Low Carb Diet Lifespan Study Warns Against Restriction

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If you’re currently struggling through a restrictive low-carb diet with the intention of shedding a few pounds (or going keto because it’s the trendy thing to do), science wants you to stop what you’re doing right this second. According to new research published in The Lancet, following a low-carb diet in the long term could ultimately shorten your lifespan as opposed to boosting your immediate health and longevity.

The large-scale study was broken down into two parts. The first part observed the dietary habits (and health results) of more than 15,400 people between the ages of 45 and 64 over the course of 25 years. Each participant completed a dietary survey at the beginning and end of the study period so the researchers could analyze the potential links between overall carbohydrate consumption and mortality from any cause. The second part of the study included a meta-analysis of cohort studies that tracked more than 430,000 people across the world.

The researchers found that folks who limited their carb intake to less than 40 percent of their total food consumption or overdid it at a rate of more than 70 percent of their total food consumption lived shorter lives than those who took the middle-of-the-road approach. In fact, the participants who had 50 to 55 percent of their daily energy needs met by carbohydrates lived an average of four years longer than the people who were limiting their carb intake.

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It also made a clear difference if study participants following a low-carb diet upped their fat and protein intake with animal sources or plant sources. Unsurprisingly, the folks who preferred avocados over bacon fared better when it came to their mortality risk.

“Our data suggest that animal-based low-carbohydrate diets, which are prevalent in North America and Europe, might be associated with shorter overall lifespan and should be discouraged,” lead study author Dr. Sara Seidelmann said in a statement. “Instead, if one chooses to follow a low-carbohydrate diet, then exchanging carbohydrates for more plant-based fats and proteins might actually promote healthy aging in the long-term.”

Previous research has suggested that low-carb diets, in a short-term fashion, do help people lose excess weight and improve their metabolic health. But this is the first large-scale study to observe the long-term impacts of maintaining this diet over extended periods of time. And after reading through the results, it’s pretty clear that once you see the short-term health benefits you’re seeking with a low-carb diet, it’s best to adjust course a bit to include more healthy grains and starchy vegetables into your day.

Dare we say that that boring word — moderation — is the key to dieting success after all? What a concept…

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