Keto / Low Carb and Cognitive Functioning

[Professor-Yaffle]

I was reading a story about a woman who improved her memory by following a low carb diet. The research on this subject seems mixed.

When I eat very low carb (as opposed to moderately low carb) I swear I have easier access to my subconscious. I also have a lot more memories from many many years ago pop into my head, triggered by songs or objects I encounter as I go about my daily business. Sometimes it's interesting but sometimes it can be disconcerting.

What are your experiences of how eating low carb changes different aspects of your cognitive functioning for the better or the worse? Concentration, reasoning, problem solving etc. ?

[Subtle_badger]

I've heard that, but haven't noticed it myself.

Oh, except mood. I used to get the hangrys a lot. When I told my friend I was trying fasting (I had to, as we often had morning coffee and cake together, so she would notice), she responded with something slightly bitchy and defensive, and I burst into tears! I was very fragile, as I hadn't had any breakfast. That has long gone.

[Professor-Yaffle in reply to Subtle_badger]

What kind of impact does fasting have on your mood these days Subtle_badger.

[Subtle_badger in reply to Professor-Yaffle]

Fasting has no noticeable effect on me now. In any way. Well, except my last long fast, when 50+ hours into it, I skipped a night's sleep to go cycling. I "bonked" or something, whether it was low blood sugar, or I ran out of ketones, I don't know, but cheese and chorizo fixed it.

[Professor-Yaffle in reply to Subtle_badger]

Cheese and chorizo - an excellent cure all. 🤤

[MTCee]

It’s a while since I switched to low carb eating, but I remember my thoughts feeling noticeably speedier and clearer in the beginning. It’s my normal way of functioning now I suppose. The only time I get sluggish and brain foggy now is if I accidentally get glutened.

[Professor-Yaffle in reply to MTCee]

Excellent that clear and crisp functioning is your default now 👍

My last holiday I ate quite a few high carb things, the first few days it made me so sluggish I found I needed little naps in the daytime.

[Professor-Yaffle in reply to Professor-Yaffle]

Luckily I was lazing at the beach so the napping was possible. I was quite relieved to get back to my usual diet upon returning home.

[MTCee in reply to Professor-Yaffle]

Any high carb food, whether it be organic, gluten free, whole food, unrefined or whatever now feels like eating junk food. It makes me feel overfull, sluggish and out of kilter......as if my body is telling me it’s just not good for me.

[Cosmo501]

I have cycled a bit between low carb and higher carb a few times, and I can definitely notice the difference. My brain is just foggy when I'm on higher carbs (e.g. eating wholemeal bread, jacket potatoes, brown rice, the odd slice of pizza). Initially, when I switch back to very low carb again, I feel like my head is buzzing day and night for a week or so. It settles down after that and I just feel alert... day and night 😖and dreams are more accessible when I wake. I normally do have frequent memory associations triggered through sounds/smells, including very early memories, but I hadn't noticed or thought about whether they increase when I'm consistently low carb.It's a very interesting idea for research though. I remember something back in my 20's, I had been quite under-weight for a few years, then began a new long term relationship where my partner controlled the kitchen, and all the meals were very carb heavy. Basically pasta pasta pasta, a million different ('healthy') ways. What this had reminded me of was that it coincided with me having a strong awareness that my brain was nowhere near as sharp as it had been. I remember going to speak to one of my tutors about it... who was just reassuring and put it down to stress. But for me, looking back, it seems such a coincidence that my epic weight-increase and brain fog started at that point, and only improving when I adjusted to low carb over the last 2 years!

I wonder what damage I did to my brain, eating a high carb diet all those years. I really thought I was being 'healthy'.

--- after pondering this a bit more before hitting the 'reply' button, I realise that analytical thinking is definitely better, but I wouldn't know whether to associate that with low carb or the associated weight-loss, or with the improved sleep/emotional well-being due to low carb/weight-loss!

[Professor-Yaffle in reply to Cosmo501]

"Initially, when I switch back to very low carb again, I feel like my head is buzzing day and night for a week or so. It settles down after that and I just feel alert... day and night 😖and dreams are more accessible when I wake."

I can really relate to this!

I also sleep soooooo much better without carby food in my diet.... and your right, it's hard to unpick whether it's better sleep quality or lack of carbs that impacts cognitive functions.....

I think the lockdowns and the pandemic generally have also impacted the accessibility of my dreams and memories.

[Hidden]

I can't quantify it in terms of better memory or whatever, but when I first when low-carb my brain lit up. It was quite dramatic not just a slight feeling. Was it brain fog caused by carbs/sugar lifting? Pass.

[Professor-Yaffle in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for sharing. Seems lots of people experience something similar 💡

[Hidden]

"The lifting of fog/clearer thinking that people are describing is, to me, going from that state of hyperinsulinaemia to experiencing how we are designed to function."

That's what it felt like to me.

There was an initial rush / clearing of fog which was amazing and great. But I do generally feel clearer still after 3 years, or at least not so foggy at times. It's hard to measure because I can't quantify how I was before or after.

It has to be good for the brain it seems to me.

[Professor-Yaffle]

Dear StillConcerned

Thank you for your thoughts. Sounds like you have found a balance that works well for you.

Good point about resistance to change. I think resistance to change impacts so many aspects of society and shuts down so many interesting and worthy debates. We are so keen to continue to exist within perceived "norms" that have often been constructed by quite unscrupulous organisations.

[Pigivi]

The first time I did a very low carb (or better, it was pure keto with a lot of IF) I managed to give all the correct answers during a pub quiz - it had never happened before (nor since 😅) A lot of the questions were about books I read in my far past youth i felt like I had the key to a super safely locked memory bank!

[Professor-Yaffle in reply to Pigivi]

Thanks for your thoughts Pigivi. Congrats on the pub quiz too 😂