Atkin's diet
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Indications
- popular diet for weight reduction
- average weight reduction 10% (9 kg) over 6 months
- 6% fat loss (37% to 31% body fat)
- decreased total cholesterol (214 to 203 mg/dL)*
- decreased LDL cholesterol (136 to 126 mg/dL)*
- increase HDL cholesterol (52 to 62 mg/dL)*
- may improve fasting glucose[2]
* mean values from study[1]
Adverse effects
- constipation (68%)
- hallitosis (63%)
- headache[5]
- myalgias[5]
- diarrhea
- muscle weakness
- rash
- concerns for long-term effects[2]
- heart disease (high fat)
- low carbohydrate, high protein diet linked to increased risk for cardiovascular disease in women[8]
- renal failure (high protein)
- osteoporosis (high protein)
- meat-based low-carbohydrate diet associated with increased long-term mortality[7]
Procedure
- high protein, low carbohydrate diet
- diet limits carbohydrate intake to 25 g/day initially, then 50 g/day after 40% of the weight loss has been achieved
- calorie intake is not limited
Mechanism of action
- may work, in part, by reducing calories
- protein & fat can reduce hunger thus Atkin's dieters may eat less
- ketonuria develops as a sign of reduced carbohydrate intake
Clinical trials
Data from 6 month study funded by
- Atkin's Center for Complementary Medicine
- mean age 44, men & women, mean body mass index (BMI) 31.4
Mean calorie intake[1] 1447 kcal/day
- 23 g of carbohydrate
- 115 g of protein
- 98 g of fat
Data for another 6 month study[3]
- 132 obese subjects, mean body mass index (BMI) 43
- most patients had diabetes mellitus or metabolic syndrome X
- low carbohydrate vs low fat diet
Results:
- only 60% of participants completed study
- mean weight loss greater in low carbohydrate than in low fat diet (6 kg vs 2 kg)
- non significant trend toward lower caloric intake in low carbohydrate diet group
- insulin-sensitivity in non-diabetics, fasting glucose in diabetics & triglycerides improved significantly more in the low carbohydrate diet group
Data from a 12 months study[3]
- 63 obese subjects, mean body mass index (BMI) 34
- 59% completed study
- low carbohydrate vs low fat diet
Results:
- at 6 months weight loss greater in low carbohydrate diet group
- at 12 months, both groups had regained weight, no significant difference in overall weight loss (4.4% vs 2.5%)
- at 6 months weight loss greater in low carbohydrate diet group, but at 1 year no difference because low fat diet group continued to lose weight[5]
Data from Eco-Atkin's diet study[6]
Data from 12 month study[10]
- 150 obese subjects
- low carbohydrate diet (<40 g/day of digestible carbohydrates) vs low fat diet (<30% fat)
- caloric intakes similar
Results:
- at 12 months. low carbohydrate group lost 3.5 kg more than low fat group[10]
- low carbohydrate group with greater improvement in body composition, serum CRP, HDL cholesterol, & serum triglycerides
More general terms
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Journal Watch 22(17):131, 2002
Westman EC et al, Effect of 6-month adherence to a very low carbohydrate diet program. J Med 113:30, 2002 PMID: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12106620 - ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Prescriber's Letter 10(6):32 2003
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Journal Watch 23(13):103, 2003 Samaha FF et al, A low-carbohydrate as compared with a low-fat diet in severe obesity. NEJM 348(21):2074, 2003 PMID: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12761364
Foster GD et al, A randomized trial of a low-carbohydrate diet for obesity. NEJM 348(21):2082, 2003 PMID: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12761365 - ↑ Journal Watch 24(1):5, 2004
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Journal Watch 24(14):114, 2004 Yancy WS Jr, Olsen MK, Guyton JR, Bakst RP, Westman EC. A low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diet versus a low-fat diet to treat obesity and hyperlipidemia: a randomized, controlled trial. Ann Intern Med. 2004 May 18;140(10):769-77. PMID: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15148063
Stern L, Iqbal N, Seshadri P, Chicano KL, Daily DA, McGrory J, Williams M, Gracely EJ, Samaha FF. The effects of low-carbohydrate versus conventional weight loss diets in severely obese adults: one-year follow-up of a randomized trial. Ann Intern Med. 2004 May 18;140(10):778-85. PMID: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15148064
Willett WC. Reduced-carbohydrate diets: no roll in weight management? Ann Intern Med. 2004 May 18;140(10):836-7. No abstract available. PMID: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15148073 - ↑ 6.0 6.1 Jenkins DJA et al The effect of a plant-based low-carbohydrate ('Eco-Atkins') diet on body weight and blood lipid concentrations in hyperlipidemic subjects. Arch Intern Med 2009 Jun 8; 169:1046. PMID: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19506174
Tuttle KR and Milton JE The 'Eco-Atkins' diet: New twist on an old tale. Arch Intern Med 2009 Jun 8; 169:1027. PMID: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19506171 - ↑ 7.0 7.1 Fung TT et al, Low-Carbohydrate Diets and All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality Two Cohort Studies Annals of Internal Medicine 2010, 153:289-298 <PubMed> PMID: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20820038 <Internet> http://www.annals.org/content/153/5/289.abstract
Yancy WS Jr et al. Animal, vegetable, or . . . clinical trial? Ann Intern Med 2010 Sep 7; 153:337 PMID: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20820043 - ↑ 8.0 8.1 Lagiou P et al Low carbohydrate-high protein diet and incidence of cardiovascular diseases in Swedish women: prospective cohort study BMJ 2012;344:e4026 <PubMed> PMID: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22735105 <Internet> http://www.bmj.com/content/344/bmj.e4026
Floegel A Low carbohydrate-high protein diets BMJ 2012;344:e3801 <PubMed> PMID: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22718914 <Internet> http://www.bmj.com/content/344/bmj.e3801 - ↑ Ebbeling CB et al. Effects of dietary composition on energy expenditure during weight-loss maintenance. JAMA 2012 Jun 27; 307:2627 PMID: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22735432
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Bazzano LA et al Effects of Low-Carbohydrate and Low-Fat Diets: A Randomized Trial. Ann Intern Med. 2014;161(5):309-318 <PubMed> PMID: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25178568 <Internet> http://annals.org/article.aspx?articleid=1900694