The Atkins diet is one of the many diet trends that are sweeping the nation. It is a low carbohydrate, high protein diet that is designed to cause weight loss through a process known as Ketosis.
Ketosis “is a state in metabolism occurring when the liver converts fat into fatty acids and ketone bodies which can be used by the body for energy” (Wikipedia). The Atkins diet uses four stages, or phases, to help the dieter lose weight. These stages must be strictly followed, or the outcome could be deadly. The dieter must change their entire life style in order to stay on the Atkins diet. The question is if this process of losing weight is worth it when it will cause long term side effects?
Phase one is called induction. The induction phase “Kick starts your body into ketosis, switching your metabolism to one that primarily burns fat for energy” (Atkins). Induction is necessary to switch the person’s metabolism from using carbohydrates for energy, to using ketones from fat for an energy source. Basically, a person needs to entirely switch off what their body would normally do to function and turn on a mechanism that is only designed to be used when the body is starving. This phase will cause a persons blood sugar to plummet. Induction is then used to stabilize this sudden drop in blood sugar. It is designed to stabilize the blood sugar levels by adding in a small amount of sugar into the diet. This miniscule change is supposed to cover up side effects that a person would feel from such a drastic change in their blood sugar level such as: “fatigue, mood swings, brain fog, and an inability to function at your best” (Atkins).
“People who have started the Atkins diet often drop out within a few weeks because they can’t put up with the lack of energy and tiredness they feel” (Atkins lifestyle).
The Induction phase usually lasts for 14 days and has a long list of rules that must be followed as precisely as possible.
“Eat either three regular-size meals a day or four or five smaller meals. Do not skip meals or go more than six waking hours without eating.
1. Eat liberally of combinations of fat and protein in the form of poultry, fish, shellfish, eggs and red meat, as well as pure, natural fat in the form of butter, mayonnaise, olive oil, safflower, sunflower and other vegetable oils (preferably expeller-pressed or cold-pressed).
2. Eat no more than 20 grams a day of carbohydrate, at least 12 – 15 grams of which must come in the form of salad greens and other vegetables. (See Acceptable Foods).
3. Eat absolutely no fruit, bread, pasta, grains, starchy vegetables or dairy products other than cheese, cream or butter. Do not eat nuts or seeds in the first two weeks. Foods that combine protein and carbohydrates, such as chickpeas, kidney beans and other legumes, are not permitted at this time. If you feel you must eat bread or some other grain product, only high fiber low-carb products with 3 net carbs or less per serving are allowed, and you can eat only one serving a day. Be aware that even that amount may slow or stall your progress, and if that happens, drop the product immediately.
4. Eat nothing that isn't on the Acceptable Foods list. And that means absolutely nothing. Your "just this one taste won't hurt" rationalization is the kiss of failure during this phase of Atkins.” (Atkins).
This is only one through four; there are twelve in all, of the restricting rules that are included in the induction stage of the diet.
Phase two of the diet is called the Ongoing Weight Loss, or the OWL phase. During the OWL phase the dieter is allowed some carbohydrates again. Instead of the drastic 20 net carb allowance in the induction phase, the dieter is allowed 25 net carbs with a 5 carb increase every so often. They call this process, finding the dieters Critical Carbohydrate Level for Losing, or CCLL (Atkins). To find this number the dieter must start at 25 net carbs a day for one week, if weight loss continues, the dieter can go up to 30 net carbs for a week.
After one week of 30 net carbs a day, the dieter can go up another 5 net carbs and continue this process until weight loss slows. This is a test of how many carbohydrates the person’s body can handle now, after being starved of them. It is very easy for the dieter to gain all weight that has been lost previously during this phase. Reintroducing the carbohydrates will cause the ketone production to shut down now that the body can use the carbohydrates for energy again. The fat that was once being burned for energy is now dormant and the high intake of fat that is still occurring is no longer being broken down right away for energy. The OWL phase is a long term phase that will last until the dieter has only 5 to 10 pounds left to lose.
