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Investigation of the impact of a low-carbohydrate diet on the chronic pain experience among adults with an acquired limb loss: A pilot study
Impact of a low-carbohydrate diet on the chronic pain
People who experience acquired limb loss often face not only physical challenges like chronic pain, such as phantom limb pain (PLP) and residual limb pain (RLP), but also emotional struggles that can negatively affect their quality of life. While various treatments for PLP and RLP exist, many fail to offer lasting relief.This study by Wiggins et al. (2025) aimed to explore whether a low-carbohydrate diet (LCD) could help improve pain and emotional health in this population. Seven adults with limb loss, averaging approximately 50.6 years old, participated in a 6-week LCD intervention. They completed several validated surveys at the start, midpoint (3 weeks), and end (6 weeks) of the study. These assessments measured pain intensity, emotional health (including depression and anxiety), cognitive flexibility, resilience, and quality of life. At the beginning, participants reported notable levels of depression and anxiety, yet demonstrated strong resilience in coping with pain. By the end of the intervention, improvements were observed across pain levels, emotional well-being, and other psychological areas. These findings suggest that a low-carbohydrate diet may play a helpful role in managing chronic pain and associated emotional symptoms in adults with limb loss, who may already possess strong pain resilience despite high emotional distress. [NPID: Low-carbohydrate diet, LCD, acquired limb loss, resilience, chronic pain]
Year: 2025
