Research
Macro partitioning
Long-term adherence to low-carbohydrate diets, particularly those high in saturated fats, is associated with increased LDL-cholesterol, increased cardiovascular disease risk, and increased mortality.
If you choose a low-carb diet, prioritize unsaturated fats (like olive oil, nuts, fish) over saturated fats (like red meat, butter) to protect your heart health and avoid raising LDL-cholesterol.
ModerateSupportsMEDIUM confidence
Long-term evidence also links the LCD pattern to increased CVD risks and mortality. LCD can lead to... increased LDL-cholesterol, depending on food selection to replace carbohydrates.
Why this rating
Based on cohort studies and RCTs showing LDL increases, but long-term mortality data is observational.
Source
Low and reduced carbohydrate diets: challenges and opportunities for type 2 diabetes management and prevention
Chaitong Churuangsuk et al. · Proceedings of The Nutrition Society · 2020
DOI 10.1017/s0029665120000105
narrative_reviewCited 28×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Low-carbohydrate diets can lead to micronutrient deficiencies, including thiamine, folate, vitamin C, magnesium, calcium, iron, and iodine, due to the avoidance of whole grains, fruits, and starchy vegetables.Moderate
- Low-carbohydrate diets (LCD) do not provide superior weight loss or glycemic control compared to low-fat diets (LFD) in the medium-to-long term; observed benefits are primarily driven by weight loss rather than carbohydrate restriction itself.Limited
Related findings · Macro partitioning
- Total daily protein intake of 1.6 g/kg/day is sufficient for maximizing resistance training-induced muscle gains, with an upper confidence interval of 2.2 g/kg/day.Strong
- Resistance exercise training combined with sufficient dietary protein intake acts synergistically to maximize skeletal muscle hypertrophy, with protein intake saturating around 1.6 g/kg/day for general populations and potentially requiring 2.0-2.2 g/kg/day for resistance-trained individuals.Strong
- Trans fats should be completely eliminated from the diet, as they increase LDL cholesterol, decrease HDL cholesterol, and are directly associated with increased coronary risk.Strong
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