Re: No-Carb Diets May Impair Memory

December 16, 2008

Hi,

Basically all carbs turn in to blood sugar, so limiting your carbs will help

keep your blood sugar under control. How many carbs you decide to have, in my

opinion, will depend on the following factors.

1. Your current level of blood sugar control.

2. the desired A1C.

3. And the balance between good control and life stile.

Personally I try to stick to 80 grams of carbs per day, especially on week days.

I could go lower than this, but would have to give up some conveniences and it

would take more preparation time etc.

Cheers,

Brett.

No-Carb Diets May Impair Memory

Memory Improved When Carbs Reintroduced to Diet

By Salynn Boyles

WebMD Health News

Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD

Dec. 12, 2008 - Eliminating carbohydrates from your diet may help you lose

weight, but it could leave you fuzzy headed and forgetful, a new study

suggests.

One week after starting a weight loss diet that severely restricted

carbohydrates, participants in the Tufts University study performed

significantly worse on memory tests than participants who followed a low

calorie, high-carbohydrate diet.

The low-carb dieters' memory-test performances improved in the following

weeks after they began eating some carbohydrates.

" The connection between the foods we eat and how we think doesn't really

enter into most people's minds, " study co-author and cognitive psychologist

Holly A. , PhD tells WebMD. " But this study demonstrates that the

foods we eat can have an immediate impact on brain function. "

Carbs Are Brain Fuel

The body breaks carbohydrates into glucose, which it uses to fuel brain

activity. Proteins break down into glycogen, which can also be used for fuel

by the brain, but not as efficiently as glucose.

So it stands to reason that eliminating carbohydrates from the diet might

reduce the brain's source of energy and affect brain function. But there has

been little research examining this hypothesis in people following low-carb

weight loss diets.

The study by and colleagues included 19 women between the ages of 22

to 55 who were closely followed after beginning a low-carb weight loss plan

similar to the Atkins diet or the low-calorie diet recommended by the

American Dietetic Association that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables,

and whole grains.

Before starting the diets, the women underwent testing designed to measure

long- and short-term memory and attention. The tests were repeated one, two,

and three weeks after the diet began.

Low-carb dieters ate virtually no carbohydrates during their first week on

the diet. In testing conducted after week one, they performed worse on

memory-based tasks than the women following the ADA diet.

Reaction times for those on the low-carb diet were slower and their

visual-spatial memories were not as good as the low-calorie dieters.

They did perform better than the low-calorie dieters in testing that

measured attention and the ability to stay on task, however.

And their performance on the memory tests improved after week one, when

limited carbohydrates were reintroduced into their diets.

" Although this study only tracked dieting participants for three weeks, the

data suggest that diets can affect more than just weight, " notes in a

news release. " The brain needs glucose for energy and diets low in

carbohydrates can be detrimental to learning, memory, and thinking. "

The study is published in the February 2009 issue of the journal Appetite.

More Study Needed

Australian research scientist Grant D. Brinkworth, PhD, tells WebMD that the

findings, while intriguing, do not prove that low-carbohydrate weight loss

diets affect memory.

In a study published in 2007, Brinkworth and colleagues performed cognitive

function testing on dieters after they had been on either a low-carb or

high-carb weight-loss diet for eight weeks.

Both groups lost weight and showed improvements in mood.

The low-carbohydrate dieters showed slight impairments in cognitive

processing speed, but no difference was recorded between the two groups in

working memory.

Brinkworth says if eliminating carbohydrates from the diet does affect

memory, the effect may only be temporary.

" What ( and colleagues) recorded may be an acute, transient effect

that may just be the body readjusting to an unfamiliar diet, " he says. " We

really need studies that examine the long-term impact of these diets on

cognition. "

Calls to a representative from the private equity firm North Castle

Partners, which owns controlling interest in Atkins Nutritional Holdings,

were not immediately returned.

View Article Sources

SOURCES:

D'Anci, K.E. Appetite, February 2009; vol 52: pp 96-103.

Holly A. , PhD, professor of psychology, Tufts University, Medford,

Mass.

