Low carb diet an immune system booster?

[Robert Z]

I am really starting to wonder. Most of the people I know these days are pretty healthy and active. One guy I know takes about 50 pills a day! But I am the only one on a low-carb diet, and I am the only one who NEVER gets sick. In the past, I normally got sick two or three times a year, with at least one major bout with fever and vomiting.. or at least severe aching, headaches, nausea, chills, etc. But I haven't been sick once since going low carb four years ago. I really can't believe I made it through another flu season without a bump. And twice now, the sb and I had been together a day or so before she got sick, but I never got it.

 

I do eat a lot of vegetables, and mostly the so-called super foods, so that could be the key. I take a multivitamin, 1300mg of flaxseed oil, 1000 mg of C, and about 5-7mg of iron each day, unless I happen to eat a lot of red meat, then I skip the iron. That's about it... and a daily dose of Metamucil mostly for the soluble fiber, but it makes mornings a breeze as well.

Edited July 11, 2014 by Robert Z

[Robert Z]

Then again, I can't logically dismiss the possible effect of having a wonderful sex life with a woman far too young and beautiful...[after over two years she still takes my breath away]. Beyond any doubt the psychological benefits are dramatic.

[leavesonautumn]

I'd say it's your second paragraph that proves your awesome immunity.

 

Personally, if I'm on a low carb diet I tend to get more headaches, feel tired, sleep a lot. My low carb diet includes berries only in the morning, yogurt, flax seeds, vegetables, chicken, salads, egg whites, etc.

 

I wonder if I included the Vit C, Iron, and Vit D if it would make a difference?

[Robert Z]

To the best of my knowledge, large doses of C have not been shown to have any benefit. But on an instinctive level I question that conclusion. Linus Pauling made a believer out of me I guess. One of the rare examples of me following my instincts rather than the current science. You pee most of it out but I still wonder if it can be beneficial if taken at critical times.

 

I think the iron is pretty easy to justify by the numbers [carefully count the mg of iron in your diet and check the charts] if you don't eat a lot of red meat. It can be tough to get enough iron without meat. But don't overdo it. Too much iron can be a huge problem.

 

I drink a fair amount of milk [my worst dietary weakness still] so with the multivitamin I probably get a good amount of D. Also, kale, spinach, broccoli, carrots... all high in all sorts of things. I eat a lot of natural peanut butter as well.

 

I don't know if its one thing or a combination of lifestyle changes that have made the difference, but after four years, I'm impressed. SOMETHING is working extremely well.

Edited July 11, 2014 by Robert Z

[Robert Z]

Personally, if I'm on a low carb diet I tend to get more headaches, feel tired, sleep a lot.

 

 

I started feeling lethargic during my workouts and determined that I was iron deficient since going low carb. I didn't have a blood test but it was easy to calculate based on a typical day of eating. Most people get a good percentage of their iron from iron-fortified breakfast cereals. Almost forgot to mention that, but that is key for people who don't eat breakfast cereals [low carb] and limit the amount of red meat. Before going on this diet, I probably got at least 10 mg of iron a day just from breakfast cereals. And we ate a lot of steak back then as well.

 

Low Iron

 

You may not notice the symptoms of anemia, because it develops slowly and the symptoms may be mild. In fact, you may not notice them until your anemia gets worse. As anemia gets worse, you may:

• Feel weak and tire out more easily.
  
• Feel dizzy.
  
• Be grumpy or cranky.
  
• Have headaches.
  
• Look very pale.
  
• Feel short of breath.
  
• Have trouble concentrating.
  

Iron Deficiency Anemia Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments

[leavesonautumn]

Thanks for the info Robert.

 

It also works differently for everyone. I can eat fruit and be fine but for example, my mom can eat fruit and instantly bloat. I can eat bread and instantly bloat where she can eat it and not feel any different. So, I stay away from breads/pasta (which hurts my soul because I'm Italian) just because it hurts my stomach and makes me bloat rather then for dieting purposes.

 

Natural peanut butter is the best. I make a smoothie with peanut butter, unsweetened almond milk, half a banana and a serving of protein powder. Beautiful taste of pure peanut butter yum.

 

When I was taking multivitamins I did get sick a lot less and actually when I did get sick, I didn't feel like I was dying. It felt like I had enough energy to make it through the day at work. My main issue is probably lack of iron.

 

I also drink more water than necessary and about 3 or 4 cups of tea a day (I like it unsweetened and no milk/cream). It feels like all I do is drink water .

