Carbohydrate Intolerance

Question
Hi Dr.
I have been overweight all my life (I am 53) in spite of being very active and not eating a lot of calories-usually around 1500 a day.
The only times I have ben able to lose weight are when I 'low carbed'.
Excluding carbs, is tough, so I recently tried a low fat approach. After six months of low fat foods, low calories (still), and lots of cardio, I stepped on the scale to discover I had GAINED ten pounds!
I am now convinced I am 'carb sensitive. During this time I had a noticeable increase in physical symptoms, which were in order:
-bloating and general gastric distress including heartburn
-nausea, especially in the morning
-lack of zest for life, anxiety, mental issues
-cravings for alcohol and excessive drinking
-itching, hives on my armpits, and hair loss

These are all symptoms of carbohydrate sensitivity, and I think I am in the unlucky minority that has it the worst.
I have discussed this with my doctor, he is not convinced-I dont think he believes how little I eat and how much I exercise.
Anyway, I am going back to low carb/low glycemic.
Any thoughts on my situation would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much, and God Bless.

Answer
Hi Barry

Sorry to hear of your problem symptoms.

I think there are several paths of investigation open to you, and likely you will gain relief.

Your problem is not unfamiliar to me because I had much the same issues, although the alcohol part may be more from frustration or other issues.  But the difficulty losing weight, even with low caloric intake and good exercise, is all too familiar.

First, I think it might be helpful to be more specific in talking to your Doctor.  From what you say, I think it more appropriate to suggest that you might be "insulin resistant" and/or "glucose intolerant" rather than generically carbohydrate-intolerant. To explore this, your Dr. can have you take a simple "glucose tolerance test" to take some of the guesswork out of this area of speculation.

Also, be clear that "low carb" and "low glycemic" are NOT the same by any means.  The goal of "low-carb" diets is severe reduction of total carbohydrate consumption. Low glycemic diets focus upon the QUALITY of carbohydrates consumed, which should be taken in adequate amounts.

Truth is, all carbs are not equal by any means when it comes to carbohydrate metabolism.

I refer you to the list of low glycemic foods I have prepared to see what the "good" carbs are.  The website also has info on the very best and worst carb sources, as well as the basic concepts of the glycemic index and glycemic load.

The problem I experienced when going "low carb" (Atkins) was that the total calories I took in from fat were excessive and I gained weight.  With a proper, calorie-limited low glycemic diet you can lose weight and still eat a varied, balanced diet.

Let me know how you progress - best of luck

Bill  

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