Grant D. Brinkworth, PhD, research scientist, Commonwealth Scientific and

Industrial Research Organization, Human Nutrition, Adelaide, Australia.

December 16, 2008

Hi,

Basically all carbs turn in to blood sugar, so limiting your carbs will help

keep your blood sugar under control. How many carbs you decide to have, in my

opinion, will depend on the following factors.

1. Your current level of blood sugar control.

2. the desired A1C.

3. And the balance between good control and life stile.

Personally I try to stick to 80 grams of carbs per day, especially on week days.

I could go lower than this, but would have to give up some conveniences and it

would take more preparation time etc.

Cheers,

Brett.

No-Carb Diets May Impair Memory

Memory Improved When Carbs Reintroduced to Diet

By Salynn Boyles

WebMD Health News

Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD

Dec. 12, 2008 - Eliminating carbohydrates from your diet may help you lose

weight, but it could leave you fuzzy headed and forgetful, a new study

suggests.

One week after starting a weight loss diet that severely restricted

carbohydrates, participants in the Tufts University study performed

significantly worse on memory tests than participants who followed a low

calorie, high-carbohydrate diet.

The low-carb dieters' memory-test performances improved in the following

weeks after they began eating some carbohydrates.

" The connection between the foods we eat and how we think doesn't really

enter into most people's minds, " study co-author and cognitive psychologist

Holly A. , PhD tells WebMD. " But this study demonstrates that the

foods we eat can have an immediate impact on brain function. "

Carbs Are Brain Fuel

The body breaks carbohydrates into glucose, which it uses to fuel brain

activity. Proteins break down into glycogen, which can also be used for fuel

by the brain, but not as efficiently as glucose.

So it stands to reason that eliminating carbohydrates from the diet might

reduce the brain's source of energy and affect brain function. But there has

been little research examining this hypothesis in people following low-carb

weight loss diets.

The study by and colleagues included 19 women between the ages of 22

to 55 who were closely followed after beginning a low-carb weight loss plan

similar to the Atkins diet or the low-calorie diet recommended by the

American Dietetic Association that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables,

and whole grains.

Before starting the diets, the women underwent testing designed to measure

long- and short-term memory and attention. The tests were repeated one, two,

and three weeks after the diet began.

Low-carb dieters ate virtually no carbohydrates during their first week on

the diet. In testing conducted after week one, they performed worse on

memory-based tasks than the women following the ADA diet.

Reaction times for those on the low-carb diet were slower and their

visual-spatial memories were not as good as the low-calorie dieters.

They did perform better than the low-calorie dieters in testing that

measured attention and the ability to stay on task, however.

And their performance on the memory tests improved after week one, when

limited carbohydrates were reintroduced into their diets.

" Although this study only tracked dieting participants for three weeks, the

data suggest that diets can affect more than just weight, " notes in a

news release. " The brain needs glucose for energy and diets low in

carbohydrates can be detrimental to learning, memory, and thinking. "

The study is published in the February 2009 issue of the journal Appetite.

More Study Needed

Australian research scientist Grant D. Brinkworth, PhD, tells WebMD that the

findings, while intriguing, do not prove that low-carbohydrate weight loss

diets affect memory.

In a study published in 2007, Brinkworth and colleagues performed cognitive

function testing on dieters after they had been on either a low-carb or

high-carb weight-loss diet for eight weeks.

Both groups lost weight and showed improvements in mood.

The low-carbohydrate dieters showed slight impairments in cognitive

processing speed, but no difference was recorded between the two groups in

working memory.

Brinkworth says if eliminating carbohydrates from the diet does affect

memory, the effect may only be temporary.

" What ( and colleagues) recorded may be an acute, transient effect

that may just be the body readjusting to an unfamiliar diet, " he says. " We

really need studies that examine the long-term impact of these diets on

cognition. "

Calls to a representative from the private equity firm North Castle

Partners, which owns controlling interest in Atkins Nutritional Holdings,

were not immediately returned.

View Article Sources

SOURCES:

D'Anci, K.E. Appetite, February 2009; vol 52: pp 96-103.

