Using carbohydrates as only calorie source
AnthonyX150X
Posts: 293 Member
I was thinking about a what if scenario about a person getting calories only from carbs in a caloric deficit.
So with no fat or protein to accompany the carbs, would the person lose more muscle than fat? Also, what are the side affects with a diet like this?
So with no fat or protein to accompany the carbs, would the person lose more muscle than fat? Also, what are the side affects with a diet like this?
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Replies
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Unhealthy5
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I guess that depends on how long they're doing this for. A couple of days? Probably no big deal for a healthy individual.
Extended period of time? Worst. Idea. Ever.
Well, maybe not ever, as the worst ever just may be The Biggest Loser, but hell no.
Considering fats and proteins are essential nutrients, a diet that didn't have any would lead one to serious health issues. And I'd wager that it wouldn't take too long to see those issues.3 -
You'd die.5
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The only way you could eat pure carbs would be to get a bag of sugar... that sound healthy??6
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You can live without Carbs you can't live without fat and protein. When I say "live" I'm not saying it would be a thriving life but technically protein and fat calories will be converted glycogen for later use as energy so possible. Not something I would want to do..2
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You'd probably start off by getting massive headaches.1
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Michael190lbs wrote: »You can live without Carbs you can't live without fat and protein. When I say "live" I'm not saying it would be a thriving life but technically protein and fat calories will be converted glycogen for later use as energy so possible. Not something I would want to do..
The body needs sugar, too.0 -
I eat almost entirely foods that are considered "carbs", but since all foods are some combination of the three macronutrients, the only way to get exclusively carbohydrate is to eat a synthetic or at least entirely refined diet.
If you actually did try out carbohydrate only nutrition for any length of time, you'd be in for a world of hurt. EFA deficiencies, Vit A,D,E, and K malabsorption, and kwashiorkor at least.
When you finally exhaust the amino acid pool (actually, sooner because of limiting AAs), your body would break down your muscle tissue, including cardiac muscle, which would cause heart failure. You may die of something else sooner, though.
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MissusMoon wrote: »The body needs sugar, too.
Sugars are the simplest forms of carbs. If you were on a 100% carb diet, not taking into account deficiencies in amino acids from protein and hormone imbalances from not getting enough fat, the body would break down the carbs into glucose for respiration like it does with most things you eat.
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Considering you'd be eating the only macro that's not essential to life.....you'll die eventually3
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MissusMoon wrote: »Michael190lbs wrote: »You can live without Carbs you can't live without fat and protein. When I say "live" I'm not saying it would be a thriving life but technically protein and fat calories will be converted glycogen for later use as energy so possible. Not something I would want to do..
The body needs sugar, too.
The body is awesome and can make The glucose it needs for the functions where it can't utilize fat metabolism instead--body makes sugar from protein (gluconeogenesis).2 -
The body requires protein and fat.
It does not need carbs.2 -
AnthonyX150X wrote: »Also, what are the side affects with a diet like this?
Death.8 -
Yeh I'm guessing it's not going to be good for you at all. Like above poster we can live without carbs but we need the others0
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It would be very hard to do that unless you were literally eating pure sugar. Even if you ate only fruit all day you'd get an okay amount of protein and fat0
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so i looked up a list of the highest carb foods and it looks like most peoples BEFORE lol https://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/foods-highest-in-carbohydrates.php1
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It depends on duration. Short term and a level of intake under your daily calorie requirements? You'd love weight, but your body would start to cannibalize itself for the essential amino acids it needs, so some of that weight would be muscle. Long term, You'd die as previously stated.0
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It depends on duration. Short term and a level of intake under your daily calorie requirements? You'd love weight, but your body would start to cannibalize itself for the essential amino acids it needs, so some of that weight would be muscle. Long term, You'd die as previously stated.
That's how zombies are made!!!! "cannibalize"0 -
Well you'd be living off of the one macro that isn't essential, and neglecting the two that are. So basically that would be asinine.1
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Google -Andrew Taylor Potato Diet- the Australian who's been eating potatoes only since January this year and has gone from 333 lbs to 250 lbs, down 83 lbs in 5 months! He's been getting routine blood tests and his doctor is very pleased with his results and tells him to keep going. His Youtube channel is 'spudfit' and he's been featured on several tv shows.
Potatoes are about 93% carbs. He eats any types of potatoes and doesn't add any oil but does add spices. He's exercising, which means he would be retaining muscle. He also did a DEXA scan recently and said he would get another after a few months to show the difference in muscle vs fat loss. I think he's doing very well and busting the myths surrounding carbs.2
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