Low carbing = body's inability to process carbs

[Bond007]

I recently read (I’m not going to admit where I read it, so don’t ask) the following answer to a question about carb cycling:

“…You may have read about the dangers of staying on a low carb regime for an extended period of time. In fact, you shouldn’t stay on a low carb diet for more than three days. Beyond that your glycogen levels will be severely depleted, you will being losing your energy and your metabolism will slow down. Every fourth day, you simply switch to a high carb diet. This will have the effect of giving your entire system a boost – your energy levels will surge, your muscles will fill out and your metabolism gets a kick. Another advantage of this type of plan is that your body does not become an exclusive fat feeder. While the idea of your body gorging exclusively on your fat stores sounds appealing, it does have a down side. If you cut out carbs for too long, your body becomes inefficient at converting carbs into energy. Then, when you eventually come off your low carb diet, guess what’s going to happen? Yep – you’ll be resembling the Goodyear blimp in no time flat. But, if you have a high carb day every fourth day, your body fully retains it’s ability to convert carbs into glycogen.”

Yep, that’s what it said – typos and all.

So, here’s my question. Does your body really “forget” how to process carbs into glycogen when doing something like an Atkin’s-type diet?

[Adam Campbell]

I think that's crap. Your body is still processing carbs when you're in ketosis. It's just doing it at a reduced rate. Even in ketosis, your glycogen levels are 50 to 75 percent of normal, since gluconeogenesis is ramped up.

The fact is, your body is very efficient at adjusting to a given fuel service. Most people burn carbs as their primary fuel, so when they switch to a low-carb diet, they have to go through a metabolic shift. This shift is your body adjusting to fat as your primary fuel source, and it happens fairly rapidlly--a couple of days to a week. There's no reason to think it doesn't work the other way around.

The cycling stuff is interesting; I just think the reasons are faulty.

[RedLefty]

One time I went more than three days without passing gas (I was visiting my girlfriend's family). Did I worry that my body would forget how to process air?

I know it's a smart-a$$ comment, but I'm with Adam, the body is an amazing machine that won't "forget" how to process carbs in three days.

[Bond007]

I honestly thought it was crap. Thanks for validating my first instincts, guys!

As for the carb cycling concept, that seems to hold some water, pardon the pun.