Low Carb High Protein Diet

Question
Hello I'm a senior in high school who just turned 18 and I was wondering about some diets that i was looking at and your take on them.  I heard that a diet low in carbohydrates and high in protein can help with brain clarity and cognitive function while also having a weight-loss element to it.  This got me excited because have a lot of brain fog and have a hard time thinking clearly at times so I was wondering if this could help me.  But when i was researching more thoroughly some websites also said that carbohydrates are also essential in serotonin and that high carb diets can help your mood and cognitive function. also while not getting enough carbohydrates has been proven to lower testosterone levels so I was really confused on what diet i should go on for better cognitive function and brain clarity while maintaining normal testosterone levels.  

Thank you in advance.

Answer
Hello

I apologize for taking this long as I know that you were patiently waiting. You are going to find conflicting evidence for both. However, keep in mind that when carbs are discussed they are talking about fruit and vegetable carbs not junk carbs, which will never be part of any healthy diet program. When it comes to any of these diets that go to an extreme of one or an extreme of another, there is typically a short span that they work then taper off. The reason is that each person is individual and needs a good balance of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. I am not a fan of high protein or low carb in general.

I am not sure if you have reviewed the Paleo diet. You might want to consider reviewing that one. If it is one that you and your physician feel works for you, you can begin to tailor the correct mix and balance according to how you feel. For example, after a week, are you feeling more energy; do you feel better; do you feel stronger?  Further, these things change over time with aging and activity. Diet and exercise will always be a matter of knowing how you feel and what works to your benefit. That means that being in tune with your body (and not in denial) will help you to create a great program just for you.

As far as brain fog, one of the biggest reasons that I typically see for that is low consumption of water.

I wish you well and am so happy to see someone your age putting an emphasis on health.

Laura

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