Atkins diet 'can risk your life'

[Ambrosio Spinola]

It worked like a charm for a family member of mine.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/health/dietfitness.html?in_article_id=380143&in_page_id=1798

People who strictly follow the Atkins diet could develop a potentially fatal blood disorder, doctors say.

A medical team described how one 40-year-old woman developed the dangerous condition after cutting out carbohydrates and living on meat, cheese and salads for a month.

The obese woman, who had lost nine kilograms, was taken to casualty after vomiting up to six times a day and feeling increasingly short of breath.

She was diagnosed as having ketoacidosis, where dangerous levels of acids had built up in the blood and was placed in an intensive care unit.

The woman had rigorously followed the Atkins diet, which claims to produce rapid weight loss, and taken the recommended precautions, including using vitamins and other supplements.

She was discharged after four days in February 2004.

Atkins 'far from healthy'

Doctors reported the case study in The Lancet medical journal.

Team leader Professor Klaus-Dieter Lessnau, from the New York School of Medicine, wrote: "Our patient had an underlying ketosis caused by the Atkins diet. This problem may become more recognised because this diet is becoming increasingly popular worldwide."

Dr Lyn Steffen and Ms Jennifer Nettleton, from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health said: "Low carbohydrate diets for weight management are far from healthy, given their association with ketosis, constipation or diarrhoea, halitosis, headache, and general fatigue to name a few side effects."

They warned the low carb diets fell short of "indisputable safety."

[Eisenhans]

My home economics teacher told us once that carbs are essential for energy and it's the fats we need to be worrying about.

So a big fat duh.

[sugartits]

Yes, you need carbs. The thing is people sit on their asses and don't use them so they get fat. Diets are unnecessary. Just don't stuff your face with junkfood and get some exercise. But it is easier to open up a bag of chips.

[Sulla the Dictator]

I think its an unfortunate side effect of our comfortable age that even the SLIGHTEST risk of anything spawns chicken little reactions. I've seen a guy go from 300+ pounds to 220 on Atkins. I was very impressed.

[cerberus]

Perhaps one of the most healthy diets you can get is that which diabetics have to stick to , carboyhdrate inatke is regulated , lots of fresh veg.

[Niko Bellic]

I think its an unfortunate side effect of our comfortable age that even the SLIGHTEST risk of anything spawns chicken little reactions. I've seen a guy go from 300+ pounds to 220 on Atkins. I was very impressed.

It's because of the lawsuit culture we have. That one in a million chance can have huge financial ramifications.

I did Atkins hardcore for 3 months and lost 30 pounds, I even gave up beer, and I've kept the weight off even when I went off the diet over two years ago. I did that when I decided that pants with a 36 inch waist would be the largest I EVER buy. When I was on the diet, at least 2 times a week I'd fry up 2 pounds of bacon and eat it all for dinner. I was slurping up fat by the bucketfull, and still losing weight at an insane rate.

[Sulla the Dictator]

I heard that when you go off it you gain some of the weight back. How did you avoid it, UA?

[Berianidze]

I think its an unfortunate side effect of our comfortable age that even the SLIGHTEST risk of anything spawns chicken little reactions. I've seen a guy go from 300+ pounds to 220 on Atkins. I was very impressed.

As impressive as that may be, you can get even better numbers if you do it via induced vomiting (bulimia nervosa). The point is, these are extreme measures to lose weight (albeit, cutting out carbohydrates isn't as extreme as purging yourself of food). People need to understand BALANCE. The average person should be responsible enough for their own bodies to eat balanced while getting a decent amount of exercise in order to maintain a healthy weight. You don't need to buy expensive gym memberships, cut out essential elements of your diet, or stick your finger down your throat to make yourself throw up; it's as simple as getting up and taking a walk where you once drove, take your kids out to the park/playground, walk your dog, join a community hiking/walking group or anything. Americans in particular are looking for easy ways to do almost anything--including living a healthy life. The answer doesn't come at the end of some fucking miracle cure or drug--but a little initiative to WANT to live a healthier lifestyle.

[Starr]

I think its an unfortunate side effect of our comfortable age that even the SLIGHTEST risk of anything spawns chicken little reactions. I've seen a guy go from 300+ pounds to 220 on Atkins. I was very impressed.


Same thing happened from this diet with a big, fat, jewish woman I used to work with. She went from about 350 pounds to about 140 and along with it her whole attitude changed. she went from being quiet to being bubbly and fun. Dressing better, makeup, the whole works. Unfortunately she didn't stay with it and started gaining the weight back.

[Niko Bellic]

I heard that when you go off it you gain some of the weight back. How did you avoid it, UA?

I have a relatively active lifestyle.

[Donny the Punk]

It's not healthy for you, that's for sure. My ex fainted in a stairwell from lightheadedness while on it. Other girls I know told me of similar or worse physical reactions, not to mention putting on even more weight than they lost after going off the diet.

[Thomas777]

"Atkins" took credit for a diet that he didn't invent. Back in the day, a lot of old school bodybuilders, wrestlers, and other athletes who had to make weight in a hurry would employ ketogenic diets...trouble is, ketones are a terribly inefficient source of energy for the body, and these diets are nutritionally deficient to say the least. Check your lipid profile and liver values after several weeks on an "Atkins" type regimen and you will not like what you see.

I eat about 6 times a day, and my diet is centered on lean proteins (mostly extra lean ground turkey and chicken breasts, egg whites, and tuna) and vegetable greens for carbs. I take in simple sugars first thing in the morning (no fats with such meals) and a half hour after weight training to replenish glycogen and recover.

Anybody can lose weight by limiting their food intake to targeted consumption of sugars and an abundance of lean proteins and vegetables.

This shit really is not that hard...people are just decadent and lazy in this country.

[Sulla the Dictator]

my diet is centered on lean proteins (mostly extra lean ground turkey and chicken breasts, egg whites, and tuna) and vegetable greens for carbs.


Ugh! The cure sounds worse than the disease! :p