Does Low-Carb Induce Binge Eating?

Psychiatrist claims low-carb causes people to "binge like crazy"

Now here's a new one for you.

A psychiatrist who specializes in eating disorders told Edmonton Journal health writer Susan Ruttan in a recent interview that livin' la vida low-carb actually may be one of the root causes for many people who suffer from binge eating disorders.

Dr. Lara Ostolosky, who works directly with anorexic and bulimic patients at the Eating Disorders Clinic at the University of Alberta Hospital, said low-carb diets are a trendy way to lose weight among people with eating disorders, but they have dangerous consequences to their health.

She warns her patients and others that eating carbohydrates is absolutely essential for life because your body needs the glucose in the carbs you eat to produce fuel for the brain to function as it should.

I have a word for that, Dr. Ostolosky -- WRONG-O! Had you been paying attention in that metabolism class you undoubtedly had to take in college, then you would already know about the amazing process known as gluconeogenesis which enables the body to produce its own carbs without ever consuming a single carbohydrate.

Why would Dr. Ostolosky conveniently neglect to mention something that is so obvious? Oh, that's right, she was hoping people weren't educated enough to know this little factoid of information. Sorry to burst your bubble, Dr. Ostolosky, but your scam has been exposed for everyone to see now. YOU DON'T NEED CARBS TO FUEL YOUR BRAIN! That's a conniving argument meant to deceive those who may not know about gluconeogenesis. Well, they know now!

Continuing on with her tirade against low-carb, Dr. Ostolosky said eating disorder patients who don't eat enough glucose (carbs) from the foods they consume will actually lose their ability to feel satisfied and so "they binge like crazy."

“It’s a nightmare,” she said. “That’s what creates the whole yo-yo dieting.”

Perhaps I'm missing something here, but doesn't eating low-carb, high-protein food actually burn more fat and make you feel fuller longer so you don't feel the need to binge from ravenous hunger generally associated with high-carb, low-fat diets? Why would low-carb dieters "binge like crazy" when the low-carb lifestyle allows them to eat satisfying and delicious foods anytime they are hungry? That doesn't make a lick of sense to me, Dr. Ostolosky!

At the clinic she works, Dr. Ostolosky puts her patients on a daily diet consisting of an astronomically high 55-60 percent carbs, a relatively low 25-30 percent fat, and a measly 10-15 percent protein ratio (in other words, they are on the Standard American Diet, or SAD). It's sad indeed.

No wonder these people are binge eating! Their blood sugar spikes are off the charts eating that many carbs in a day while restricting the essential and healthy fats their bodies need to function properly. Plus, the lack of protein makes satiety virtually nonexistent, so these patients are CONSTANTLY hungry. AND THIS IS SUPPOSED TO HELP THEM OVERCOME THEIR EATING DISORDER?! I'm not a doctor, but that just doesn't seem to make sense to me.

Of course, Dr. Ostolosky thinks low-carb is the problem because when she first started working with eating disorder patients a few years back, every single patient with a binge-eating problem had been on the Atkins or other low-carb diet at some point. Yeah, who wasn't on what they thought was "low-carb" when it was all the rage several years ago? But most never read the book and ended up like the friend of this health professor.

In the end, Dr. Ostolosky concluded that low-carb "fosters abnormal eating."

Abnormal, huh? Hmm, does eating eggs and cheese for breakfast sound "abnormal," Dr. Ostolosky? How about a mid-morning snack of almonds? Of course, then there's the "abnormal" lunch of a turkey and cheese wrap with a side salad and then another "abnormal" post-workout afternoon snack of a protein bar or sugar-free chocolate bar. When suppertime rolls around, I suppose Dr. Ostolosky thinks my grilled chicken, mashed cauliflower, and green beans meal is too "abnormal" an eating pattern as well and God forbid I eat any blueberries or strawberries with whipped cream for dessert!

If ever there was a MORE "normal" way to eat in this world, I have yet to see it and have it still keep my weight under control. What is truly "abnormal" are all those disgusting "low-fat" foods concoctions on supermarket shelves today loaded with so much sugar and salt just to cover up their nasty flavor! Yikes, talk about eating "abnormal." NO THANKS! I'll keep on livin' la vida low-carb and enjoying the literal buffet of delicious and nutritious choices that I can enjoy on this healthy lifestyle.

I tried to find a way to contact Dr. Lara Ostolosky directly, but was unsuccessful. But you can send your feedback about what she said in her interview with the Edmonton Journal regarding low-carb diets to the health writer who wrote this story named Susan Ruttan. Her e-mail address is sruttan@thejournal.canwest.com. Encourage Ruttan to pass along your comments for Dr. Ostolosky to read.