The Flopnuts Fatties Thread

[Mr. Flopnuts]

Whoa. You had thyroid issues from going zero carb?

[Frosty]

Originally Posted by Mr. Flopnuts

Whoa. You had thyroid issues from going zero carb?

http://anthonycolpo.com/?p=1743

http://anthonycolpo.com/?p=2028

It doesn't happen to everyone and it seems to be avoided by consuming about 50 g carbs per day.

When you go very low carb (VLC), your body tries to maintain blood sugar levels through the glycogen stored in your liver. Eventually your body switches over to ketones for fuel, reducing the need for glucose. However, not everything in your body can run on ketones, so some glucose is still necessary (about 50 g /day). If you aren't eating carbs that glucose has to come primarily from converting protein to glucose (gluconeogenesis).

Gluconeogenesis isn't very efficient, though, and it takes about 2g of protein for 1g of glucose. If you aren't getting enough protein or exercising too hard (like long distance running or biking) you can end up in a state of permanently depleted liver glycogen, which is a sign of starvation to the body. The body reacts to this by slowing the metabolism (through the thyroid).

Refeeds and diet breaks work because they replenish the liver glycogen, signalling the thyroid that everything is fine and you aren't starving. Also, I think some people are just better at gluconeogenesis and can keep their glycogen topped off.

BTW, if you do LC below 50g/day, you need to increase your protein intake quite a bit to avoid losing muscle while trying to maintain blood sugar levels.

[Buck]

Originally Posted by Frosty

http://anthonycolpo.com/?p=1743

http://anthonycolpo.com/?p=2028

It doesn't happen to everyone and it seems to be avoided by consuming about 50 g carbs per day.

When you go very low carb (VLC), your body tries to maintain blood sugar levels through the glycogen stored in your liver. Eventually your body switches over to ketones for fuel, reducing the need for glucose. However, not everything in your body can run on ketones, so some glucose is still necessary (about 50 g /day). If you aren't eating carbs that glucose has to come primarily from converting protein to glucose (gluconeogenesis).

Gluconeogenesis isn't very efficient, though, and it takes about 2g of protein for 1g of glucose. If you aren't getting enough protein or exercising too hard (like long distance running or biking) you can end up in a state of permanently depleted liver glycogen, which is a sign of starvation to the body. The body reacts to this by slowing the metabolism (through the thyroid).

Refeeds and diet breaks work because they replenish the liver glycogen, signalling the thyroid that everything is fine and you aren't starving. Also, I think some people are just better at gluconeogenesis and can keep their glycogen topped off.

BTW, if you do LC below 50g/day, you need to increase your protein intake quite a bit to avoid losing muscle while trying to maintain blood sugar levels.

Just wondering how old you are.

[Frosty]

Originally Posted by Buck

Just wondering how old you are.

Was 46 when started ZC.

[Buck]

Originally Posted by Frosty

Was 46 when started ZC.

When I went to the doc he gave me a clean bill of health and said my thyroid was okay.

I'm wondering if age has anything to do with it.

Don't you have gluten-allergies too? Could your problems with zero Carb possibly be elated to some inherent issue with that sensitivity?

[Frosty]

Originally Posted by Buck

When I went to the doc he gave me a clean bill of health and said my thyroid was okay.

I'm wondering if age has anything to do with it.

Don't you have gluten-allergies too? Could your problems with zero Carb possibly be elated to some inherent issue with that sensitivity?

Maybe. I've always had a hard time getting keto adapted. It takes me a long time to get over the carb flu when going low carb.

However, the studies back up what I said. VLC mimics starvation so it isn't surprising that your body would react to VLC as it would starvation (slowing the metabolism). Fortunately, it doesn't seem to be a permanent adaptation, so refeeds and diet breaks are useful to overcome the problem.

I was very active in the ZC and VLC communities and knew quite a few people, both young and older, that had the same kind of reaction to long term VLC. I also knew a lot of people that seemed to take to it well over the long term, so it seems highly individualistic.

I'm not bashing it. It worked great for me for quick weight loss; I just can't stay on it long term.