I saw a crawl about this on CNN this morning. I've been hunting down stories about it on the web. Never found a link at the CNN site, but here's what I came across so far.

Mind you, I ain't buying it -- mice & cows are herbivores, so a diet of 25% protein is completely unnatural for them. But I know there are women who are just starting out on LCE or considering it & they will totally run the other way once they hear about this! Hopefully Andrea has links to some other studies that refute this.

Again, am I just paranoid, or is there something very sinister & underhanded about putting out bs info like this?

- RC


STUDY INDICATED HIGH-PROTEIN DIETS MAY REDUCE FERTILITY

http://www.wistv.com/Global/story.asp?S=1977119[/size]

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STUDY: ATKINS-STYLE DIET COULD DAMAGE CHANCES OF HAVING A BABY
http://www.wtopnews.com/index.php?nid=249&sid=217386
Updated: Monday, Jun. 28, 2004 - 4:20 PM



(Poster's note: I wouldn't have the energy to get out of bed every morning if my protein intake was only 20% of my total calories!)

Yeah, kind of like the original studies "proving" that saturated fat clogs arteries, which were done on rabbits.

this is just plain ridiculous. What WILL they think of next?

__________________
Cindi

232/187.5 (WW)/202/195---November 1 Goal
232/202/175---major goal by January 2, 2006 (my birthday)
232/202/125---final goal???

Romans 5:3 "...We also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance"

Here is the response to that from the Atkins People:

ATKINS RESPONDS TO RESEARCH PRESENTED AT THE EUROPEAN SOCIETY OF HUMAN REPRODUCTION AND EMBRYOLOGY


June 28, 2004, New York, NY?In regards to the research presented by Dr. David Gardner at the 20th annual conference of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology, it is essential to clarify and define the research results as well as the Atkins Nutritional Approach?.

It is important to note that there was no mention of carbohydrate control in the research conducted by Dr. Gardner. The study subjects were mice, which are herbivores. Whether or not these findings or effects would apply to humans, who are omnivores, is unknown.

?The differences between mice and human embryos have recently been demonstrated by the ability to produce mice embryos from a single parent, a process that can not be replicated in humans,? said Stuart Trager, M.D., medical director for Atkins Nutritionals, Inc. ?This casts a large discrepancy on the ability to derive conclusions about the clinical implications of this study with regard to humans.?

In fact, some studies show a positive correlation between controlling carbohydrates and female fertility. Dr. Eric Westman presented an abstract at the Society of General Internal Medicine?s 2004 annual meeting on a study of women with polycystic ovary syndrome treated with a controlled-carbohydrate approach.1 On average, the women experienced improvement in hormonal levels as well as weight loss. In addition, two of the women in the study who had previous experienced difficulty in becoming pregnant, conceived during the study.

?The positive role of controlled-carbohydrate nutrition has been well established clinically in women who are either overweight and/or not ovulating normally,? said Ben Gocial, M.D., a reproductive endocrinologist from Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.

In addition, there are more than 28 studies focused specifically on the Atkins Nutritional Approach?, each of which demonstrates that on average the subjects experience improvements in both weight loss and overall health. In addition, a building body of supportive scientific research continues to develop, and will continue to provide the opportunity for those interested in helping people and improving health with the information they need to use controlled-carbohydrate nutrition.

About ANA?:

The Atkins Nutritional Approach?

The Atkins Nutritional Approach? (ANA?) is a scientifically validated nutritional strategy for weight control and better health based upon controlling carbohydrate consumption. This nutritional strategy stresses nutrient-dense carbohydrates as part of a balanced eating plan that includes a variety of protein and good fats, while restricting carbohydrates that have the greatest impact on blood sugar. The ANA? provides each person with the information that they need to find their individual level of carbohydrate intake, below which weight loss is achieved and above which weight gain occurs.

1Westman EC, Yancy WS, Hepburn J, Mavropoulos J. A pilot study of a low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diet for obesity-related polycystic ovary syndrome. J Gen Intern Med 2004;19(supplement 1):111.

In addition I want to add this:

Since 1999 when LCE first officially "opened it's doors", we have had MANY MANY women who have used low carb at the suggestion of their MD's in order to help conceive. Ususally these are woman with PCOS, who have been trying for years!

OPEN CALL: IF YOU ARE A WOMAN WHO HAS CONCEIVED WITH THE HELP OF A LOW CARB DIET, PLEASE POST HERE!!!!!!!!

O.K., this is a little "off" but thought someone may appreciate it. I don't know yet if I am more fertile since starting LC in January, but LC has most definately helped with the "opportunities" to find out.

I am 36 years old and thought seriously I was heading toward "The CHANGE" early, but not its as if, well, let me put it this way, DH and I are open to a new life in our home now! Hope that is that o.k. to post.