[leavesonautumn]

It's funny because my iron levels have always been pretty average from every test I've ever had done but I wouldn't mind just taking it in my own hands and upping my iron intake.

[Quiet Storm]

I eat low carb, too, and I can't remember the last time I had a cold, the flu or a stomach virus, etc.

[Grumpybutfun]

Steaks are a staple here, but I also get iron through tons of spinach. My wife makes soups, salads, side items, stir fry and even dessert with it and kale. Up those in your diet for anemia and see if that helps. I've been low carb for five years and I'm in the best physical and health shape of my life.

G

[thefooloftheyear]

Ill buck the trend here, just a little bit....

 

I was doing low carb for some time, and while it worked for ridding a bit of excess pounds, I didnt feel right...Mostly my workout strength and endurance suffered..

 

I first thought it might have been something else. I had all kinds of tests done, everything fine..I dont carry very much bodyfat(around 14 % at the worst-usually around 11/12%)..

 

Out of the curiosity, I tried to introduce a bit more complex carbs into my diet...Almost immediately I felt better, my strength skyrocketed and I even slept better...Id say I gained an extra pound or two, but well worth it...

 

I usually tell people to not goo too nuts on low carb..especially if you have a very active lifestyle..I think it wiull hold you back...

 

Immune system boost from low carb? Im no expert, but id be skeptical of those claims...I think basic immune system health is more tied to your overall lifestyle, genetics, stress management and those factors...

 

As always, your mileage may vary...

 

TFY

[Smilecharmer]

Ill buck the trend here, just a little bit....

 

I was doing low carb for some time, and while it worked for ridding a bit of excess pounds, I didnt feel right...Mostly my workout strength and endurance suffered..

 

I first thought it might have been something else. I had all kinds of tests done, everything fine..I dont carry very much bodyfat(around 14 % at the worst-usually around 11/12%)..

 

Out of the curiosity, I tried to introduce a bit more complex carbs into my diet...Almost immediately I felt better, my strength skyrocketed and I even slept better...Id say I gained an extra pound or two, but well worth it...

 

I usually tell people to not goo too nuts on low carb..especially if you have a very active lifestyle..I think it wiull hold you back...

 

Immune system boost from low carb? Im no expert, but id be skeptical of those claims...I think basic immune system health is more tied to your overall lifestyle, genetics, stress management and those factors...

 

As always, your mileage may vary...

 

TFY

 

I'm with you. After my last baby, i gained more weight than with my first baby so I tried a low carb nutrition plan and felt off and sickly, getting colds and headaches so I gradually upped my carbs and I felt much better.

[PogoStick]

Classic correlation fallacy.

 

If you're a man and don't have verified low hemoglobin and hematocrit then you should not be supplementing iron at all! Iron is toxic to the heart.

 

I would guess that high intake of fruits and veggies have the most profound effect on immune function; and that carb intake would be one of the least important factors.

[Quiet Storm]

I still eat some carbs, just very limited flour & sugar. I eat lots of veggies & some fruits to get my carbs in. I also eat a lot of steak & chicken.

 

It doesn't drain my energy. I do lots of squats, lunges, planks & arm weights to keep my body tight. My cardio is just walking the dogs... I've always hated running & getting all sweaty, so I've never been much of a cardio person.

 

I've eaten low carb for almost nine years now, since I stopped nursing the last baby. I allow myself to eat whatever I want on holidays, birthdays and vacations. It's really worked to keep me in shape & I haven't had any health or energy issues from it.

[ASG]

I eat plenty of carbs (all about the pizza, baby!!!) and not enough veggies, but I've always been very healthy.

 

Sure, I get a cold or two during winter, but nothing more than a bit of snot for 2/3 days. Last time I had the flu was over 5 years ago!

A few weeks ago I was with my FWB and he was ill. I didn't even get sniffles...

 

I don't think low carb has anything to do with it...

[Robert Z]

Classic correlation fallacy.

 

 

How did you reach that conclusion based on no evidence? Talk about a fallacy!!! I said I am starting to wonder. I didn't state it as a fact. I also said it is probably due to the large amounts of vegetables that I eat.

 

]If you're a man and don't have verified low hemoglobin and hematocrit then you should not be supplementing iron at all! Iron is toxic to the heart.

 

 

There is an RDA of iron. It doesn't take rocket science to count. And I was getting more than I take now from breakfast cereals alone. Have you heard of people overdosing on iron from breakfast cereal?

