There are advantages and disadvantages in implementing a low carbohydrate intake. It is helpful for you to realize what they are in order to be able to use the strategy to your favor in achieving fat and weight loss permanently.

Advantages

-Low Carbohydrate High Protein Increases Metabolic Rate. Due to protein’s high thermic value, LC HP diets speeds up the body’s metabolism; its high thermic value of almost 30% makes protein less likely to be converted to body fat compared to other food type. Lower carbohydrate intake with the accompanying increase in protein ration raises an entire meal’s thermic value.

-Reduced Carbohydrates + Increased Protein Intake Regulates Insulin. Large amounts of carbohydrates results in the increase of insulin production. Therefore, the best way to regulate and manage the body’s insulin level is to restrict carbohydrate intake while increasing protein intake for a healthy fat loss program. Fats cause negligible insulin release while proteins cause only a minimal increase in insulin production.

-Lower Carbohydrate Intake Decreases Glycogen Levels and Forces the Body to use Fat for Fuel. Moderate to low carbohydrate intake considerably lowers the body’s glycogen levels resulting to better digestion and absorption of carbohydrates as glycogen for the muscles instead of being stored as fat.

-Lesser Carbohydrates + More Protein Reduces Water Retention. A low carbohydrate high protein diet decreases water retention resulting to better and improved muscle definition; this is the main reason fitness competitors favor the LC HP diet.

Disadvantages

-Impossible to Maintain. Restrictive carbohydrate diets almost always set you up for cravings resulting to diet failure which is why it is not recommended as a long term solution.

-Weight/Fat Gain Regression. Since it is almost impossible to maintain a low carbohydrate diet for extended periods of time, the probability of regression is very high. The lower you drop your carbohydrate intake, the more your body will bounce back to its original state the moment carbohydrates are re-introduced back into the diet.

-Lacks Essential Nutrients. It's not healthy to remove entire food groups from the Carbohydrate Protein Fat triad for a long period of time. The best way is to balance the ratios of each of the different food group in order to maximize the gain without sacrificing nutrients. Without the essential nutrients, you are going in the direction of future health problems or heart disease.

-Lowers Energy Levels. Although fat loss occurs at a fast rate due to restricted carbohydrate intake, energy levels and performance also drop dramatically if you cut down too much since carbohydrates are the body’s ideal energy source. 

-Very Low Carbohydrate Diet Weight Loss can be Deceiving. Believe it or not, very low carbohydrate diets can induce as much as 5 pounds weight loss weekly. Only 20% of this can be attributed to actual fat loss while 80% are water and muscle loss! When this happens, your nutrition program is not working to your advantage.

-Causes Irritability and Mood Swings. Since our brain and central nervous system depends almost exclusively on glucose, prolonged carbohydrate restriction can make an individual tired, weak, irritable, grouchy and moody for not reason at all.

-Induces Muscle Loss. Depletion of the body’s glycogen levels due to low carbohydrate intake often triggers gluconeogenesis – the burning of proteins for energy wherein muscle tissues are converted into the body’s much needed glucose. Enough carbohydrates in your diet ensures that muscles are not burned by the body for energy.