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Why would it be hard on the back or elbows?
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With a low bar squat you are "arching" your thorasic vertebrae, which can cause a bit of discomfort if done over periods of time. Some people have more of a problem with it than others.
As far as the elbows go (and the shoulders for that matter) the low bar squat forces you to pull your arms back behind you pretty far. This can put a lot of stress on the biceps tendon and elbows. The benefit is that the bar is set quite a bit tighter. The drawback is that you can become more prone to tendinitis in the shoulders and elbows.
Half the reason so many low bar squatting powerlifters rotate in the use of safety bar squats, cambered bar squats, and buffalo bar squats is that these bars help keep stress off of the shoulder girdle. I have heard a lot of guys talking about how shoulder problems came from the squat more often than the bench press.
Lets face it, for guys who have the bench press to compete in, shoulder health is a big deal.
I think the decision has to be made on a person to person basis. Some people will have a harder time with the low bar squat than others.