Experts Weigh In On Dr. Atkins

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Is it possible to lose weight eating deep-fried fish filets and chunks of cheddar cheese? Does the Atkins low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet really work?

For the 20 million people who have followed the diet, the answer is -- it depends.

Some people have lost tremendous amounts of weight on Atkins. The high protein and fatty foods kept them feeling satiated, and they experienced no unpleasant side effects. Others have found the diet difficult to stick with and were "turned off" by the lightheadedness or nausea that can be associated with the Atkins diet.

The diet is especially appealing to people who crave unlimited amounts of fat, or people who hate counting calories, or who are tired of the cardboard taste of low-fat foods. And because it's a simple diet to follow, with no complicated meal plans, it complements hectic lifestyles.

All you have to do is limit carbohydrate intake to less than 20 grams a day and voila, you'll be twig-skinny and live longer. Sounds reasonable enough.

Why, then, does the American Dietetic Association call the Atkins diet "a nightmare?" And why, according to registered dietitian Cindy Cox, has nearly every professional health organization in America found fault with the Atkins approach?

Because of what this plan does to the body.

The Atkins diet focuses on the relationship between carbohydrates and insulin. Carbohydrates stimulate the secretion of insulin, and insulin converts excess carbohydrates into fat cells. The Atkins logic is that by eating restricted amounts of carbohydrates, less insulin will be secreted, and less food will be converted into fat cells.

Atkins asks dieters to limit carbohydrates to 20 grams a day for the first two weeks, then gradually raise their carbohydrate "ceiling" to as high as 60 grams a day.

This is in sharp contrast to both the American Heart Association and the National Institutes of Health, which recommend that 60 percent of total calories, or 300 grams of carbohydrates, be consumed in a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet.

What the Atkins diet does is deprive the body of its natural and preferred fuel -- glucose from carbohydrates -- and forces it to find alternative sources of glucose fuel in fats and proteins.

Which it does, because it has no other choice. The body must have fuel to survive.

The Atkins diet hopes the body will use its fat cells for fuel. When it does, the byproducts from the fat, called ketones, break down, enter the bloodstream and cause ketosis to set in. Ketosis suppresses hunger. Ketosis can also cause nausea, fatigue, lightheadedness and dangerous fluid loss.

Ketones make blood more acidic. In order to help neutralize this high acidity, registered dietitian Elizabeth Ward says, calcium is shifted out of the long bones and sent to the bloodstream. This shift predisposes the bones to osteoporosis, and the body to calcium depletion.

Ketosis "can lead to a life-threatening condition of too much acid in the blood," warns registered dietitian Mary L. Meck Higgins.

The body doesn't always use its fat cells for fuel. Sometimes it uses the body's protein, which it may metabolize by breaking down muscle and lean tissue. According to registered dietitian Sharon Harrison, "losing weight with Atkins may mean losing your own muscle."

Digesting large amounts of protein is a strain on the kidneys. If kidneys are compromised in any way, the Atkins diet may trigger severe renal problems. Atkins advises anyone with a history of kidney disease not to use his diet. Unfortunately, many people don't know that they have kidney disease until their kidneys are stressed. It's then that renal disease may become medically apparent.

A diet high in fat and protein is also high in saturated fats. Says registered dietitian Kathleen Goodwin: "The Atkins diet places no limit on the amount of saturated fat-laden products one can have each day. Large portions of foods like butter, red meat and bacon are advocated and encouraged."

The triglycerides and LDL (see What's The Difference Detween HDL And LDL Cholesterol?) found in high-saturated-fat foods are linked to atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease and some types of cancer.

And by cutting way back on fruits, grains and vegetables, which are all carbohydrates, the body is deprived of phytochemicals and antioxidants (see Ketogenic Diets), the naturally occurring cancer-protecting agents found only in plant foods. By reducing carbohydrates in the diet, the body is more susceptible to the development of cancer. And the lack of dietary fiber may lead to chronic constipation.

Long-term side effects of the Atkins diet may also include vitamin B and K depletion, formation of kidney stones, a worsening of gout and high blood pressure.

Forcing the body to find and utilize alternative sources of glucose makes its job much more difficult. Just like the 4:1 gas/oil mix that your lawn mower needs to function properly, keep pouring in the wrong fuel combination, and your engine is bound to start sputtering.

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