Mood Effects of Carbohydrates and Low-carb Diets

by Tanya Zilberter, PhD

Among those shared with me their weight loss results while on Atkins diet , 347 dieters reported effects beyond weight loss (or its absence):

• Hunger disappearance or appetite decrease - 178
• Diabetes improvement - 169
• Mood improvement, energy level increase - 158
• Absence of cravings - 149
• Physicians approval for the diet - 129
• Joint and muscle improvement - 125
• Headache disappearance - 121
• Exercise improvement - 115
• Muscle gain decrease - 112
• Fungal/yeast infection disappearance - 111
• Heartburn, bloating disappearance - 110
• Thyroid condition improvement - 119

  Reported negative results:

• Cravings for high-carb foods increase - 16
• Inability to exercise - 15
• Low-carb foods dissatisfaction - 14

Mood/energy

This particular effect is perhaps the most controversial because it is against the observations, including those conducted in controlled clinical settings, that carbohydrate-rich meals improve mood and energy levels. Apparently, the positive influence reported by the dieters, were due to Atkins diet long-term effects, because during first several days on the diet there were effects consistent with clinical observations on short-term effects of direct intra-gastric infusions of nutrients:

"Hedonic tone was greater and tension lower after the saline and sucrose infusions than after the lipid infusion. From 3 to 3.5 h after ingestion, subjects felt significantly more sleepy after the lipid infusion than they did at these times after the saline infusion, and significantly more dreamy after the lipid infusion than they did after the sucrose infusion. (Physiology & Behavior. 63(4):621-8, 1998)

Another article reporting the influence of nutrients on mood, stress that there were acute and not long term effects:

"Mood improved (a decline in fatigue/dysphoria) following the low-fat/high carb breakfast compared to medium-fat/ medium-carbohydrate or high-fat/low-carbohydrate meals." ("Acute effects on mood and cognitive performance of breakfasts differing in fat and carbohydrate content. "Appetite. 27(2):151-64, 1996)

The short-term positive effects of high-carb meals can be used, for example, for alleviating the PMS syndrome:

"The experimental carbohydrate intervention significantly decreased self-reported depression, anger, confusion, and carbohydrate craving 90-180 minutes after intake. Memory word recognition was also improved significantly." (Obstetrics & Gynecology. 86(4 Pt 1):520-8, 1995)

It is interesting that not all of the clinical studies came to the above conclusion. Study conducted by University of Sheffield, demonstrated that meals, particularly when rich in fat, significantly reduced pain perception in healthy human subjects.( Physiology & Behavior. 65(4-5):643-8, 1999)

Carbohydrate craving obese patients do not improve their mood states through ingestion of a carbohydrate-rich snack. (International Journal of Obesity & Related Metabolic Disorders. 21(10):860-4, 1997)

There were no differences in mood between the groups receiving high-carb drink or water during performance of the military tasks. (Aviation Space & Environmental Medicine. 68(5):384-91, 1997)

The ingestion of sucrose failed to have any substantial effect on mood (Physiology & Behavior. 58(3):421-7, 1995)

"The carbohydrate-supplemented group had a greater total energy intake and carbohydrate intake. No significant differences between carbohydrate were observed in remaining psychological, physiological, or performance-related variables." (International Journal of Sport Nutrition. 5(2):125-35, 1995)

These are rather typical messages:

• I feel great and my energy level has increased. I don't feel sluggish anymore.
• No more mood swings, brain fog, confusion, or depression.
• I feel healthier, more energy (can keep up with the kids, yeah!) and smarter.
• I have a much higher energy level as well as a much more pleasant disposition.
• I have lots of energy and a lot more self esteem.
• I am sleeping like a teenager, and I had sleep apnea before starting the diet.
• I sleep better and I have more energy than my 16 year old daughter
• I'm so infused with energy that I climb the stairs at work without huffing and puffing.
• My energy had increased! Muscle tone had improved even though I wasn't going to the gym.
• When I am eating according to program I feel so much better, sleep better and have more energy
• After the first 3 days the increase in energy was unbelievable, the mental fog and Monday morning blues were gone.
• I have more energy, not so tired anymore, and feel like I'm in control of my appetite.
• I have had a sense of inner peace that I simply can't explain.
• My mood swings have lifted and I'm a much happier person overall.
• I felt better, had more energy, no more brain-fog and I did not feel tired and worn out at the end of the day.

Low carbohydrate foods: Glycerol?

If you've spent longer than a few months on a low-carbohydrate diet, you'll know how difficult it is to find low carbohydrate foods that can be eaten on the run. The problem with most portable meals and snacks (such as sandwiches) is they're often high in refined carbohydrate. Either that, or they're full of trans fatty acids and artificial sweeteners — ingredients which do little to take you closer to your goal of a healthier body.

If you don't have the time to spend cooking and preparing low carbohydrate foods and meals, it's easy to deviate from whatever diet you're following. People who cheat a little today usually cheat a little more tomorrow. Then, it’s only a matter of time before every "rule" has been broken, and you’re feeling depressed and discouraged, right back at square one.

Most people want a snack they can just throw into a briefcase or backpack in the morning and eat it on the run. That's one of the reasons protein bars and meal replacement supplements have become so popular.

However, the debate about glycerol — one of the ingredients commonly included in protein bars — has left many people confused about whether protein bars can be considered as low carbohydrate foods.

Glycerol (also known as "glycerin" or "glycerine") is a sweet-tasting, syrupy liquid. It's used to sweeten as well as add a chewy texture to some protein bars.

In June 2001 the US Food and Drug Administration wrote to the supplement company EAS (among others) to advise them that one of their products was misbranded because the label failed to count glycerol as a carbohydrate.

Glycerol is classed as a carbohydrate mainly by default. It isn't a protein, because there's no nitrogen in it. Nor does it contain any fatty acids, so it can't be called fat. That's why you'll now see glycerol included in the carbohydrate count shown on the nutrition label of many protein bars. It might appear as if your favorite protein bar is higher in carbohydrate than it was before. The only thing that's really changed is the label.

There's no real reason to be concerned about the glycerol in meal replacement bars. Compared to other nutrients, glycerol does not elevate insulin or blood sugar levels. It does, however...

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