Low carbs, carb sensitivity, depression??

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JeanKari
JeanKari Posts: 4
in Food and Nutrition
Hi all!

Within the last two years, I've noticed that sometimes when I haven't met my carb goal or when I'm eating low carbs in general that my mood takes a serious hit. When I looked it up, there are some studies that show some relationship between low carbs and depression/lower moods.

Here's one: http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200404/low-carb-state-mind
This one references the psychology today article above, but also contains a bit more information: http://www.geneva-health.com/sciencehealth/lowcarb.html

My question is this: have other noticed this relationship in their own experience? If so, how are you handling this?

Replies

  • Romans624
    Romans624 Posts: 822
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    I actually feel better on low carbs. I'm less prone to cravings, and cravings can make me cranky. Sure I enjoy the endorphin rush of a slice (or 2 ) of turtle cheesecake... but that is not how I want to regulate my mood.

    I regulate my mood by being active, striving to be the best person I can, enjoying friends and family, and doing things I love.

    EDIT TO ADD - not eating enough (feeling hungry all the time), and hormonal changes can affect your mood too. And since food affects hormones...
  • firedragon064
    firedragon064 Posts: 1,090 Member
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    Low carb makes me cranky and alos can't have a long sleep
    so I'm not on low carb. Tho I did notice when I'm on low carb and eat high cal over 1500 cal it was bearable.
  • RayRay1500
    RayRay1500 Posts: 158 Member
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    I also feel better without the carbs. I noticed it right away! Carbs just make me feel yucky physically and mentally.
  • caraiselite
    caraiselite Posts: 2,631 Member
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    carbs are like a drug to most people. if you don't get your precious carbs, you will get *****y.

    stop eating carbs and in a week, you will feel loads better (just not mentally, bc the mental addiction will linger for a while)
  • lizziebeth1028
    lizziebeth1028 Posts: 3,602 Member
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    Eat more carbs.
  • casseyleinen
    casseyleinen Posts: 48
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    i'm trying to only eat less than 100 grams of carbs its very hard!! But im gettin there.
  • beachlover317
    beachlover317 Posts: 2,848 Member
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    I actually feel better on low carbs. I'm less prone to cravings, and cravings can make me cranky. Sure I enjoy the endorphin rush of a slice (or 2 ) of turtle cheesecake... but that is not how I want to regulate my mood.

    I regulate my mood by being active, striving to be the best person I can, enjoying friends and family, and doing things I love.

    EDIT TO ADD - not eating enough (feeling hungry all the time), and hormonal changes can affect your mood too. And since food affects hormones...

    Def. this. But now I want turtle cheesecake.....:sad:
  • Mbishop7684
    Mbishop7684 Posts: 171 Member
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    When I was on weight watchers I did a pretty much NO carb diet because I didn't want to use all my points in carbs. I suffered from what you described a lot and I was VERY tired. I am on a limited carb diet now and can absolutely tell a difference. Most days around 3p I need coffee, never needed it before the limited carbs, but I feel good and I don't go into that weird food induced coma without them.

    I would say, without having seen your diary, to maybe up your carbs a bit in a good way. Add in some whole grain carbohydrates and see how you feel.

    GOOD LUCK!
  • JeanKari
    JeanKari Posts: 4
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    Thanks, everyone!

    It seems that - just like the studies suggest - some people are more affected than others by low carb intake. For now, I think I'll really try to meet the carb goal as well as the calorie goal (that seems to be working for me) while monitoring my moods.

    No sense in dealing with moodiness if I can lose weight otherwise, right?

    Onward!. . .
  • meghanner
    meghanner Posts: 180 Member
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    I have a tendency to get really low and depressed when my carb levels get too low as well. I also have a hard time sleeping. I think there is a link between good carbs and serotonin levels.
  • graelwyn
    graelwyn Posts: 1,340 Member
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    Double edged sword for me. Too few carbs and my moods swing wildly and i become agitated and lethargic. But have too much or the wrong kind and i get hungrier and crave sugar.
  • HorseWithNoName27
    HorseWithNoName27 Posts: 188 Member
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    I did Medifast (a low carb, low-cal diet) for about six weeks and my mental state on it was terrible. I almost drove myself store crazy fantasizing about carbs, lol. Not bad ones either, just about anything...I couldn't even have fruit on that diet!! Now I eat about 100-150 carbs a day, most from fruit and veggies.

