Eating a low-carb diet affects many aspects of the health of an individual. Diabetes and epilepsy are serious medical conditions that can be managed through the use of a low-carb diet. Cholesterol levels can be lowered by eating a low-carb diet, and lowered carbohydrate intake affects tumor growth as well.
Diabetes
Carbohydrates are converted into sugar in the body, which raises blood glucose levels. Lowering carbohydrate consumption, particularly sugar and other refined carbohydrates, results in lower blood sugar levels for a diabetic. When reducing carbohydrates, diabetics should substitute complex carbohydrates, such as vegetables that are high in fiber, for simple carbohydrates, such as white bread or potato chips.
Epilepsy
A diet that is extremely low in carbohydrates is also known as a ketogenic diet, due to the ketones that are a byproduct of the fat-burning process. This low-carb diet mimics starvation, causing the body to burn fat for fuel. The ketogenic diet is particularly successful in reducing epileptic seizures in children, and has been used to treat epilepsy since the 1920s.
Cholesterol
Eating a low-carb diet can improve overall cholesterol levels, despite higher levels of cholesterol and fat intake, according to a study in the New England Journal of Medicine. Published in 2008, this study, "Weight Loss with a Low-Carbohydrate, Mediterranean, or Low-Fat Diet," followed participants for two years to determine the effects of the three types of eating plans, and found that the participants who followed a low-carb diet had the most improvement in weight loss as well as cholesterol levels.
Cancer
Cancer's preferred fuel is glucose, so the reduced blood glucose levels that result from a low-carb diet affect the ability of a tumor to grow. When an individual eats an extremely low-carb diet, fat is used for fuel instead of sugar. Cancer cannot use fat as a fuel source, so the tumor's growth is inhibited.
Considerations
The use of a low-carb diet, particularly a ketogenic diet, to treat health issues should be evaluated and overseen by a competent medical professional. If a low-carb diet is not followed carefully, nutrition deficits may occur. Supplementation of vitamins, minerals, and fiber may be necessary for optimum health.
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