Atkins - High Protein Diets - has anything really changed?

The latest insanity is a surge of interest in the high protein diets, "debunking" the solid body of knowledge that these diets are not only ineffective for long term weight loss but also very dangerous.  Following is some research material which tells the truer story than the news services (who are sellling Atkins diet... one which is attractive to Americans who'd rather have their hamburger than their broccoli).

One group of health professionals who believe the diet lacks credibility is the American Dietetic Association (ADA). The ADA is worried about the long-term health effects of such an unhealthy diet. They understand that a diet high in protein also tends to be high in fat. Eating very high levels of saturated fat and cholesterol, and very low amounts of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains increases one's risk of getting numerous diseases.

Additionally, with such a low amount of fiber, the body has little opportunity to get rid of the excess cholesterol ingested. The result is likely to be a build-up of fatty plaque in the arteries, which leads to an increased risk of heart disease.

The National Cancer Institute also is worried. Research shows that eating a diet high in fiber and low in fat, the opposite of the Atkin's diet, is the best way to reduce the risk of many cancers. Making matters worse is the fact that although this diet lures people in with quick results, long-term weight loss is unlikely. It is very difficult to sustain a diet based on such a small variety of foods.

http://ctr.uvm.edu/ctr/press/00baddiet.htm

The Atkins Diet, and others like it, trigger short-term weight loss through a process called ketosis. Ketosis occurs whenever the body lacks a sufficient supply of carbohydrates, a prime source of energy. During ketosis, carbohydrate-depleted metabolisms turn to other sources, including ketones from stored fat or protein, to satisfy daily energy needs. (more of Ketosis later)

”So you do lose weight,” Rosenbloom says. “The first bit of weight loss is water weight, the carbohydrate that’s in your muscles, and then as you progress on the diet you will lose some fat, but you will also lose some muscle mass.” 

Rosenbloom and the ADA believe that this type of diet can have a negative long-term impact on health. “It’s so high in cholesterol and fat and total fat -- the opposite of what all the health organizations, from the American Heart Association to the American Dietetic Association, recommend,” Rosenbloom points out. And she noted that the diet “is also low in fruits and vegetables and whole grains”-- foods with proven health benefits. While some of the vitamins and minerals in these foods can be obtained through supplements, other benefits -- like fiber or phytochemicals -- can only be found at the source.

In recent years the American Dietetic Association has become concerned with the increasing amount of misinformation on food and nutrition circulating in the U.S. The Association released a paper to inform and guide the segment of the population who may be victims of consumer misinformation. Much of this information is blatantly in contrast to the methods of weight loss heralded by Dr. Atkins. 

http://www.weightlosslab.com/Atkinsdiet.htm

The American Institute for Cancer Research has also evaluated the Atkins’ diet and their assessment is quite alarming. They say that the high-protein, high-fat, low-carbohydrate Atkins diet tends to promote the loss of water weight, and that if such an imbalanced diet is maintained, the body soon reverts to the fasting state of ketosis, in which the body begins to break down muscle tissue instead of fat over the long term.

Ketosis is one of the body's last-ditch emergency responses; deliberately inducing ketosis can lead to muscle breakdown, nausea, dehydration, headaches, light-headedness, irritability, bad breath, and kidney problems. In pregnancy, ketosis may cause fetal abnormality or death. It can also be fatal in individuals with diabetes! While supporters of the Atkins diet concentrate so much on the fat burning capability of ketosis they neglect to mention that over the long term protein, and thus muscle, is also burned!

Over an extended period of time, the Atkins diet can give rise to other health risks, as well. By restricting carbohydrates, all four diets inevitably lead to a lack of fiber, which can cause constipation and other gastrointestinal difficulties. In addition, the high amounts of cholesterol and saturated fat they prescribe increase the risk of heart disease and, possibly, some cancers. There is recent evidence that a diet featuring excessive protein may leach calcium from the bones (giving rise to osteoporosis).

Finally, nothing about the Atkins diet encourages the dieter to learn some very basic weight management strategies like portion control and serving sizes, let alone develop the skills necessary for a lifetime of balanced nutrition.

http://www.weightlosslab.com/Atkinsdiet.htm

One pays a substantial price from such a diet which generates a chronic ketosis. Besides the increased cancer risk, the kidneys are placed under increased stress and will age more rapidly. It can take many, many years for such damage to be detected by blood tests and by the time it is detected irreversible damage might have already occurred. The blood tests that monitor kidney function do not begin to increase until more than 80% of the kidneys have been destroyed.

Even in my private medical practice, I have already seen numerous diabetic patients who have permanently damaged their kidneys as a result of attempting weight loss and diabetic control with high-protein diets. One diabetic patient, John Lyle, lost weight after being a patient at The Atkins' Center, and his diabetes did improve, but his creatinine, a marker of kidney function went from 1.2 pre-Atkin's to 2.3 when he stopped one year later. This represents a loss of 95% of his kidney function in one year while on the Atkins' diet.

http://www.drfuhrman.com/atkins.htm

http://216.185.112.5/presenter.jhtml?identifier=11103

Healthread!