Dr. Atkins created a diet intended for elite athelets and sold his soul to make money. The result is an incredible threat to public health, which will likely only rear it's head a decade from now, after it's too late.
It's a theme I've already dealt with and am likely return to, but I'll say it anyway. If it seems too good, it probably is. And if it doesn't make sense, stay away. Anyone who tells you its good for you to eat nothing but eggs and bacon is lying to you, and selling something at the same time. Nutritionists say that the Atkins diet is a terrible idea, and they have the medical community with them. The jury is still out on a lot of the research, with conflicting studies being released both pro and con.
However, even the study that seems to support Atkins doesn't show appreciable differences in weight loss over the long term, as much of the weight lost by Atkins participants is put back on. As well, many doctors say that while Atkins participants do frequently lose weight, they are losing it in water by dehydrating themselves (as Ketosis (the act of converting protein to carbohydrate) requires a lot of water, and incidentally induces lots of byproducts that are toxic and can cause liver damage) and by losing muscle (because their body is cannibalizing their muscle mass due to it's perceived starvation due to lack of carbohydrate fuel), rather than by actually burning fat. Also, even if Atkins is a more effective way to lose weight than traditional low-calorie diets, there is no understanding of the potential long-term health effects. All of current medical knowledge says that the profile of what Atkins allows is dangerous to your long-term health. The only part which is currently supported is the use of fish-oils. Of course, regular use of fish-oil in your diet can be added to any health regimen, and does not require Atkins. Finally, Atkins is a low-calorie diet, which can explain many of the results.
Most (over 80%) of the carbohydrates in our body are used to feed our brain for regular functioning. This may explain some of the popularity of the Atkins diet, as after a few weeks of eating your "healthy" hamburgers without buns, you become increasingly stupid on your way to brain damage.
I'll avoid commenting on the recent contraversy over Atkins weight at his death, as the explanation released seems plausible (that Atkins had severe bloating and organ failure while in the coma following his fall). Here is the latest story and you can decide for yourself what it means, while tracking through the previous versions.
I can't help the feeling that the Atkins diet will be akin to Thalidomide, in a public-health crisis that only becomes clear many years after it's too late.
Posted by ktismael at February 14, 2004 12:16 PM