Episode 103: What To Do When Increasing Carbohydrates Causes Fatigue




The Ancestral RDs Podcast show

Summary: Thanks for joining us for episode 103 of The Ancestral RDs podcast. If you want to keep up with our podcasts, subscribe in iTunes and never miss an episode! Remember, please send us your question if you'd like us to answer it on the show. Today we are answering the following question from a listener: “Another carb question (shocker!) but basically the opposite of everyone else's! What does it mean if increasing whole food carbs mostly from potatoes and sweet potatoes made my fatigue worse instead of better? Background: I'm a 36 old female with low progesterone, adrenal dysfunction, and hypothyroid, which I'm on Armour for. I'm 5’ 7” eating about 1,800 calories a day. I do light exercise three times a week, mostly 15 to 20 minutes of body weight exercises getting my heart rate up a little bit, but not too much, and I walk the dog every day for 30 to 45 minutes. I went from a carb/fat/protein macro ratio of about 28/40/32 to 40/25/35 to see if I could increase energy and felt awesome for about 48 hours and then crashed hard, like can't get out of bed hard. I tried more of a 40/30/30 approach and that didn't work either. I didn't make a huge change. It's not like I went from zero carbs to 300 grams a day. What do you think gives?” To clarify, I'm a 36 year old 5’7”, 133 to 135 pounds last time I checked. Also by light workout/body weight exercise I mean I get my heart rate up a little bit but I could still hold a conversation and take breaks when I start feeling too out of breath. Okay, that's it. Thanks for humoring me and I hope you can answer my question! You two are the bee’s knees.” Often fatigue can be a consequence of low carb dieting and adjusting macronutrient levels is usually what it takes to restore energy. But what happens if this strategy backfires and increasing your carbohydrate intake makes you more tired than before? Today we share insight into the reasons why adjusting macronutirient ratios to increase carbohydrates from whole food cause an increase in fatigue. Join us as we discuss why under eating is often an overlooked factor with wide ranging effects, the importance of varying carbohydrate sources, and why too much protein can make it hard to reach appropriate caloric intake. Here's what Laura and Kelsey will be discussing in this episode: The role that under eating plays in developing symptoms while adjusting macronutrient ratios The effect of under eating on the HPA axis and hormone secreting organs The reasons why increasing carbs while under eating can cause fatigue How switching to a higher carbohydrate diet from a calorie deficient low carb diet can affect cortisol regulation Common short term symptoms associated with the transition period when increasing caloric or carbohydrate intake The effect that a diet too high in protein has on appetite and ability to eat enough calories The importance of varying carbohydrate sources from whole foods when increasing carbs Why you may want to consider evaluating gut health when dealing with adrenal fatigue Links Discussed: This episode is sponsored by Maty's Healthy Products TRANSCRIPT: Kelsey: Hi everyone! Welcome to episode 103 of The Ancestral RDs podcast. I’m Kelsey Kinney and with me as always is my cohost Laura Schoenfeld. Laura: Hey everybody! Kelsey: We are Registered Dietitians with a passion for ancestral health, real food nutrition, and sharing evidence-based guidance that combines science with common sense. You can find me, Kelsey, at KelseyKinney.com, and Laura at LauraSchoenfeldRD.com. Over the next thirty to forty five minutes, we'll be answering your questions about health and nutrition and share our insights into solving your health challenges with practical tips and real food. Stick around till the end of the show when we'll be sharing updates about our businesses and personal lives. Laura: If you’re enjoying the show, subscribe on iTunes so that you never miss an episode.