What really happens to your body when you stop eating carbs

Many people think that the Atkins Diet marked the beginning of the low-carb diet craze, but that's simply not true. In 1862, an obese undertaker named William Banting, tired of experiencing hearing problems, sought the advice of an ENT named Dr. Harvey. Harvey told Banting his problem wasn't in the ears, but rather, in the fat pressing on his inner ear.


He put Banting on a diet of meat, vegetables, wine and fish only — no starch or sugar (except for the wine). Banting lost weight, and his hearing problem disappeared. Over the years, many studies and many low-carb diets were tested. In most cases, subjects lost weight. That could be why, today, low-carb, high fat diets are still a thing. But are they safe? What happens to your body when you deprive it of carbs?

You do lose weight

Critics of the low-carb diet will say most of the weight lost is water weight. They're right. But, as former endurance athlete and Olympian Mark Sisson points out, that might not be such a bad thing. He says, "Retained water can amount to 10, 20 or more pounds depending on how large the person is." Since diets high in sodium and insulin-promoters (like refined carbs) force the body to store water inside and in between cells, the body doesn't really need it. So, when you cut out carbs, your body gets rid of it, resulting in weight loss.

Keep in mind, however, that Sisson promotes the Primal Diet, one that encourages people to eat enough carbs to provide enough glucose for brain function and some anaerobic exercise. His point? Depending on how active you are, you may need to consume more carbs. A caveat here – no self-respecting nutritionist or dietitian (or former endurance athlete/nutrition guru) will tell you it's OK to eat refined carbohydrates. When these diets tell you to limit carbs, they mean all carbs – including those that come from vegetables and whole grains. So it's important to think about that when you look at what other changes occur in your body when you stop eating carbs.

You burn fat

Low-carb diets do help the body burn fat, which is definitely something you want in a diet. Lori Shemek, PhD and best-selling author, says "Healthy fat turns on genes involved in fat-burning, while turning off genes that promote fat storage."

Abel James, fitness and nutrition coach, author and host, explains that severely limiting or cutting out carbs completely puts the body into a state of ketosis. In ketosis, small fragments of carbon called ketones are released into the blood because the body is burning fat, instead of carbohydrates. These ketones occur because the body is out of glucose. In a study of the long-term effects of ketosis in patients who are obese, researchers found that a 24-week ketogenic diet (that is, low-carb, high fat), resulted in not only a reduction in weight, but other health benefits as well. And, multiple studies have shown that this type of diet also helps reduce the amount of seizures people with epilepsy experience. Since the body can rely on ketones, rather than glucose, for brain function and other body energy needs, a strong case is made for low-carb diets that keep the body in a state of ketosis.

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