It's Low-Carb Weak

One reason any dietary change can cause weakness is that the body doesn't produce enzymes it doesn't need. When you're eating mostly carbs, it doesn't produce as much of the fat-burning enzymes, and vice versa.

This is why they tell you to eat a lot of carbs before taking a Glucose Tolerance Test. If you haven't been eating carbs, you won't be producing carb-metabolizing enzymes and you may test diabetic when you're not.

The ultimate low-carb diet is starvation, and people who have been starving will test diabetic on a GTT.

I once read a book by some minister who was preaching to eskimos. At one point his guide, who was on a high-meat, low-carb diet, had planned for them to stop at a village to buy caribou from the residents. When they got there, they found the village had been abandoned, and they were forced to survive on the starchy food they'd brought for emergencies. The eskimo complained that he had no energy on the high-starch diet. It was probably the same phenomenon. He had a lot of protein- and fat-metabolizing enzymes but not a lot of starch-metabolizing enzymes.

BTW, Cordain is wrong if he says the brain can use only glucose. They've found that the brain can use up to 75% ketones after it's given a chance to adapt. The "only uses glucose" is one of those old saws that refuses to die, like the idea that carbohydrates are essential or low-carb diets damage your kidneys and leach calcium from your bones. Like adaption to a LC diet, the brain takes several days to adapt to using ketones, so some people don't feel like themselves for a few days if they go abruptly from a high-carb to a low-carb diet.

Michael Eades mentions this in one blog post, although he doesn't give the percentage. I think I got that from a biochemistry text, but I'm not sure.

Dear Mendosa,

I am 37 years, Type II Diabetic for 10 years, vegetarian eating dairy and eggs. I was on Metformin 500 for 3 years till year 2007 and that gave me diarrhea and I lost 15 lbs. My BG levels after food was around 140-170 while taking the medication. I stopped that medication and started on Low Carb diet.

Now, my BG readings after meals are 95-105.

My worry is, I am 110 lbs currently and very slender. If I am on LC diet, I will lose more weight. What can I do to increase my weight?

Right now I am not doing any exercise.

Any help is most welcome.

Thanks

David & All

My exercise of choice tends to be longer distance cycling (50-100 miles) a couple of times a week. (Type 2 Diabetes - controlled A1c of just under 6)  I have not tried a low carb diet per se although I try to limit (in a much less than perfect way) lots of high glycemic starchy inputs on a typical daily basis.  What experiences have you had (or others reading this) on long aerobic exercises on a low carb diet?  (I am wondering if your hiking is comparable?)  Typically I will ride during the summer for 4-8+ hour courses over hills etc. - these tend to be pretty intense at times during climbs (I will often hit 90-95% max heart rates during hill climbs).  I currently use high glycemic items (bread, Cliff Bars, straight sugars (e.g Gu)) during rides as I really need caloric replenishment to avoid bonking.  Any insight on how a low carb approach would work with such endurance related events?  (Like what would I eat during a ride???)  All "conventional" wisdom is pushing me toward carbo consumption for quick calories during the rides.  Any insights would be appreciated.

Thx

Al