Atkins Diet -- The Final Verdict

Supporters of the Atkins Diet claim that a low saccharide diet is a safe and effective know-how for losing weight. This article evaluates the low saccharide diet and specifically the claims ready-made simply about ketosis.

<h4>The Low Carb-Ketosis Link</h4>

By severely limiting carbohydrates in your diet, the main energy source used by your body, glucose, drops to low levels. In return, hormone levels besides drop. With low aldohexose and low hormone levels, the body turns to alternative sources of energy.

Because of a significant change in your body's chemistry once on the Atkins Diet, certain metabolic pathways are turned "on" that are normally not "on" or run at really low levels. One such pathway involves the breakdown of fat, called Beta-Oxidation of Fats.

Now, normally fats are broken down to produce energy once your body senses a need. But in the context of a low Carb diet, the normal breakdown pathway of fats is altered and an alternative pathway kicks in. This alternative pathway produces what are called organic compound bodies.

Ketosis is the term used to describe once organic compound bodies are current in your bloodstream. The organic compound bodies can be used as alternative sources of energy by, most importantly, your brain.

In case you mightiness be curious, the three organic compound bodies make by this alternative pathway for breaking down fat are acetoacetate, beta-hydroxybutyrate, and acetone. These organic compound bodies are formed in your liver and then are transported to another tissues, chiefly the brain. In your brain, they are born-again back to a form that can provide direct energy during times of starvation.

Here is the whole process...

<ol><li>Atkins Diet lowers aldohexose and hormone (the body's main energy source)

<li>Alternative pathways are turned "on" to provide energy

<li>One alternative pathway breaks down fat and produces organic compound bodies

<li>Ketone bodies represent the state called ketonemia

<li>The brain uses organic compound bodies as an alternative source of energy</li></ol>

So, the Atkins Diet (and any low Carb diet) produces a low energy state (low glucose) that causes the breakdown fat exploitation an alternative pathway that leads to the development of ketosis.

So far it sounds pretty good. By limiting Carbs in your diet, you can basically force your body into breaking down keep fat, the really thing you need to get rid of to lose weight.

But there are problems...

<h4>Atkins Diet and Toxicity</h4>

Ketone bodies are toxic. Galore supporters of low Carb diets claim that ketonemia is safe. They state that they are natural byproducts of fat breakdown and even as babies have high levels of current organic compound bodies.

First, they are not natural by-products of fat metabolism. The normal beta-oxidation of fats makes produce organic compound bodies but these are incorporated into the normal cycle of energy production, called the Biochemist cycle. Once organic compound bodies are current in your bloodstream, it signals an abnormal physiological state, called starvation. They are not incorporated into the normal energy cycle, the Biochemist cycle, and spill into the bloodstream.

Just because your body has the ability to transport organic compound bodies to certain tissues and then use them for energy, makes not do it a normal process. It is an alternative pathway that turns "on" only once your body is baby-faced with depleted levels of the main energy source, glucose.

Secondly, babies are not small adults. A baby's liver and brain tissue are ready-made up of some chemicals and pathways, specifically back-geared to handle the high fat diet coming from mother's milk. These pathways change as a baby grows and starts to eat another foods. Eventually, the normal adult pathways are set up and the infantile chemistry used as evidence to keep the security of ketosis, finish working.

But this is not even as related to the fact that organic compound bodies are toxic. In medicine, the three organic compound bodies mentioned above are classified as cyanogenetic acidic chemicals. At high levels, they can cause your blood to become too acidic, a illness state called ketoacidosis.

Granted, this is rare because most of the organic compound bodies wish be used by the brain as an energy source. Diabetic acidosis is normally seen in type 1 diabetics. It is a medical emergency.

So, is ketonemia dangerous to your body? Yes and no. Yes, ketonemia represents a state of starvation. Losing weight once the body thinks you're starving is the better way to guarantee weight regain. The weight wish move back and move back as fat. No, ketonemia wish not cause diabetic acidosis in non-diabetics. And as long as you have a large storage of fat, your brain wish not starve for energy.

<h4>The Final Verdict</h4>

<ol><li>As an alternative physiological state, ketonemia is not dangerous, assumptive the levels of organic compound bodies do not increase to acidic levels.

<li>As a diet plan, ketogenic diets are not suggested because of the state of starvation they create. Your metabolism wish eventually slow down setting you up for weight regain in the near the future.

<li>Ketogenic diets, like the Atkins Diet, may besides be dangerous not because they cause ketosis, but because they promote high macromolecule and fat intake. High macromolecule diets, unless you're body building, increases carbamide creation and can damage the kidneys. Supporters claim that this simply doesn't happen, coverage that no excretory organ damage has occurred to the millions of dieters on Atkins Diet or another ketogenic diets.

However, it is well acknowledged that microscopic damage can occur to the kidneys effecting their ability to filter the blood. But clinical signs of this damage may take some years to manifest. Chronic nephritic insufficiency is a concern for ketogenic dieters, which may cause problems in the years to come.</li></ol>

<h4>Conclusion</h4>

Atkins Diet and another ketogenic diets (low Carb) can be safe and effective in causation weight loss. However, I recommend keeping ketonemia to a minimum and keep your saccharide intake above 50 grams a day. Don't follow the suggestions for reaching an "induction" phase. It's not necessary to turn "on" the alternative pathways delineated above and burn fat.

Remember, healthy weight loss is to burn fat and fat only. But it besides involves keeping your rate of weight loss about 2-3 pounds/week. The induction phase promoted by the Atkins Diet can result in a rate of weight loss far greater than 2-3 pounds/week. It may sound nice to you now, but how makes gaining it all back as fat sound? Because that wish happen if you lose weight too fast.

For much information on route to experience healthy weight loss, visit

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To Healthy Living!

Dr. Archangel A. Smith
Chief Medical Consultant
Diet Basics Website
Simply simply about the Author

Dr. Smith is the Chief Medical Adviser for Diet Basics, a content based weight loss web site dedicated to all dieters fighting to lose weight. Please visit his site at

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