Holly A. , PhD, professor of psychology, Tufts University, Medford,

Mass.

Grant D. Brinkworth, PhD, research scientist, Commonwealth Scientific and

Industrial Research Organization, Human Nutrition, Adelaide, Australia.

December 16, 2008

It depends on your A1C goal. If you have near normal A1C's, then you should

have no more than the number of carbs with insulin or meds that will give you a

two hour post prandial bs reading of 120 or lower. If your two hour post

prandial is more than 160, you are headecd for diabetic complications. Do you

have a carb counting guide?

No-Carb Diets May Impair Memory

Memory Improved When Carbs Reintroduced to Diet

By Salynn Boyles

WebMD Health News

Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD

Dec. 12, 2008 - Eliminating carbohydrates from your diet may help you lose

weight, but it could leave you fuzzy headed and forgetful, a new study

suggests.

One week after starting a weight loss diet that severely restricted

carbohydrates, participants in the Tufts University study performed

significantly worse on memory tests than participants who followed a low

calorie, high-carbohydrate diet.

The low-carb dieters' memory-test performances improved in the following

weeks after they began eating some carbohydrates.

" The connection between the foods we eat and how we think doesn't really

enter into most people's minds, " study co-author and cognitive psychologist

Holly A. , PhD tells WebMD. " But this study demonstrates that the

foods we eat can have an immediate impact on brain function. "

Carbs Are Brain Fuel

The body breaks carbohydrates into glucose, which it uses to fuel brain

activity. Proteins break down into glycogen, which can also be used for fuel

by the brain, but not as efficiently as glucose.

So it stands to reason that eliminating carbohydrates from the diet might

reduce the brain's source of energy and affect brain function. But there has

been little research examining this hypothesis in people following low-carb

weight loss diets.

The study by and colleagues included 19 women between the ages of 22

to 55 who were closely followed after beginning a low-carb weight loss plan

similar to the Atkins diet or the low-calorie diet recommended by the

American Dietetic Association that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables,

and whole grains.

Before starting the diets, the women underwent testing designed to measure

long- and short-term memory and attention. The tests were repeated one, two,

and three weeks after the diet began.

Low-carb dieters ate virtually no carbohydrates during their first week on

the diet. In testing conducted after week one, they performed worse on

memory-based tasks than the women following the ADA diet.

Reaction times for those on the low-carb diet were slower and their

visual-spatial memories were not as good as the low-calorie dieters.

They did perform better than the low-calorie dieters in testing that

measured attention and the ability to stay on task, however.

And their performance on the memory tests improved after week one, when

limited carbohydrates were reintroduced into their diets.

" Although this study only tracked dieting participants for three weeks, the

data suggest that diets can affect more than just weight, " notes in a

news release. " The brain needs glucose for energy and diets low in

carbohydrates can be detrimental to learning, memory, and thinking. "

The study is published in the February 2009 issue of the journal Appetite.

More Study Needed

Australian research scientist Grant D. Brinkworth, PhD, tells WebMD that the

findings, while intriguing, do not prove that low-carbohydrate weight loss

diets affect memory.

In a study published in 2007, Brinkworth and colleagues performed cognitive

function testing on dieters after they had been on either a low-carb or

high-carb weight-loss diet for eight weeks.

Both groups lost weight and showed improvements in mood.

The low-carbohydrate dieters showed slight impairments in cognitive

processing speed, but no difference was recorded between the two groups in

working memory.

Brinkworth says if eliminating carbohydrates from the diet does affect

memory, the effect may only be temporary.

" What ( and colleagues) recorded may be an acute, transient effect

that may just be the body readjusting to an unfamiliar diet, " he says. " We

really need studies that examine the long-term impact of these diets on

cognition. "

Calls to a representative from the private equity firm North Castle

Partners, which owns controlling interest in Atkins Nutritional Holdings,

were not immediately returned.

View Article Sources

SOURCES:

D'Anci, K.E. Appetite, February 2009; vol 52: pp 96-103.

Holly A. , PhD, professor of psychology, Tufts University, Medford,

Mass.

