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Abruptly restricting carbohydrates in your diet can be dangerous
Last reviewed: 02.07.2025
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Low-carb diets increase the risk of premature death, scientists say.
The first thing that comes to mind for a person who wants to lose weight is limiting or even eliminating carbohydrates. There is logic in this, because quickly released energy forces the body to make fat reserves, the excess of which over time disrupts a number of metabolic processes.
Nutritionists can offer several low-carb diet options to choose from. It is assumed that the main goal of such diets is to force the body to burn calories rather than accumulate them.
However, as representatives of the European Society of Cardiology claim, low-carbohydrate diets may actually be dangerous in the long term. For several years now, doctors have been considering various dietary projects that question the benefits of long-term carbohydrate restriction. The same issue was raised at the regular conference of the society by specialists from the University of Lodz.
Scientists studied a number of statistical facts obtained during an extensive medical project that lasted in the United States for eleven years. Researchers observed almost 25,000 patients in the average age category of 40-50 years: data on diseases of these people, dietary habits, and causes of death were recorded, first of all.
The results showed that those patients who followed a low-carbohydrate diet had a higher chance of dying over six years (about 32%), compared to those who preferred a high-carbohydrate diet. The probability of death from cardiovascular diseases or oncology was 50% and 35%, respectively. The researchers also clarified the following nuance: when comparing mortality among patients with excess and normal weight, those who died more often on a low-carbohydrate diet were those whose weight was within the normal range.
Similar results were obtained when conducting an indirect analysis of third-party projects that were conducted on the same topic: the statistics of such works covered more than half a million people, and they were monitored for 15-16 years.
As a result, such an analysis demonstrated that a low-carbohydrate diet increases the risk of premature death by 15% (in particular, death from cardiovascular problems by 13%, and from cancer by 8%).
Scientists explain that eating a small amount of carbohydrates can have a positive effect on metabolic processes, the quality of the pancreas, and blood pressure, but only if the above problems exist and for a limited period of time. It is not advisable to constantly follow such dietary restrictions for weight control purposes. Of course, giving up sweets and white baked goods is one thing. And giving up complex carbohydrates: cereals, pasta, and hard wheat varieties is quite another. People should prioritize healthy and balanced nutrition, rather than simply eliminating carbohydrates.
For more information on the above, please visit https://www.escardio.org/The-ESC/Press-Office/Press-releases/Low-carbohydrate-diets-are-unsafe-and-should-be-avoided
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