","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.functionalps.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.functionalps.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.functionalps.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.functionalps.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1664"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.functionalps.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1664\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11891,"href":"https:\/\/www.functionalps.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1664\/revisions\/11891"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.functionalps.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1664"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.functionalps.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1664"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.functionalps.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1664"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}