 

I don't eat fruit.

 

Here is the fallacy: You can replace meat and breakfast cereal with vegetables and get your iron. Do the math and I dare you to try to eat that many vegetables every day. Legumes are common sources of iron but those are verboten on a low carb diet as well.

Edited July 11, 2014 by Robert Z

[Robert Z]

I don't think low carb has anything to do with it...

 

 

This is not a logical evaluation. The key is that I used to get sick a fair amount - twice a year like clockwork - and now I don't at all. You may just have a naturally strong immune system. However, I saw a radical change in my health when I went on this diet.

[Robert Z]

Ill buck the trend here, just a little bit....

 

I was doing low carb for some time, and while it worked for ridding a bit of excess pounds, I didnt feel right...Mostly my workout strength and endurance suffered..

 

I first thought it might have been something else. I had all kinds of tests done, everything fine..I dont carry very much bodyfat(around 14 % at the worst-usually around 11/12%)..

 

Out of the curiosity, I tried to introduce a bit more complex carbs into my diet...Almost immediately I felt better, my strength skyrocketed and I even slept better...Id say I gained an extra pound or two, but well worth it...

 

I usually tell people to not goo too nuts on low carb..especially if you have a very active lifestyle..I think it wiull hold you back...

 

Immune system boost from low carb? Im no expert, but id be skeptical of those claims...I think basic immune system health is more tied to your overall lifestyle, genetics, stress management and those factors...

 

As always, your mileage may vary...

 

TFY

 

I completely agree in that it is tricky to go low carb and engage in rigorous exercise. Carbs are great for quick energy so they serve a very useful function. The trick here for me [blood sugar issues] was to get most of the carbs I do just before working out, and to get them from foods with a very low glycemic index.

 

But it is also true that you have to make the conversion to living in a state of ketosis first. Just going low carb doesn't work. You need to be ketogenic in order to make effective use of the fat in your diet. I was in hard ketosis for several months, several times, before finally backing off to the fringes of ketosis as a maintenance program. And this is not for the half-hearted. You have to be diligent and very careful or you can do yourself harm. Ketosis can be dangerous.

 

We don't fully understand the mechanism for energy while in ketosis. It is all hotly debated but some athletes swear that low carb can work even for Olympians.

 

Even the question of how the brain got energy without glucose was a mystery for a long time. But eventually it was found that acetyl-CoA [a byproduct of ketosis] can pass through the blood-brain barrier and serve as an energy source... IIRC

Edited July 11, 2014 by Robert Z

[Robert Z]

Given that most of the human race has been ketogenic for most of human history - up to the last 5000 years or so - it has been argued that ketosis is actually the natural metabolic state for humans. High carb diets are only possible because of modern agriculture. So before that our diets were mostly fat and protein.

 

It doesn't seem likely that we evolved with a metabolic state that couldn't produce high levels of energy... say for example, to run down dinner. So I would expect that it will eventually all make sense. But we are somewhat blind because all of modern medicine has been based on relatively high-carb diet metabolisms.

Edited July 11, 2014 by Robert Z

[ASG]

This is not a logical evaluation. The key is that I used to get sick a fair amount - twice a year like clockwork - and now I don't at all. You may just have a naturally strong immune system. However, I saw a radical change in my health when I went on this diet.

 

You're also working out more and are happier. I have always found that people who aren't happy tend to become ill more often (this isn't scientific, of course, just an observation)

 

My point is only that I doubt it is linked the the low carb diet in particular.

I was never a sickly person, this is true, but I just don't think eating carbs (or not eating them) has any influence in health, apart from weight.

 

I think all those changes in your life contributed to a stronger immune system, but not just the one thing.

[PogoStick]

You're incredibly defensive Robert. Why post on a forum for other's feedback when you clearly have no intention of considering their input?

[PogoStick]

Given that most of the human race has been ketogenic for most of human history - up to the last 5000 years or so - it has been argued that ketosis is actually the natural metabolic state for humans. High carb diets are only possible because of modern agriculture. So before that our diets were mostly fat and protein.

 

Original researchers into the Paleo diet estimate carb intake in the range of 20-40% of calories, putting ancient humans no where close to ketogenic.

 

Humans have had fire for a million years, meaning foods like tubers (potatoes) have been consumed for a long time. Humans wouldn't have passed up the low hanging fruit (food that doesn't try to run away) such has bananas and squash, all high carb food.