CBS News reports that the Atkins Diet, perhaps the original and most well-known low-carb diet, has made believers out of approximately 20 million dieters. The premise of a low-carb diet is that if your body cannot burn carbohydrates for energy -- which is its first inclination -- then it must burn fats, protein and your own body fat instead. CBS News indicates that studies have shown that low-carb diets do result in better immediate weight loss than low-fat or low-calorie diets, but not necessarily long term.
Ketosis
Ketosis is an expected side effect of a low-carbohydrate diet. According to Vanderbilt University, when the body burns fat, chemicals called ketones accumulate. Ketones trigger your body to excrete water and sodium. Ketosis is the root cause behind many other side effects of a low-carbohydrate diet.
Bowel Disturbances
The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine reports that a six-month study of low-carb dieters revealed that 60 percent of them suffered from constipation. Roughly a third of those surveyed complained of diarrhea. Diarrhea is associated with carbohydrate deficiency, says Dr. Arne Astrup, director of research for the Department of Human Nutrition at the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University in Denmark. He indicates that 150 g of carbohydrates a day are necessary for peak body efficiency and most low-carb diets restrict intake to as little as 20 g a day.
Headaches
Headaches were the second most common side effect complained of by the dieters cited by the Physicians Committee, occurring in 60 percent of them. Astrup agrees that headaches are among the most commonly reported side effects, and he blames them on the lack of fruit and whole grains in the diet when carbs are restricted.
Muscle Cramps
Approximately a third of the dieters cited by the Physicians Committee complained of muscle cramps. Astrup says this is because your muscles are not getting enough sugar to maintain their normal level of function.
Lethargy
Twenty-five percent of the dieters surveyed in the report cited by the Physicians Committee named lethargy and weakness as side effects. Vanderbilt University says sluggishness is a common result of ketosis.
Cognitive Changes
Vanderbilt University reports that a study performed by R. Wing with the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine showed that ketosis can affect higher-level mental processing, but Wing also said that more research is necessary to support this.
Increased Cholesterol
Although two recent studies by Duke University indicated that a low-carbohydrate diet has beneficial effects on cholesterol levels, the Physicians Committee reports on other studies that showed 30 percent of low-carb dieters actually increased their cholesterol levels. The Physicians Committee says that Duke University studied dieters who also exercised and took vitamin supplements, both of which can reduce LDL cholesterol levels on their own.
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