Could low-carb diets help prevent coronavirus complications?

An article published in a medical journal suggested that a low-carb diet could improve metabolic health and reduce the risk of coronavirus complications. But experts say avoiding processed foods is more important for metabolic health.

A low-carb diet is a diet that restricts carbohydrates and emphasizes foods high in protein and fat. @Shutterstock

As coronavirus pandemic gets worse in many countries across the globe, researchers are leaving no stone unturned to find potential solutions to fight the disease. As many as 150 potential COVID-19 vaccine candidates are being developed around the world, out of which 15 vaccines are said to be tested on human volunteers. Several existing drugs used for the treatment of other ailments have also shown promising results against COVID-19, including remdesisvir, arthritis drug tocilizumab, and psoriasis injection itolizumab. These drugs are being approved in many countries for the treatment of severe coronavirus patients under restricted conditions. Meanwhile, some health experts claim that changing the diet or eating certain foods can help prevent viral disease and reduce its complications.

An article published in the BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine suggested that a low-carb diet could improve metabolic health and reduce the risk of coronavirus complications. Current data shows that people with underlying conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and obesity are at higher risk of developing more severe cases of COVID-19. The author of the new article, Maryanne Demasi a health science journalist with a PhD in rheumatology said that eating low-carb diets can help control blood sugar and improve metabolic health. This would in turn protect against dangerous complications from coronavirus.

But some experts don't agree with Demasi. While previous research has shown that low-carb diets can help with both weight loss and blood sugar control, there's no evidence that says restricting carbohydrates can protect against coronavirus, they said.

Low carb isn't a quick fix for COVID-19 complications

Until a vaccine is available, our immune system remains the key player in the fight against the novel coronavirus. A healthy diet whether it's low carb, Mediterranean, or DASH can support a healthy immune system, but no specific diet has been found effective in fixing the health problems linked to worse COVID-19 in the short term. So the experts suggest that we shouldn't restrict carbs during the pandemic unless a doctor advises against it.

However, they noted that eating a balanced diet that provides major nutrients required by our body is crucial for overall health, and do play some role in preventing disease and complications.

Avoiding processed foods is key to metabolic health

A low-carb diet is a diet that restricts carbohydrates such as those found in sugary foods, grains, pasta and bread and emphasizes foods high in protein and fat.

Several studies have linked processed foods, highly refined grains, and added sugars to health issues such as hyperinsulinea, excessive weight gain, and metabolic syndrome. Following a low-carb diet may help to a certain extent in preventing these health issues, but cutting out processed foods from your diet is the most significant change you can make to improve your metabolic health, said the experts.

As energy-dense, nutrient-poor processed foods are hyper-palatable, they can make people eat more. So, processed foods should be avoided during any time of the year. If you have excluded the processed foods, it makes little difference whether you stick to a low-carb or a low-fat diet since both can be equally effective for maintaining a healthy weight and metabolism the experts noted.

They also added that a few weeks of cutting carbs won't fix the underlying conditions like obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and metabolic syndrome. It can take months to a year to see significant diet-related changes to health.