Atkins Dangers

What are the side effects of the Atkins Diet?

When you are eating a very high protein diet like this, and you're not getting a lot of carbohydrates; you're not getting enough carbohydrates to the brain. You're going to have difficulty focusing; concentration is going to be impaired. You'll probably feel tired. You'll probably have constipation because this diet is very low in fiber and general malaise.

Does following the Atkins Diet increase my cholesterol?

What we originally thought, because Atkins was high in these fatty foods, high in saturated fat and cholesterol, this would increase your risk for heart disease. Over the short term, because Atkins restricts so many foods it restricts a lot of calories. You are on a low calorie diet and you lose the weight. Anytime you lose weight, our cholesterol improves, so it doesn't seem to matter so much that the foods in the beginning. It's the weight that we lose that improves that cholesterol profile. However we don't have long-term studies that we can look to and say that in the long-term that this might not or will increase heart disease. There's still that possibility out there.

What are long-term risks of the Atkins Diet?

The jury is out on whether it increases heart disease, it is likely that it can in the long term because its very high in saturated fats and cholesterol foods, depending on how long somebody can stay on that diet. Another concern for Atkins Diet Is that we have is that it may contribute to osteoporosis because of the high protein in the diet that calcium is used to buffer some of that protein so that it produces a lot of acid.

Who should never consider the Atkins Diet?

Those who have liver or kidney problems or liver or kidney diseases should not try the Adkins Diet. Because it is so high in protein, we have to convert some of that protein to carbohydrates and that is what the liver and kidneys do. That can be very hard on the liver and kidneys and exacerbate someone who has liver and kidney disease.