It’s not all good news. Dr. Kumar points to a few downsides of carbohydrate restriction.
Long-Term Health Unknowns The fewer carbs you eat, the more protein and fat you’ll find yourself eating. For many people, that means more red meat, and many experts are worried that low-carb diets create heart health risks. Unfortunately, the science is still unsettled. “There’s not a ton of long-term research on low-carb diets in type 1,” says Kumar.
Sustainability Some people find low-carb diets a struggle to stick to. “It’s just a really small group of people that can adhere to these things for a long period practically speaking,” says Kumar. “There are people with type 1 that do really well on low-carb diets, but these are people that are choosing that and it works for their lifestyle,” she says.
Insulin Changes A low-carb diet can significantly change your insulin requirements. Navigating this change can be tricky, and, if done without care, could be dangerous. “There’s such a low margin for error,” says Kumar, “because the lower carbs that someone’s eating, it means the lower insulin doses they need, and small miscalculations can cause disproportionate low blood sugar.”
Age Kumar doesn’t think a low-carb diet is appropriate for children: “Restricting carbs isn’t considered safe in the pediatric type 1 population because of the risk of low blood sugar and, in the long-term, affecting growth and brain development.” Experts recommend only adopting this restricted diet in collaboration with a doctor who can provide enhanced monitoring of your child’s growth and health.
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