Research
Micronutrients & recovery
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.
If you are on a low-carb diet, ensure you are getting enough micronutrients by eating low-carb vegetables (like leafy greens) or considering supplementation, especially for thiamine, folate, and magnesium.
ModerateSupportsMEDIUM confidence
Our systematic review found seven RCT... reporting rather consistent reductions in thiamine (vitamin B1), folate, vitamin C, magnesium, calcium, iron and iodine intakes.
Why this rating
Based on a systematic review of RCTs and non-controlled trials.
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
- 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.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
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