It's no wonder that confusion reigns when it comes
to the worth and reliability of low-carb diets after
all the conflicting studies and confusing
interpretation of the information. It seems like
debates are popping up everywhere!
No matter if it's Atkins, South Beach or some
other low-carb plan, there are approximately 30
million Americans are on a low-carb diet.
Supporters contend that the large amount of
carbohydrates in our diet has led to increased
problems with obesity, diabetes, and other health
situations. On the other hand, some attribute
obesity and related health problems to over eating
of calories and lack of physical activity. They also
express concern that without grains, fruits, and
vegetables in low-carbohydrate diets may lead to
deficiencies of some key nutrients, including
vitamin C, fiber, folic acid, and many minerals.
It is already known that any diet, whether high
or low in carbohydrates, can produce meaningful
weight loss during the early stages of the diet.
Keep in mind, the key to a diet being successful is
in being able to lose the weight on a permanent
basis.
Let's see if we can expose some of the mystery
about low-carb diets. Following, is a listing of
some related points taken from recent studies and
scientific literature.
Point 1 - Some Differences Between Low-Carb Diets
There are many famous diets created to lower
carbohydrate consumption. Lowering total
carbohydrates in the diet means that protein and fat
will take up a proportionately greater amount of the
total caloric intake.
Low carbohydrate diet like the Atkins Diet
restrict carbohydrate to a point where the body
becomes ketogenic (a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet
that includes normal amounts of protein). Other
low-carb diets like the Zone and Life Without Bread
are less confined. Some, like Sugar Busters announce
only to eliminate sugars and foods that elevate
blood sugar levels excessively.
Point 2 - What We Know about Low-Carb Diets
+Close to all of the studies to date have been
small with a diversity of research objectives.
Carbohydrate, caloric intake, diet duration and
participant characteristics are wide-ranged greatly.
Most of the studies to date have two things in
common, none of the research studies had people in
the study with a average age over 53 and none of the
controlled studies lasted more than 90 days.
+The results on older adults and long-term
results are scarce. Many diet studies fail to keep
track of the amount of exercise, and therefore
caloric use, while people in the study are dieting.
This helps to explain the variances between studies.
+If you lose weight on a low-carb diet it is a
function of the calorie intake and length of the
diet, and not with reduced amount of carbohydrates.
+There is very little evidence on the long-range
safety of low-carb diets. Even though the medical
community has concerns, no short-term bad effects
have been found with cholesterol, glucose, insulin
and blood-pressure levels among the people in the
study on the diets. Because of the short period of
the studies the adverse effects may not show up.
Losing weight typically leads to improvement in
these levels, and this may offset an increase caused
by a high fat diet. The over-all weight changes for
low-carb and other types of diets are similar.
+Most low-carb diets can cause ketosis. Nausea,
vomiting, abdominal pain, and confusion are some of
the potential consequences. When first starting a
low-carb diet some fatigue and constipation may be
met and these symptoms usually disappear quickly.
+Some report that you can have more calories when
on a low-carb diet. Remember a calorie is a calorie
no matter what you intake. When the study is not
closely supervised variations will result by people
cheating in the study on many factors of the study.
There are three important factors I would like to
re-emphasize:
1.- The over-all success rate for low-carb and
other types of diets are similar.
2.- Small amount of information exists on the
long-term efficacy and safety of low-carb diets
despite their huge popularity,
3.- Dieters usually experience boredom with a
strict version of the low-carb diet and are not able
to stay on diets of low carb food.
After observing the subject, a more severe and
controlled study are needed on a long-range basis.
The ketosis produced is abnormal and stressful
metabolic state. The results may cause more problems
than it solved.
By picking a reliable diet you will benefit over
a lifetime of proper eating and not a weight loss
quickie. An excellent rule of thumb is look at the
diet long-range and see if you can see yourself
still on that diet after a couple of weeks. However,
by following a diet with fat, carbohydrates, protein
and other nutrients in moderation may be the best
way to go and a little more exercise won't hurt
either.