Grant D. Brinkworth, PhD, research scientist, Commonwealth Scientific and

Industrial Research Organization, Human Nutrition, Adelaide, Australia.

December 16, 2008

It depends on your A1C goal. If you have near normal A1C's, then you should

have no more than the number of carbs with insulin or meds that will give you a

two hour post prandial bs reading of 120 or lower. If your two hour post

prandial is more than 160, you are headecd for diabetic complications. Do you

have a carb counting guide?

No-Carb Diets May Impair Memory

Memory Improved When Carbs Reintroduced to Diet

By Salynn Boyles

WebMD Health News

Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD

Dec. 12, 2008 - Eliminating carbohydrates from your diet may help you lose

weight, but it could leave you fuzzy headed and forgetful, a new study

suggests.

One week after starting a weight loss diet that severely restricted

carbohydrates, participants in the Tufts University study performed

significantly worse on memory tests than participants who followed a low

calorie, high-carbohydrate diet.

The low-carb dieters' memory-test performances improved in the following

weeks after they began eating some carbohydrates.

" The connection between the foods we eat and how we think doesn't really

enter into most people's minds, " study co-author and cognitive psychologist

Holly A. , PhD tells WebMD. " But this study demonstrates that the

foods we eat can have an immediate impact on brain function. "

Carbs Are Brain Fuel

The body breaks carbohydrates into glucose, which it uses to fuel brain

activity. Proteins break down into glycogen, which can also be used for fuel

by the brain, but not as efficiently as glucose.

So it stands to reason that eliminating carbohydrates from the diet might

reduce the brain's source of energy and affect brain function. But there has

been little research examining this hypothesis in people following low-carb

weight loss diets.

The study by and colleagues included 19 women between the ages of 22

to 55 who were closely followed after beginning a low-carb weight loss plan

similar to the Atkins diet or the low-calorie diet recommended by the

American Dietetic Association that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables,

and whole grains.

Before starting the diets, the women underwent testing designed to measure

long- and short-term memory and attention. The tests were repeated one, two,

and three weeks after the diet began.

Low-carb dieters ate virtually no carbohydrates during their first week on

the diet. In testing conducted after week one, they performed worse on

memory-based tasks than the women following the ADA diet.

Reaction times for those on the low-carb diet were slower and their

visual-spatial memories were not as good as the low-calorie dieters.

They did perform better than the low-calorie dieters in testing that

measured attention and the ability to stay on task, however.

And their performance on the memory tests improved after week one, when

limited carbohydrates were reintroduced into their diets.

" Although this study only tracked dieting participants for three weeks, the

data suggest that diets can affect more than just weight, " notes in a

news release. " The brain needs glucose for energy and diets low in

carbohydrates can be detrimental to learning, memory, and thinking. "

The study is published in the February 2009 issue of the journal Appetite.

More Study Needed

Australian research scientist Grant D. Brinkworth, PhD, tells WebMD that the

findings, while intriguing, do not prove that low-carbohydrate weight loss

diets affect memory.

In a study published in 2007, Brinkworth and colleagues performed cognitive

function testing on dieters after they had been on either a low-carb or

high-carb weight-loss diet for eight weeks.

Both groups lost weight and showed improvements in mood.

The low-carbohydrate dieters showed slight impairments in cognitive

processing speed, but no difference was recorded between the two groups in

working memory.

Brinkworth says if eliminating carbohydrates from the diet does affect

memory, the effect may only be temporary.

" What ( and colleagues) recorded may be an acute, transient effect

that may just be the body readjusting to an unfamiliar diet, " he says. " We

really need studies that examine the long-term impact of these diets on

cognition. "

Calls to a representative from the private equity firm North Castle

Partners, which owns controlling interest in Atkins Nutritional Holdings,

were not immediately returned.

View Article Sources

SOURCES:

D'Anci, K.E. Appetite, February 2009; vol 52: pp 96-103.

Holly A. , PhD, professor of psychology, Tufts University, Medford,

Mass.

Grant D. Brinkworth, PhD, research scientist, Commonwealth Scientific and

Industrial Research Organization, Human Nutrition, Adelaide, Australia.

