19
PHYSICIAN-PATIENT COMMUNICATION TOPICS
Dispelling Myths
‣
Myth: Low-carb nutritional
approaches are a fad.
Response: Over the past several
decades, many randomized
controlled trials, both short term
and long term (up to 2 years or
more), have demonstrated that a
low-carbohydrate eating pattern is
effective for weight loss, metabolic
improvement, and weight
maintenance.
‣
Myth: Low-carb is bad for your
heart.
Response: Carefully controlled
randomized trials have
demonstrated reduction in
cardiometabolic risk factors and
carotid intimal thickness.
‣
Myth: Low-carb is not sustainable
long-term.
Response: Reducing daily
carbohydrate intake has the
effect of decreasing appetite
and increasing satiation or sense
of fullness and corresponding
biomarkers. This effect assists
in long term maintenance.
Randomized trials typically show
that patients persist with low-
carbohydrate eating plans similarly
to comparison diets.
‣
Myth: Ketosis is dangerous.
Response: Restricting dietary
carbohydrates has been an
established treatment option
for children with hard-to-control
epilepsy since the 1920s and has
no proven deleterious effect on
cognitive function or health.
‣
Myth: Plant foods are reduced on a
low-carb program.
Response: Non-starchy vegetables
(green leafy, cruciferous, zucchini,
cucumber, celery, etc.) are the
foundational foods of a low-
carbohydrate eating pattern and
are nutrient dense with abundant
amounts of folate, potassium,
vitamins, and phytonutrients.
Proteins or fats can also be
obtained from vegetable sources
such as nuts, tofu, tempeh, olive oil,
avocado, and others.
‣
Myth: Ketone products and extra
fats are necessary to get into
nutritional ketosis.
Response: The most important
factor to attain nutritional ketosis
is to consume a small amount of
carbohydrate. Adding ketones or
fats or oils is not necessary.
‣
Myth: Low-carb eating patterns
negatively influence kidney function.
Response: This myth stems from
the confusion between low-carb
eating patterns and high-protein
eating patterns. Low-carb does
not necessarily mean high protein.
Further, for people without existing
kidney disease, and for those eating
to satiety, higher protein intake
does not appear to be related to
lower kidney function.
