Two Studies Vindicate Atkins Diet

WCCO News Online ^ | 5/21/03 | A/P

[Johnny Gage]

Two Studies Vindicate Atkins Diet

May 21, 2003 4:00 pm US/Central (AP) A month after Dr. Robert C. Atkins' death, his much-ridiculed diet has received its most powerful scientific support yet: two studies in one of medicine's most distinguished journals show it really does help people lose weight faster without raising their cholesterol.

The research, in Thursday's New England Journal of Medicine, found that people on the high-protein, high-fat, low-carbohydrate Atkins diet lose twice as much weight over six months as those on the standard low-fat diet recommended by most major health organizations.

However, one of the studies found that the Atkins dieters regain much of the weight by the end of one year.

Atkins, who died April 17 at age 72 after falling and hitting his head on an icy sidewalk, lived to see several shorter studies that found, to researchers' great surprise, that his diet is effective and healthy in the short run.

Although those reports have been presented at medical conferences, none until now has been published in a top-tier journal. And one of the studies in the journal lasted a year, making it the longest one yet.

"For the last 20 years that I've been helping people lose weight, I've been trashing the Atkins diet -- without any real data to rely on," said Dr. Michael Hamilton, an obesity researcher who was not part of either study. "Now we have some data to give us some guidance."

Now, he said, he would neither trash it nor endorse it. "I'm going to say I don't know. The evidence isn't in," he said.

One study ran six months and was conducted by the Veterans Affairs Department; the yearlong study was led by Gary D. Foster, who runs the weight-loss program at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Atkins' diet books have sold 15 million copies since the first one was published in 1972. From the start, doctors branded the Atkins diet foolish and dangerous, warning that the large amounts of beef and fat would lead to sky-high cholesterol levels. In both studies, the Atkins dieters generally had better levels of "good" cholesterol and triglycerides, or fats in the blood. There was no difference in "bad" cholesterol or blood pressure. Dr. Frederick F. Samaha of the Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center, who led the VA study, said both studies indicate that people do lose more weight on Atkins, "but the difference is not great."

The 132 men and women in the VA study started out weighing an average of 286 pounds. After six months, those on the Atkins diet had lost an average of 12.8 pounds, those on the low-fat diet 4.2.

The other study involved 63 participants who weighed an average of 217 pounds at the start. After six months, the Atkins group lost 15.4 pounds, the group on the standard diet 7.

But at the end of a year, the Atkins dieters had regained about a third of the weight. Their net loss averaged 9.7 pounds. The low-fat dieters had regained about one-fifth of the weight, for a net loss of 5.5 pounds.

The year-end difference was not big enough to tell whether it was caused by the diets, Foster said.

About 40 percent of the patients dropped out of each study. And while supporters of the Atkins diet say it is easier to stick with, people on the Atkins regimen were just as likely to drop out as people on the standard diets.

The important finding, Foster said, is that the Atkins diet appears to be a healthy short-term way to lose weight. Nobody has studied it long enough to tell whether it is a healthy way to maintain that loss, he said.

Collette Heimowitz, director of education and research at Atkins Health and Medical Information Services, said people there were not surprised by the weight loss and improved cholesterol.

"But I'm thrilled that serious researchers are taking a hard look at the program, so that health care professionals and physicians would find comfort in offering Atkins as an alternative to the one-size-fits-all hypothesis of low-fat, low-calorie," she said.

The studies did not convince Kathleen Zelman, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.

"There's never been any denying that low-carbohydrate, high-protein diets such as Atkins do, absolutely, cause weight loss," she said. "But do they hold up over time and can you stay on them over time?"

From Foster's study, it does not look like it, she said.

[Carolina]

No, the heart attack he had was viral.

[Carolina]

Also, the heart attack he had was a year ago, not 6 months ago. The condition is called cardiomyopathy and has nothing to do with diet and is caused by an infection.

[Belial]

No, the heart attack he had was viral.

Whatever the case, all I'm saying is that it doesn't constitute "excellent health".

I'm sure you can lose weight on Atkin's plan. Is it a healthy way to lose weight? For most people, I suspect exercise and sensible portions of varied, whole foods is ideal. Eating large amounts of fatty foods is bad nutrition.

[Carolina]

Before you go talking about what constitutes healty, why don't you tell me what you understand of the Atkins diet.

[Belial]

I understand he advocates beginning the diet with minimal carb intake. Elimination of grains, fruit, sugar etc. Shifting intake to protein and fat. Over time carbs are reintroduced, and the allowed limit increases, still at lower levels than prescribed by the traditional FDA pyramid.

[Carolina]

Do you understand how it works?

[Belial]

Yep. What is this, 20 questions? Do I need to prove I understand all the jive to even have a conversation with an Atkins devotee?

[I got the rope]

There is a history in my family. Once I hit 235 lbs, I started feeling bad. I told my father about it and he thought it could be diabetes. I didn't check it until after I started.

[PianoMan]

Guinness is only 5.2 carbs per bottle my friend. Drink up!

[PianoMan]

ping

[I got the rope]

I guess the thing that makes a meal for me is the spice. I have a history of high blood pressure, so I don't like salty foods. 300-400 mg Sodium tops in a meal for me. Since I've started Atkins, I have been fine and my blood pressure is great. Next month my doctor plans to wean me off the pills completely.

I really like hot peppers, curry, sage, thyme, garlic, onions, and cilantro.