December 16, 2008

um hmmmmm is my name I remember now its LOL

no wait maybe its.... I forgot gosh darn!

No-Carb Diets May Impair Memory

Memory Improved When Carbs Reintroduced to Diet

By Salynn Boyles

WebMD Health News

Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD

Dec. 12, 2008 - Eliminating carbohydrates from your diet may help you lose

weight, but it could leave you fuzzy headed and forgetful, a new study

suggests.

One week after starting a weight loss diet that severely restricted

carbohydrates, participants in the Tufts University study performed

significantly worse on memory tests than participants who followed a low

calorie, high-carbohydrate diet.

The low-carb dieters' memory-test performances improved in the following

weeks after they began eating some carbohydrates.

" The connection between the foods we eat and how we think doesn't really

enter into most people's minds, " study co-author and cognitive psychologist

Holly A. , PhD tells WebMD. " But this study demonstrates that the

foods we eat can have an immediate impact on brain function. "

Carbs Are Brain Fuel

The body breaks carbohydrates into glucose, which it uses to fuel brain

activity. Proteins break down into glycogen, which can also be used for fuel

by the brain, but not as efficiently as glucose.

So it stands to reason that eliminating carbohydrates from the diet might

reduce the brain's source of energy and affect brain function. But there has

been little research examining this hypothesis in people following low-carb

weight loss diets.

The study by and colleagues included 19 women between the ages of 22

to 55 who were closely followed after beginning a low-carb weight loss plan

similar to the Atkins diet or the low-calorie diet recommended by the

American Dietetic Association that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables,

and whole grains.

Before starting the diets, the women underwent testing designed to measure

long- and short-term memory and attention. The tests were repeated one, two,

and three weeks after the diet began.

Low-carb dieters ate virtually no carbohydrates during their first week on

the diet. In testing conducted after week one, they performed worse on

memory-based tasks than the women following the ADA diet.

Reaction times for those on the low-carb diet were slower and their

visual-spatial memories were not as good as the low-calorie dieters.

They did perform better than the low-calorie dieters in testing that

measured attention and the ability to stay on task, however.

And their performance on the memory tests improved after week one, when

limited carbohydrates were reintroduced into their diets.

" Although this study only tracked dieting participants for three weeks, the

data suggest that diets can affect more than just weight, " notes in a

news release. " The brain needs glucose for energy and diets low in

carbohydrates can be detrimental to learning, memory, and thinking. "

The study is published in the February 2009 issue of the journal Appetite.

More Study Needed

Australian research scientist Grant D. Brinkworth, PhD, tells WebMD that the

findings, while intriguing, do not prove that low-carbohydrate weight loss

diets affect memory.

In a study published in 2007, Brinkworth and colleagues performed cognitive

function testing on dieters after they had been on either a low-carb or

high-carb weight-loss diet for eight weeks.

Both groups lost weight and showed improvements in mood.

The low-carbohydrate dieters showed slight impairments in cognitive

processing speed, but no difference was recorded between the two groups in

working memory.

Brinkworth says if eliminating carbohydrates from the diet does affect

memory, the effect may only be temporary.

" What ( and colleagues) recorded may be an acute, transient effect

that may just be the body readjusting to an unfamiliar diet, " he says. " We

really need studies that examine the long-term impact of these diets on

cognition. "

Calls to a representative from the private equity firm North Castle

Partners, which owns controlling interest in Atkins Nutritional Holdings,

were not immediately returned.

View Article Sources

SOURCES:

D'Anci, K.E. Appetite, February 2009; vol 52: pp 96-103.

Holly A. , PhD, professor of psychology, Tufts University, Medford,

Mass.

Grant D. Brinkworth, PhD, research scientist, Commonwealth Scientific and

Industrial Research Organization, Human Nutrition, Adelaide, Australia.

