Toward Health logo
SIGN UP

Starting Low Carb Safely: Medications, Lab Changes, and Side Effects

By Published Medically reviewed by Dr. Laura Buchanan, MDReviewed

VIDEO LESSON · 23 MINUTES

Dr. Laura Buchanan explains why low-carbohydrate nutrition should be implemented with coordinated clinical support when medications, laboratory results or rapid metabolic changes are involved.

Safely Implementing a Low Carb Diet & Fasting Protocol · 22:59

What this lesson covers

  • The benefits of a multidisciplinary approach to patient care
  • The potential benefits of therapeutic carbohydrate reduction for metabolic disease
  • Why rapid diet-induced metabolic changes can affect medications, laboratory results and adverse events

Continue learning

How to Start a Low-Carb Diet in 5 Practical Steps

References

  1. Cucuzzella M, Riley K, Isaacs D. Adapting Medication for Type 2 Diabetes to a Low Carbohydrate Diet. Frontiers in Nutrition. 2021;8:688540. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2021.688540
  2. Durrer C, et al. A randomized controlled trial of pharmacist-led therapeutic carbohydrate and energy restriction in type 2 diabetes. Nature Communications. 2021;12:5367. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-25667-4
  3. Buchanan L, Calkins M, Kalayjian T, et al. TOWARD, a metabolic health intervention, demonstrates robust 1-year weight loss and cost-savings through deprescription. Frontiers in Nutrition. 2025;12:1548609. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2025.1548609

Presented by Dr. Laura Buchanan, Physician. Medically reviewed by Dr. Tro Kalayjian and Dr. Laura Buchanan.

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email

Have questions about what you’ve learned? Join health coaches daily and metabolic providers weekly for live meetings in the Toward Health app.

Choose your next step.

Explore personalized care or continue learning with a self-guided course related to this topic.

Picture of Dr. Tro

Dr. Tro

I am a board-certified physician, I lost 150lbs to reclaim my health for myself and my family. I did it by ignoring much of the conventional medical advice that we have been told. My life's goal is to get you healthy and prevent disease. I want to get you OFF of your medications.

Read more articles from our team

An avocado and its cut halves beside a plain glass bottle of oil on a light wood surface, with the Toward Health logo in the upper-right corner.

Why Reading Labels Isn’t Enough:

Avocado oil and protein-product testing show why labels need independent verification. Learn what the findings mean and which questions to...

Illustrative injection pen beside an anatomical heart model and medical reading materials, with the Toward Health logo.

PCSK9 Inhibitors: Why Our View

Why Toward Health reassessed PCSK9 inhibitors: early mortality concerns, the FOURIER reanalysis, and newer evidence on cardiovascular events and plaque...

Find more resources for your health.

Explore articles and videos by condition.

Browse all conditions

Apply Now