Leaving out some of the sweeter sauces in some of my favorite dishes is the hardest part. For example...bar-b-qued chicken theighs are my favorite....but alas ....no more.

[Nov3]

Now I have for the past two years eaten in a more "Mediterranean style" with lots of pasta, bread, nuts, fish, olive oil, etc., and I stopped gaining weight.

If you want a READABLE dissertation on the mechanism that makes the mediteranean diet work check out the eicosanoid section of "Protein Power". It is an excellent READABLE discussion. The implications of the mediteranean fat balance goes farther than just heart related. It also has other powerful physical and psychological implications. It is a very interesting subject and will be the basis for some true wonder medicines in the future. It is truly exciting. Go to pubmed and do a search on PGE series one and three. (ProstGlandin Eicosanoid).

The fats our forefathers ate are what we are supposed to eat. Give me butter, fish oils, olive oil and lard. Keep the hydrogenated BS, oleos and SOYBEAN OILS. < tinfoil>I, and I am all alone here, even on the internet, believe soybean oils and foods are responsible for the spate of auto immune diseases we have seen surge since 1980. (Coincident with the rise of soy products). < /tinfoil>

[Nov3]

Whatever the case, all I'm saying is that it doesn't constitute "excellent health".

When you are are a SEVENTY TWO YEAR OLD multimillionaire and and WALKING TO WORK in FREEZING WEATHER then tell me what excellent health is. I think he could afford a taxi if he was in bad shape! I think he could afford to retire for that matter. He was in awesome shape for his age.

[WKB]

I didn't check it until after I started

About 3 years ago I was checking my mother's blood sugar for her 3-4 times a week.
One day I decided I would check mine just for the heck of it.
It was 514. The next day fasting it was down to 350.
I take one pill a day and my blood sugar is OK most of the time.

[4CJ]

Bump. I need to do it ;o)

[Maven]

Thanks I was afraid without an carbs maybe the blood sugar would get to low.

If you're injecting insulin, it might - so check with your doctor.

If you take Metformin (Glucophage), it probably won't, but check with your doctor anyway.

Maven

[Maven]

Way to go Maven!!!

Thanks!

Three slices of extra thick lean bacon from the Micro and I'm set till 1 pm. Then a small lunch and a sane dinner.

Sounds good to me. I usually have two scrambled eggs for breakfast, along with a cup of decaf coffee (with half-and-half and a tablespoon of DaVinci's sugar-free syrup). Lunch these days is salmon salad with celery sticks to scoop it up. Snack is a piece of string cheese. Dinner is a small steak, lamb chop, couple of pieces of chicken, etc., and about 2 cups of vegetables with olive oil and a bit of butter (I like the flavor of butter - what can I say? LOL!)

Tonight, I had a lemon-blueberry muffin for dessert - it's based on the coffee cake/muffin recipe I posted.

Also, I drink AT LEAST two liters of water every day - and often as much as a gallon. Staying hydrated is VERY important.

I found some small tomatoes at Costco that are fruit to me.

Once you've been low carbing for a while, you find out just how sweet some types of vegetation taste. Iceberg lettuce tastes like candy to me now.

I switched from Diet Pepsi to Diet Riet a couple of weeks ago and I'm drinking more water. I not sure about the Sucra in the Diet Riet cola as it's made from sugar and I'm getting a hunger after drinking one.

A very few people have that problem with Splenda (sucrolose). I don't, but I know a few who do. I also know a few people who don't like the taste of Splenda, although the vast majority find it tastes just like sugar - no bitter aftertaste.

My wife is a fountain of information on Atkins and other things medical.

Lucky you!

Maven

[Maven]

Does anybody out there have experience slow healing on Atkins?

Yes, it's not uncommon, and it's one of the very few negatives about low carbing.

The simple solution is to up the carbs a bit during the healing period.

Maven

[WKB]

If you take Metformin (Glucophage), it probably won't, but check with your doctor anyway.

I take Glucophage once a day. I had a steriod shot a few weeks ago and my sugar never got over 250.
I thought that was pretty good.

[Maven]

Well the Atkins threads around that time made me give it (the diet) a second look. I normally shy away from any of these "diets" that fill our bookstores and supermarket tabloids.

Understandable, but I'm glad you gave it that second look.

Still, I have issues with the Atkins diet. I believe it is not balanced enough and too extreme with its anti-carb agenda.

Well, let's see - I eat meat (beef, lamb, chicken, fish, etc.). I eat fresh non-starchy vegetables. I eat nuts. I occasionally eat some berries (especially during strawberry season). I drink lots of water. How unbalanced is that?

The truth is - low carb varies from about 20 grams a day to 100. If you eat 100 grams of carbs a day, that's 400 calories' worth - which is plenty. There's nothing unbalanced about it.

Now I have just a banana for breakfast and a tin of sardines (or small bag of peanuts) for lunch on most days and I am not even hungry. In fact, I have to sometimes force myself to have that banana in the morning because I know I need to put something in my system after doing my 5AM walk.

A banana is too carby for me, but it's doable on a 100-gram plan. Also, if you're doing some intensive exercise, that's the time to eat your carbs, as your body will use them for energy instead of converting them to fat.

I don't bother counting calories but I estimate I do not go very much over 1,200 to 1,500 calories a day (including the beer and coffee I drink) since starting the "modified" Atkins plan (along with the walking program).

If you want to see how many calories you're eating - and how they're broken down into macronutrients, there's a great website for that: http://www.fitday.com. It's absolutely free.

Maven