The Dr. Atkins Diet is a carbohydrate reduced, high-protein, high-fat regimen. People who have used it "The Atkins Diet" say it works

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The Dr. Atkins Diet Reviewed

"The idea is to eat a high-protein, high fat diet with low glycemic index carbohydrates, which causes less of a "spike" in insulin levels and avoids the adverse effects of excess insulin. There are several good books that discuss this theory, including Dr. Atkins Diet Revolution, Sugar Busters, and The Glycemic Revolution. Low carbohydrate diets, such as Atkins, Sugar Busters and Protein Power, make extensive use of this concept. For some people, this can be very effective in helping with weight reduction. One thing you might find with the carbohydrate restricted diets is that it will be difficult to keep up long term. This is where your knowledge of the glycemic index of carbohydrate is important. Substituting low glycemic index carbohydrate for high glycemic index foods will diversify your diet and avoid the high spike in insulin levels." - VitaCost Health Letter with John Joseph Walker, M.D July 2000

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Study says Atkins Diet is Safe

NEW YORK, Feb 18 (Reuters Health) -- The extremely carbohydrate-restricted Atkins diet is a safe, effective way to lose weight, according to studies presented at the Southern Society of General Internal Medicine in New Orleans.

A study of the diet conducted at the Durham VA Medical Center in North Carolina showed that on average, mildly obese people lost about 21 pounds in just four months on the diet.They had positive changes in heart risk factors such as reduced cholesterol and increased HDL or "good cholesterol." These results are supported by a second study from researchers at the Atkins Center for Complementary Medicine in New York.

The Durham study included 41 mildly obese, healthy people who attended an outpatient clinic. The study participants followed a program that reduced carbohydrate intake to less than 20 grams per day, and included vitamin supplements, fish oil supplements and 20 minutes of exercise at least three times per week.

Over four months on the diet, the participants lost an average of 21.3 pounds, and showed a 6.1% drop in cholesterol,and almost a 40% drop in the level of triglycerides in their blood. In addition, their HDL levels increased by about 7%. In a press release, the researchers also say that their study did not find any of the safety concerns voiced by the American Dietetic Association, such as potentially dangerous effects on liver and kidney function.

"In four short months on the Atkins Diet, we were able to confirm scientifically what Dr. Atkins states he has seen in his practice over the past decades. The diet lowers cholesterol and triglycerides and raises HDL... which may represent an entirely new approach to the control and prevention of heart disease,"said lead researcher Dr. Eric C. Westman, assistant professor of medicine at North Carolina's Duke University.

The study is continuing in order to assess the long-term effects of the diet.

Reporting the results of the second study, Colette Heimowitz, director of nutrition at the Atkins Center in New York, said that it was based on 319 overweight or obese patients treated at the Center for at least a year. Investigators collected information on weight, blood pressure, cholesterol, kidney and liver function and other parameters during the study.

"What we found is what we already knew from anecdotal data," Heimowitz told Reuters Health in an interview after the meeting on Friday. "There were some pretty impressive benefits in body composition. HDL levels went up, LDL levels went down and blood pressure decreased," she reported. Where HDL is the good cholesterol for its association with reduced heart risk, LDL has earned the name of being the "bad" cholesterol because high levels are associated with heart disease.

"We now have data for the scientific community" on the healthful benefits of the Atkins diet, Heimowitz asserted.

The Atkins diet severely restricts carbohydrate intake to induce a state of ketosis, or metabolic starvation. Dieters are encouraged to measure urinary keton excretion as an indication of how effective the diet is in inducing fat breakdown. "Ketosis is a benign byproduct of fat burning," Heimowitz asserted. "With an adequate protein and fat intake, there is no loss of muscle mass...There is no change in (blood) pH if the diet is properly done," she said.

However the diet is not for everyone, Heimowitz warned. "It's for those who need a correction in their sugar and carbohydrate metabolism...We encourage (vitamin) supplementation and an intake of 'good' fats, such as fish oil," Heimowitz commented.

(See editorial review of Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution below)

Like all diets it is always a good idea to check with your doctor.

Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution

Dr. Atkins' New Carbohydrate Gram Counter

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Editorial Review Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution
Amazon.com Reviews
Designed to catapult your body into a state of fat meltdown, Dr. Atkins's diet has taken America by storm. It targets insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar levels. The bodies of most overeaters are continually in a state of hyper-insulinism; their bodies are so adept at releasing insulin to help convert excess carbohydrates to fat that there's always too much of the hormone circulating through the body. This puts the body into a bind; it always wants to store fat. Even when people with hyper-insulinism try to lose weight--especially when they cut fat but increase carbohydrate consumption--their efforts will fail. This is why Dr. Atkins refers to insulin as "the fat-producing hormone."

Dr. Atkins's diet is extremely low in carbohydrates, which helps to regulate insulin production and decrease circulating insulin; less insulin soon results in less fat storage and fewer food cravings. The diet is far from torturous, though--those who have tried it, attest that hunger is not a part of this plan. Ninety percent of Dr. Atkins's patients-(more than 25,000 of them)-have experienced dramatic weight loss. The book includes recipes for such luscious, low-carb dishes as lobster soup, zabaglione, sea bass, and blueberry ice cream. It also includes a carbohydrate gram counter and menus. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

The Atkins Diet lacks the nutrition found in fruits and vegetables; To over come some of these draw backs, Dr. Atkins has released a line of supplements.

Also See: More About Low Carb Diets! & Understanding The Glycemic Index.