WHY DO LOW CARB DIETS WORK? THE MECHANISM EXPLAINED

Many high-quality studies have revealed that the Low-carb diet is proven scientifically that it works. And it is found that a low carb diet causes woman-eating-salmon-and-broccoliweight loss about 2-3 times more than a standard low-fat diet. Moreover, a low carb diet is an entirely safety diet profile without any side effects. This diet is even known to cause bettering effects in important risky health issues. Some of its effects are reducing the level of blood sugar and blood pressure, significant lowering of triglycerides and a significant rise of High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL).

We must know that a large portion of the fat that is lost, following a low carb diet is from the belly area and the liver. And this fat is in fact very threatening innate fat that conforms around the vital organs leading to different deadly diseases.

People having metabolic syndrome or type 2 diabetes must follow this low carb diet plan for amazing results.

The entire mechanism of the diet i.e. how actually the diet works on the molecular level in our bodies and cut off the weight is not fully known. There can be a number of factors responsible for making this diet effective. Here are some of the best convincing points that can be responsible for the working of this diet.

  • The Insulin levels are lowered with carb levels being restricted:

Insulin is one of the most crucial hormones in our bodies. It regulates the blood sugar level and is also responsible for the energy storage in our bodies. Basically, insulin guides the other cells in our bodies to store fats and prevents the lysis or disintegration of the same. It promotes piling up of the body fats. Thus, insulin is responsible for the production of fats i.e. lipogenesis and prevents burning of fats i.e., lipolysis.

And low carb diet profoundly lowers the insulin levels in bodies.

Many experts like the late Dr Atkins and Gary Taubes have mentioned that lower insulin levels are the prime reason for the working of the low-carb diets. The lowering of insulin makes sure that the fat isn’t stored anymore in the fat cells and instead is available for the body to gain energy which deliberately reduces the urge for eating.  But this hypothesis of low carb and insulin is valid.

The mechanism of insulin lowering and losing weight in the process:

The first 2 weeks it shows people reducing weight with this diet. The prime reason is the loss of water weight.  weight-scale

This works as below:

  • Insulin: As the diet ensures a reduction in insulin level, there occurs shedding of excess sodium by the kidneys from the body. This results in the lowering of blood pressure.
  • Glycogen: The carbs reside in the body in the form of glycogen that binds water in the muscles and liver. Thus, with low carb intake the glycogen levels down and hence water follows out.

Thus, a low carb diet ensures the reduction of the body water which party contributes to the loss of body weight. However, this isn’t entirely the main reason because low carb diet shows major fat loss from the abdominal areas.

So, the low carb diet reduces significant water losses that result in effective weight loss in the first weeks of the dieting process.

Higher Protein through Low Carb Diets:

Low carb diets bring higher protein intake than the average person that eats mainly carbohydrates on their diet. And studies have shown meatthat protein reduces appetite by boosting up the body metabolism thereby increasing the muscle mass. This turns your body quite active metabolically that in turn lets you burn the calories. Many experts believe that this inclusion of high protein during low carb diet results in its effectiveness.

Metabolic Advantage through Low Carb Diets:

Some studies support this idea that low carb diet readily raises the energy expenditure in the body and that this diet has a metabolic advantage. woman-standing-on-the-scale-frustrated1

Some believe that a very low carb diet increases the body’s energy expenditure as compared to a low-fat diet during the weight-maintaining period.

A study in 2012 showed an increase of around 250 calories that is equivalent to an hour of moderate-intensity exercise a day.

Some other believe that other mechanisms like on a very low carb diet i.e. Ketogenic diet, as the carb intake is very low, a major portion of protein is transformed into glucose, gluconeogenesis and this process leads to wasting of a huge number of calories. But this is mostly temporary. The ketones should start replacing a part of that glucose into brain fuel.

Food Reward is lesser in Low Carb Diets and is less varied:

This diet very effectively leaves out the fattening junk foods like sugary drinks, pizzas, French fries, pastries, woman-holding-chocolate-and-applesugar, fruit juices etcetera. And the diet, of course, doesn’t include the high-carb foods such as wheat, corn
etcetera, thus it cut-offs various food items. And this leads to a decrease in low-calorie intake as the variety of food decreases.

Therefore this diet ensures the omission of the highly rewarding food items making an effectively reduced level of calorie intake.

Low Carb Diets considerably lower your appetite and this results in an automatic reduction in calorie intake:

One of the most probable reasons for weight loss due to low carb dieting must be the loss of appetite. The diet significantly effects on appetite. When people take up a low carb diet, their appetite goes on decreasing and hence they start eating lesser calories. It is even found that low carb groups are allowed to eat until fullness and still it results in losing weight. hungry-woman

This reduction in appetite may have the following reasons:

  • Increase of protein intake
  • People following a ketogenic diet don’t usually feel hungry. They go for 1 or 2 meals per day
  • Low carb diet also shows evidence on having beneficial effects on appetite-regulating hormones like leptin and ghrelin

Take-Home Tips:

Most people do not understand the actual mechanism of the low carb diet. They cannot accept that in this diet they can eat as much as they want as that must defy the rules of calories in and calories out (CICO) model.

But if you go through the mechanism more intrinsically you’ll see that the diet doesn’t violate the CICO model and that the thermodynamics laws are still present. The basic truth here is, this diet regulated on both sides of the calorie equation. The diet ensures an increase in metabolism that increases calories out and simultaneously reduces the appetite that results in lowering of calories in. Thus calorie count is restricted with this diet.  The main thing here is, the low carb diet restricts the calorie count without the increase of the major drawback i.e. hunger.

Marcelo

Marcelo is the co-founder and Director of Exercise Physiology at Intense Health, Perth's #1 Private Strength Training and Nutrition Clinics.
Marcelo

Marcelo

Marcelo is the co-founder and Director of Exercise Physiology at Intense Health, Perth's #1 Private Strength Training and Nutrition Clinics.