The third and fourth stages are considered guidelines for the dieter to live their life by. Phase three, the pre-maintenance phase, is “a practice run for a lifetime of well-being” (Atkins). During this phase, instead of increasing carbohydrates by increments of 5, the dieter can now do 10 carbohydrate jumps to slow weight loss even more. Again during this stage it is very easy to gain all the weight back that was lost if the dieter is not carefully monitoring what they are consuming. Phase four is the lifelong maintenance stage. Most dieters do not realize that the Atkins diet is meant to be a life long process of dieting.
The Atkins diet claims to be easy to fit into the dieter’s daily lifestyle. I disagree; the diet has so many different specifications that it is impossible for a dieter to live a normal life. Restaurants do not offer many selections that are truly Atkins friendly. The list of approved and unapproved foods is far too long for a restaurant to be able to offer these menu options and have them be cost effective. This could make it very uncomfortable for the dieter to go out and enjoy a meal with friends and family. The dieter is not allowed to consume alcohol while on this diet either, so they can forget about going out on a Friday night. The cost of Atkins approved foods will also cause the dieter to waver on sticking with this diet. “All the steak, cheese, and cream, will soon add up and your weekly shopping bill will soar” (Atkins Lifestyle).
Atkins claims that this diet is healthy for the dieter and will improve their overall wellbeing. This is not the case. Such a high intake of fat and protein is not a healthy choice for the human body. Major health concerns consist of colon cancer, heart disease, impaired kidney function, complications of diabetes, osteoporosis, and effects from ketosis (Health advisory). Minor health concerns include; constipation, headache, bad breath, muscle cramps, diarrhea, and general weakness (Health advisory). The immense amount of saturated fat that is being consumed will make the dieters cholesterol levels skyrocket. Ketosis is probably the most dangerous of all these effects. “Ketosis occurs whenever the body lacks a sufficient supply of carbohydrates, a primary source of energy” (Mundell). Ketosis will cause a person to lose weight, but will also mimic similar symptoms to diabetes. The only way to start ketosis is by starving your body of what it naturally needs.
The Atkins website tries to take the heat off of these claims by having a myth section. This section is full of inaccurate facts and brushes off subjects that the dieter should be warned about before attempting this diet. “Myth 4: The high-protein content of the ANA (Atkins Nutritional Approach) causes kidney problems” (Atkins). Atkins denies this with “Fact: People believe this untruth simply because it has been repeated so often that even intelligent health professionals assume it must have been reported somewhere”. A study of the general population, found that diets that are high in animal protein are associated with reduced kidney function over time (Health advisory). Seeing as the Atkins diet is designed to last a lifetime I think that this might affect a person on the diet. “Myth 6: Ketosis is dangerous and causes a variety of medical problems” (Atkins).The fact that Atkins provides to disprove this myth leaves out very important details about ketosis.
“Fact: Our bodies have only two fuel delivery systems to provide us with energy. Our primary fuel is based on carbohydrate and is delivered as glucose. People who eat three so-called balanced meals -- all with a high carb content -- every day get virtually all their energy from glucose. But the alternate backup fuel is stored fat, and this fuel system delivers energy by way of ketones whenever our small supply of glycogen or stored glucose is used up (in a maximum of two days)” (Atkins).
Ketone bodies are only used when the body is in starvation mode. It is not the preferred source for energy. Ketone bodies being used for energy can also be seen in diabetics; Atkins fails to mention that in their fact.
The Atkins diet will make a person lose weight if the dieter changes their entire daily routine, doesn’t mind feeling tired and sick most of the time, and is willing to follow a strict set of diet guidelines for a very long time. Personally I don’t think it is worth the long term side effects just to shed a few pounds.
Resources:
Atkins. 1999-2007. Atkins Nutritionals. http://www.atkins.com/
Atkins Life style: Can You Fit Atkins Into Your Lifestyle? 20 Dec. 2007
http://www.weightlossresources.co.uk/diet/atkins_diet/atkins.htm
Health Advisory. 17 march 2004
http://www.atkinsdietalert.org/advisory.html
Ketosis. 1 may 2008. 7 Nov 2007. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ketosis
Mundell. E.J. Dieticians Warn of Low-Carbo Diet Dangers. 19 Oct. 1999 Reuters Health
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