Low-carb diets: killing your mood to get a killer body?

The low-carbohydrate, high-fat Atkins Diet saw a surge in popularity several years ago, and low-carb dieting products are still flying off the shelves. While low-carb diets seem to help many people lose weight fast, questions still remain as to how healthy and effective they really are.

One issue commonly raised with the low-carbohydrate Atkins Diet is the fear that it causes mood swings and reduced cognitive function. Jokes have been made about low-carb dieters angrily attacking bread trucks when facing a mood swing. Carbohydrates are “brain food,” and it seems reasonable to expect that a diet lacking in carbs would have serious effects on an individual’s emotional and intellectual wellness.

But does it?

A recent study performed at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation—Human Nutrition, Adelaide, Australia looked at the psychological and cognitive effects of the low-carb diet. They took a sample of overweight and obese individuals, putting one group on a low-carb, high-fat diet while the other group was placed on a more traditional high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet. They assessed each individual throughout an 8 week period using the Spielberg State Anxiety Inventory, the Profile of Mood States, and the Beck Depression Inventory. Researchers also assessed cognitive functions such as memory and concentration.

The results ran counter to conventional wisdom, showing no difference in psychological effect between the two groups. In fact, they saw equal mood improvement in both the low-carb dieters and the more traditional dieters. Interestingly, both groups lost a comparable amount of weight, suggesting that it may simply be a matter of preference when choosing the right diet plan.

These findings are preliminary, and previous research still raises questions about low-carb diets, especially for women and those with mood disorders such as depression and bipolar disorder.

Carbohydrates support the production of serotonin, a brain chemical that elevates mood. Women tend to have less available serotonin in their brains than men, and those with mood disorders are already suffering from lower levels of this mood-stabilizing neurotransmitter. A diet lacking in carbohydrates will naturally affect serotonin production, so issues with mood can still arise, even in the face of this new research.

Choosing the right diet plan may not be a case of one-size-fits-all. Instead, dieters should seek out what works for them. Factors include amount of weight loss desired, the ability of a dieter to stick to a specific diet plan, and the effects that diet plan will have on the dieter’s mood. While low-carb diets may not work for some, they may be just right for others.

© Copyright 2007 Insight Journal Online Magazine.

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