Scientific information on the Atkins diet?

Question

My dad is on the Atkins diet and has lost about 75 pounds in the past 6 months, lowered his formerly high cholesterol and blood pressure to normal levels, and is in great shape. He has slowly added in foods with more carbs to a level where he can maintain his weight and eat somewhat normally. My question is, does anyone have any reliable information (like clincial research articles) on this diet, its short or long term effects, risks, etc.? I've heard lots of different opinions but I can't seem to find much to back them up.

Answer 1

Do not listen to anyone tell you this diet is unhealthy cause it's not. What is unhealthy about not eating certain carbs. All foods have carbs except meat. Atkins is not NO carbs but low carbs. Read his book it really makes sense. Plus there are many Doctor's who do not frown on this diet but actually put their patients on it for cholesterol and diabetes.

A great place to ask questions is http://www.lowcarbfriends.com go to the main lobby and ask this question. This is the busiest forum I have ever visited and these people are living proof this way of eating works.

Check out a few of these links.

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F04E2D61F3EF934A35754C0A9649C8B63&sec=health&pagewanted=2

http://www.carbs-information.com/carbohydrates.htm

I also have been on this way of eating for 3 years. My cholesterol is perfect and I have maintained my weight with ease and I eat baby I eat! Never count calories just do not eat high carb items, like nothing naturally white, sugar, flour, rice, white bread etc. These really raise the blood sugar.

Answer 2

You can do a search on medical study abstracts at http://www.pubmed.org. (do a search for "atkins diet" in quotes)

Here is some of what I found...
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=16894429&query_hl=12&itool=pubmed_docsum
The science behind weight loss diets--a brief review.
Clifton P.
University of Adelaide and CSIRO Human Nutrition, Adelaide, South Australia. [e-mail]

BACKGROUND: Controversy surrounds both the Atkins diet and moderate carbohydrate, high protein diets. OBJECTIVE: This article undertakes a brief review of the evidence for efficacy and possible harmful effects of various popular diets. DISCUSSION: Low fat diets have been shown to reduce weight at 12 months and have additional benefits of high fibre intake and may reduce the risk of diabetes. However, many people cannot maintain these diets long term so new solutions have been sought. Surprisingly, trials have only appeared over the past 3-4 years evaluating the effects of the Atkins diet, and these have shown weight loss benefits at 6 months, but the benefit is lost by 12 months. Adherence to this regimen is difficult. Problems include constipation from the relatively low fibre intake and a less than expected rise in LDL cholesterol. A moderate carbohydrate, high protein diet has been shown to maintain weight loss at 12 months and beyond, with improvements in cardiovascular risk factors and little risk of long term side effects. Patient choice will depend on dietary preferences and previous experiences with diets. Those with metabolic syndrome might benefit more from carbohydrate restriction.

Answer 3

You can get a problem with your sugar being to low after coming off this diet my father did this diet long term for about 2 years and now he has low blood sugar, but it did help with his high blood pressure and high cholesterol. I guess you kinda trade one evil for the other when you get older.

Answer 4

You should be able to find it on the internet, good and bad. if your dad is doing well then there is no problem. He should see his doctor if he has any questions or problems.

www.atkinsdietalert.org

Keep in mind the following:


Every year Americans invest billions of dollars in weight loss diets and gimmicks, many of which yield few results. However, the lure of quick, easy weight loss is hard to resist. Despite ineffective tools, most hopeful consumers are willing to give the next weight loss fad a chance. If you're planning to start a new diet, it is important to remember the following information.
Food-specific diets: Have you ever tried the cabbage diet or the fruit-only diet? These are just a couple of examples of diets that promote one "specific" food that causes weight loss. No matter how much you think you'll enjoy ice cream at every meal, inevitably you will get bored with eating the same food repeatedly. As a result, you'll eat less food than needed to maintain your weight. This type of diet will not teach you healthier eating habits or provide a balance of nutrients, and consequently is not effective for long-term weight loss.

High-protein, low-carbohydrate diets: One of the most recent trends in dieting, these diets are based on the concept that carbohydrates are "bad" and that everyone has some degree of insulin resistance, resulting in poor carbohydrate metabolism. Many proponents of these diets suggest that including carbohydrates in your diet will cause weight gain. The reality, though, is that eating more calories (whether as carbohydrate, fats, or protein) than you burn will cause weight gain.

High-fiber, low-calorie diets: Fiber-rich foods play an important role in a healthy diet. They are a helpful ingredient of weight loss efforts because they provide bulk to the diet, which helps you feel fuller sooner. Be careful, though: if you plan to increase the fiber in your diet, be sure to increase your fluid intake at the same time or you may experience cramping, bloating, and constipation. High-fiber diets will help with weight loss only if you restrict calories in conjunction with addition of extra grains, fruits and vegetables.

Liquid diets: Consumers face a couple of different liquid diet options. Your local grocery store and pharmacy sell over-the-counter liquid meal replacements, which can be expensive and frequently add extra calories to daily consumption if not managed carefully. On the other hand are liquid diets that require medical supervision. These diets are usually very low in calories and may result in metabolic abnormalities if dieters are not carefully monitored. Neither type of liquid diet should be used for long-term weight loss unless monitored by a health care professional. Radically changing your caloric intake in this way will not result in long-term behavior modification and healthy eating patterns.

Fasting: As a way to cleanse the body or jump-start a weight-loss program, fasting has been recommended for years. However, all that fasting really does is deprive your body of nutrients and decrease your energy, leaving you feeling weak and lightheaded. If the right nutrients are not available for your cells to use as energy, your liver will convert fat stores to ketones for use as energy (ketosis). Long-term ketosis can be harmful to your health.
No fad diet or gimmick will work magic for safe and effective weight loss. The following are some suggestions for ensuring a long-term healthy eating plan and getting your weight loss efforts off to an encouraging start:
Eat a variety of foods. Remember, a balanced diet will ensure that you get all necessary nutrients.

Get some physical activity every day. Calories in must be less than calories out to ensure successful weight loss. To keep "calories out" at a healthful level, make you get at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day.

Include sources of fiber in your diet. They will add bulk and give you a feeling of fullness.

Choose a diet low in fats, saturated fats, and cholesterol. You do need to consume some fat for good health. Aim for no more than 30 percent of your total calories as fat calories, of which no more than 10 percent should be saturated fat calories.

Choose foods moderate in sugars. Foods that are high in simple sugars usually offer little nutritional value and will add unwanted calories.

Choose foods moderate in salt and sodium. Remember that salt has been added to many foods during preparation or processing, so it's not necessary to add extra salt at the table.