TY - JOUR
T1 - Low-carbohydrate diets: Effects on metabolism and exercise - A comprehensive literature review.
T2 - Effects on metabolism and exercise – A comprehensive literature review
AU - Santos, H O
AU - Tinsley, Grant
AU - Reischak-Oliveira, A
AU - Macedo, Rodrigo C.O.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism
PY - 2020/12
Y1 - 2020/12
N2 - Background & aims: Low-carbohydrate diets (LCD) have gained substantial attention in recent years for their potential in health promotion and treatment of diseases, but they remain controversial in nutrition guidelines and exercise performance. Herein, through a literature review, we discuss the current evidence base by considering management of LCD and potential coupling of these dietary regiments with physical exercise. Methods: We performed a comprehensive literature review with no date limits as a means of including seminal to current studies. Results: Reduction of CHO intake decreases muscle glycogen, yielding greater fat oxidation and associated metabolic benefits. LCD may promote fat mass loss and regulation of biochemical parameters, such as lipid and glycemic biomarkers. The therapeutic potential of LCD towards noncommunicable diseases, particularly obesity and its comorbidities, is therefore reasonable as a dietary candidate in this context. Potential benefits to this approach are linked to enhancement of mitochondrial gene expression and mitochondrial biogenesis. As such, LCD may be a feasible tool in a ‘periodized nutrition’ for athletes and within clinical scenarios. Long-term observational follow-up studies have demonstrated increased mortality and cardiovascular implications of LCD. However, harmful associations may depend on the food source (e.g., animal-based vs. plant-based foods). Conclusion: LCD may decrease body mass, waist circumference, and improve fat and carbohydrate metabolism. When combined with exercise, LCD seems to be an effective strategy in regulating metabolic factors of cardiovascular diseases. Conversely, LCD may be associated with higher mortality and metabolic dysregulations if it contains large amounts of animal-based foods, particularly saturated fat.
AB - Background & aims: Low-carbohydrate diets (LCD) have gained substantial attention in recent years for their potential in health promotion and treatment of diseases, but they remain controversial in nutrition guidelines and exercise performance. Herein, through a literature review, we discuss the current evidence base by considering management of LCD and potential coupling of these dietary regiments with physical exercise. Methods: We performed a comprehensive literature review with no date limits as a means of including seminal to current studies. Results: Reduction of CHO intake decreases muscle glycogen, yielding greater fat oxidation and associated metabolic benefits. LCD may promote fat mass loss and regulation of biochemical parameters, such as lipid and glycemic biomarkers. The therapeutic potential of LCD towards noncommunicable diseases, particularly obesity and its comorbidities, is therefore reasonable as a dietary candidate in this context. Potential benefits to this approach are linked to enhancement of mitochondrial gene expression and mitochondrial biogenesis. As such, LCD may be a feasible tool in a ‘periodized nutrition’ for athletes and within clinical scenarios. Long-term observational follow-up studies have demonstrated increased mortality and cardiovascular implications of LCD. However, harmful associations may depend on the food source (e.g., animal-based vs. plant-based foods). Conclusion: LCD may decrease body mass, waist circumference, and improve fat and carbohydrate metabolism. When combined with exercise, LCD seems to be an effective strategy in regulating metabolic factors of cardiovascular diseases. Conversely, LCD may be associated with higher mortality and metabolic dysregulations if it contains large amounts of animal-based foods, particularly saturated fat.
KW - Carbohydrate restriction
KW - Exercise
KW - Glucose metabolism
KW - Low glycogen
KW - Low-carbohydrate diet
KW - Obesity
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85089748929&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.clnesp.2020.07.022
DO - 10.1016/j.clnesp.2020.07.022
M3 - Article
C2 - 33183532
SN - 2405-4577
VL - 40
SP - 17
EP - 26
JO - Clinical Nutrition ESPEN
JF - Clinical Nutrition ESPEN
ER -