Book
Phinney SD, Volek JS. The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Living. Miami, FL: Beyond Obesity; 2011. 302 p.
Why we cite it
A scientific reference on low-carbohydrate clinical nutrition, serving as the broader companion to The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Performance (cfa08, 2012) which focuses specifically on athletes. Where cfa08 addresses athletic performance, this volume covers the clinical and metabolic foundations of carbohydrate restriction for health and weight management. Provides extensive coverage of the electrolyte depletion mechanism during carbohydrate restriction and fasting — Phinney’s original research showed that when insulin drops (from fasting or carb restriction), the kidneys excrete sodium, and potassium and magnesium follow. The symptoms commonly blamed on “not eating carbs” or “not eating” (headache, fatigue, cramps, lightheadedness) are largely preventable with adequate sodium, potassium, and magnesium supplementation. Not peer-reviewed — a popular science book translating the authors’ research and clinical experience; the underlying physiology is well-established in the literature. Relevant to companion 406 (electrolytes-and-fasting) for the mechanistic explanation of fasting-related electrolyte depletion.
RE-REVIEWED 2026-09-10 (card MERNGY) — AND THE LIBRARY NOW HOLDS PRIMARIES THAT BEAR ON FOUR OF THE BULLETS BELOW. They are left as written: they record what this book is believed to say, and only the book could correct that. What the library can now say is where held evidence disagrees:
– Bullet 2, potassium “via the renal sodium-potassium exchange mechanism”: `cna02` (DeFronzo 1975, full text held) measures potassium excretion falling under insulin — and reports ”no change in plasma aldosterone concentration, which was low throughout the studies.” The effect is supported; the named mechanism is excluded.
– Bullet 3, magnesium rising in low-insulin states: no source held here measures magnesium during fasting, and the direction of insulin’s effect on renal magnesium is disputed between a held review (`cna03`, reabsorption) and an unheld clamp study. `kfe01` fences it.
– Bullet 4, symptoms “primarily electrolyte depletion”: `cfe01` (Skartun 2025) reports the literature ”lacks studies that directly link reported symptoms during initiation with physiological measures such as electrolyte loss.”
– Bullet 5, supplementation “prevents most of these symptoms”: `cfe01` names these authors as the source of the advice and prices it — the recommendation ”appears to be based on clinical experience and mechanistic rationale rather than empirical evidence.”
*The Contribution’s ”the underlying physiology is well-established in the literature” holds for sodium (`cna01`, `cna02`) and not for magnesium or for the symptom link.* The author notes’ rankings were removed the same afternoon (card E1AWST; see the note at the end of this record).
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