December 16, 2008

Hi Vicki,

Interesting article. If anything, I would say this study shows that how

much and the kinds of carbs are important for the human body to function

properly. This is why there are different food groups in one's diet are

important as well as the amount consumed. This is how our Canada food guide

operates. Each food has a function to perform in the body and even though

all of it ends up as blood sugars in the body, each kind either repairs or

maintains certain body functions. For example, the B12 found in grains

helps the hart and protein from red meat helps repair and maintain muscle,

but it is all in the right amounts. Too much of any of these things cause

problems. Thanks again for posting this.

Ruth

No-Carb Diets May Impair Memory

Memory Improved When Carbs Reintroduced to Diet

By Salynn Boyles

WebMD Health News

Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD

Dec. 12, 2008 - Eliminating carbohydrates from your diet may help you lose

weight, but it could leave you fuzzy headed and forgetful, a new study

suggests.

One week after starting a weight loss diet that severely restricted

carbohydrates, participants in the Tufts University study performed

significantly worse on memory tests than participants who followed a low

calorie, high-carbohydrate diet.

The low-carb dieters' memory-test performances improved in the following

weeks after they began eating some carbohydrates.

" The connection between the foods we eat and how we think doesn't really

enter into most people's minds, " study co-author and cognitive psychologist

Holly A. , PhD tells WebMD. " But this study demonstrates that the

foods we eat can have an immediate impact on brain function. "

Carbs Are Brain Fuel

The body breaks carbohydrates into glucose, which it uses to fuel brain

activity. Proteins break down into glycogen, which can also be used for fuel

by the brain, but not as efficiently as glucose.

So it stands to reason that eliminating carbohydrates from the diet might

reduce the brain's source of energy and affect brain function. But there has

been little research examining this hypothesis in people following low-carb

weight loss diets.

The study by and colleagues included 19 women between the ages of 22

to 55 who were closely followed after beginning a low-carb weight loss plan

similar to the Atkins diet or the low-calorie diet recommended by the

American Dietetic Association that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables,

and whole grains.

Before starting the diets, the women underwent testing designed to measure

long- and short-term memory and attention. The tests were repeated one, two,

and three weeks after the diet began.

Low-carb dieters ate virtually no carbohydrates during their first week on

the diet. In testing conducted after week one, they performed worse on

memory-based tasks than the women following the ADA diet.

Reaction times for those on the low-carb diet were slower and their

visual-spatial memories were not as good as the low-calorie dieters.

They did perform better than the low-calorie dieters in testing that

measured attention and the ability to stay on task, however.

And their performance on the memory tests improved after week one, when

limited carbohydrates were reintroduced into their diets.

" Although this study only tracked dieting participants for three weeks, the

data suggest that diets can affect more than just weight, " notes in a

news release. " The brain needs glucose for energy and diets low in

carbohydrates can be detrimental to learning, memory, and thinking. "

The study is published in the February 2009 issue of the journal Appetite.

More Study Needed

Australian research scientist Grant D. Brinkworth, PhD, tells WebMD that the

findings, while intriguing, do not prove that low-carbohydrate weight loss

diets affect memory.

In a study published in 2007, Brinkworth and colleagues performed cognitive

function testing on dieters after they had been on either a low-carb or

high-carb weight-loss diet for eight weeks.

Both groups lost weight and showed improvements in mood.

The low-carbohydrate dieters showed slight impairments in cognitive

processing speed, but no difference was recorded between the two groups in

working memory.

Brinkworth says if eliminating carbohydrates from the diet does affect

memory, the effect may only be temporary.

" What ( and colleagues) recorded may be an acute, transient effect

that may just be the body readjusting to an unfamiliar diet, " he says. " We

really need studies that examine the long-term impact of these diets on

cognition. "

Calls to a representative from the private equity firm North Castle

Partners, which owns controlling interest in Atkins Nutritional Holdings,

were not immediately returned.

View Article Sources

SOURCES:

D'Anci, K.E. Appetite, February 2009; vol 52: pp 96-103.

Holly A. , PhD, professor of psychology, Tufts University, Medford,

Mass.

Grant D. Brinkworth, PhD, research scientist, Commonwealth Scientific and

Industrial Research Organization, Human Nutrition, Adelaide, Australia.

December 16, 2008