    Everyone is different...some do better on low-carb diets than others. Find what works for you! You sound like you need some more healthy carbs.
  • lyttlewon
    lyttlewon Posts: 1,118 Member
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    Thanks, everyone!

    It seems that - just like the studies suggest - some people are more affected than others by low carb intake. For now, I think I'll really try to meet the carb goal as well as the calorie goal (that seems to be working for me) while monitoring my moods.

    No sense in dealing with moodiness if I can lose weight otherwise, right?

    Onward!. . .

    In psychology we learned about nutrients and their affect on neurotransmitters. One example is that carbs increase insulin which increases tryptophan in your brain which allows you to produce more serotonin. You don't have to eat carbs to get this affect since an increase in insulin is possible in other ways. If you Google neurotransmitters and nutrients you will find tons of articles on how what you eat affects your brain. It is kind of complicated why one person might be affected differently, like some people experience serotonin reuptake. Sheesh it has been a long time since I have pulled that information out of the dregs of my brain. One of the things we talked about too was how effective exercise is as a treatment for brain illness.
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,554 Member
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    Thanks, everyone!

    It seems that - just like the studies suggest - some people are more affected than others by low carb intake. For now, I think I'll really try to meet the carb goal as well as the calorie goal (that seems to be working for me) while monitoring my moods.

    No sense in dealing with moodiness if I can lose weight otherwise, right?

    Onward!. . .

    Yes, I think it's going to be different for everyone, all you can do is experiment with a range of healthy food and see what makes YOU feel good.

    I eat plenty of carbs and have lost weight and am very healthy. Low carb just isn't necessary for me - and I find that I'm hungrier and crankier without them. Why do that to myself and everyone else when there is no need to?
  • maggiepz
    maggiepz Posts: 141 Member
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    I think that there's some people out there that react badly to carbs. I'm one of them.

    I developed metabolic syndrome, diabetes and a depression that meds couldn't help. I told my doctor that I was thinking that carbs were making me depressed. That I'd noticed I'd felt much worse after I ate them. he looked at me like I was crazy and said "carbs make people happy". He was a psychiatrist.

    I went on a low carb diet at the beginning on February and before the month was over I was off all meds and I've lost 40 pounds. I still have a lot of issues with my back and neck but I'm probably healthier than I've been in the last 20 years.
  • miam4nia
    miam4nia Posts: 137 Member
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    cutting down your carbs is going to make you a little cranky the two weeks (the amount of time it takes any habit to form), but after that, you will feel much better about it....in fact after a while of low carbing, eating carbs will make you feel not so well...

    but maybe you aren't eating enough carbs...? i tried eating 20 g of carbs or less and that made me VERY lethargic...now i know that works for some people, and that's fine! good on them! i wish i could do that...
    but what i found easier was eating 60-70 g carbs per day...now i don't try to reach that many carbs per day or anything, but it allows me to have pretty much whatever amount of lower carb veggies that i want...i don't get mad at myself anymore if i want a piece of fruit, and i generally have more energy.
    maybe try upping your carb intake by a little bit...enough to still be low carb, but enough to give you more variety in foods and less stress when worrying about eating a piece of fruit or more than a cup of spinach for the whole day.
  • shellyshelly63
    shellyshelly63 Posts: 1
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    Oh my gosh YES. I have tried on 2 separate occasions to go low carb and both times have had severe consequences to my mental and physical state. It is scary how addicted my mind and body are to carbohydrates. If I don't eat enough of them, i get very nauseous and extremely depressed, shaky, and agitated. It is literally a living hell. Right now I am attempting to eat under 200 grams total of carb a day as a result of a pre-diabetes forewarning from my doctor. I have been eating this way for 1 week and am going crazy, and simply depressed and practically starving for my sweet, sugary carbs. I'm trying to cut out the refined carbs. It isn't easy but I think one thing I did learn a couple years back was going too low carb, like 30 grams and under (Atkins) will NEVER work for me.
  • crepes_
    crepes_ Posts: 583 Member
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    I've been low carb for about 2 years for management of a medical condition. It helped alleviate so much of my depression, and I felt much more energized after cutting them out. However, it's not uncommon for people to feel down when first cutting them out, like your body is revolting at the horrible lack of pasta, haha!

    If you don't have a medical condition guiding your macro goals, you should just eat in the way that makes you feel best!

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