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Suzanne (Atkins - 1/9/04)
195/168/145

First off, my diet averages about a 15% ratio of protien, not 25%. I have eaten more veggies in the past year than my entire life twice over prior to that. I take supplements and am more concious of the consequences of what I put in my body. I had discussed pregnancy a year and a half years ago, at my highest weight, with a doctor who flat out told me he would not treat me thru a preganancy "even if you lost 30 lbs in the next year" and I would have to go to a specialist. It took me six months to get on the program, but I've lost 60 lbs in the year since and if I wind up pregnant tommorow I know I will have a healthy pregnancy.

How the heck did the human race survive long enough to make food processing plants if we didn't have the processed foods for thousands of years??? I am not a mouse, I am a human eating a diet I was designed to eat.

GIVE ME A BREAK!!!

__________________
LC since 4/22/03

"Can't Means Won't"
"No matter where you go, there you are..."

(266)257/200.5/125
Preggo/Due May 7, 2005
Gained alot when I quit smoking
Preggo at 236.6/current 241.6--11 weeks

OPEN CALL: IF YOU ARE A WOMAN WHO HAS CONCEIVED WITH THE HELP OF A LOW CARB DIET, PLEASE POST HERE!!!!!!!!

POST POST POST POST!

I tried for 6 years with no success. When my mom told me to cut out all starchy foods to feel better and lose weight, SURPRISE, I got pregnant. I now have a 14 year old son, thank you very much!!

Ann

note*

should have said at the time I got pregnant and didn't go back to low carb. I had what I wanted and since then I was a low-fat *expert* who continually gained. Dumb huh?

My mom has been harping on me ever since to quit eating starches. Should have listened then too!
Ann

BALANCED diet... atkins always says BALANCED diet.. these people seem to always want to use a UNBALANCED low carb version to call attention to any problems someone might have... eating nothing but meat and cheese could be a problem... eating protein.. dairy.. veggies... and water is BALANCED...
hmmm i wonder how all of us humans got here without all the sugar and refined flour products... holy cow... its a MOTHERS DAY MIRACLE..*sigh*..

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kims SECOND journal is HERE
kims new blog
KIMS BLOG !!
SUGARFREE BLOG

This thread couldn't have been more timely. Thank you Rad for starting it and Andrea for the helpful rebuttal.

I read this over and over yesterday since dh and I have been trying to conceive since January. And I had lunch today w/ some old work friends, so of course they said the reason I wasn't pregnant yet was because of that damned Atkins diet I'm on! I calmly said, yes, I was concerned at first after hearing of this study, but after more research I realized there was no basis to it and proceeded to regurgitate a lot of Andrea's post. That shut them up, but I know they think my woe is extremely unhealthy and tell me so at every opportune moment. I think they're jealous that I look so much better than they do, and it makes them feel better to think I'm sabotaging my body to get that way. So be it.

UPDATE 7/15/2004: The Atkins woe obviously didn't make me infertile. We found out this week we're expecting a baby in April!

__________________
Emily
Current: Size 10
Goal: Size 8

What Andrea said only simpler (like me, giggle!)let's compare apples to apples not apples to oranges. (mice, cows ......humans?)duh.

__________________
Jackie

http://www.wistv.com/Global/story.as...1&nav=0RaSOJy9

is another "Funny".

__________________
BigLez Soon to be Littlelez

If you have never made a mistake then you've done nothing

post =)

i dunno if the atkins actually helped us conceive as we werent trying in the first place. we hadnt used contraceptives in about 3-4 years when we got pregnant, but it was only 4 months after we started atkins. maybe it helped, maybe it was just fate, who knows? but i still think of him as my little atkins induced baby =)

at the very least, the increased energy and feeling better about yourself that comes from atkins certainly helps increase the possibility of becoming pregnant, if you know what i mean

__________________
Erin
i am not a number!
^^^ pic above is result of atkins induced pregnancy ^^^

I was kind of avoiding this thread because I'm tired of the anti-Atkins pro-Atkins debate. I made up my mind about that a long time ago.

However, as far as Atkins reducing fertility in some individuals, even without looking at studies and data, it seems to make some sense. We know that a too-low body fat ratio is associated with reduced fertility in women. Dieting, using any diet, low-carb or not, to the point where the body fat ratio interferes with normal cycling, can interfere with conception. It's a well-documented phenomenon. Presumably, this is an evolutionary adaptation to prevent females from conceiving during times of famine.

For women who are dieting because they really are TOO fat, none of the above is relevant. Too sadly, many women don't have a realistic idea of what is a good weight.

These things happen. Many years ago, I dated two different women (not at the same time) who were in Overeaters Anonymous. They had both dieted to the point where they had stopped having monthly cycles all together. This often happens with athletes, as well. Gymnasts, for instance.

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"And so, in my State of the—my State of the Union—or state—my speech to the nation, whatever you want to call it, speech to the nation—I asked Americans to give 4,000 years—4,000 hours over the next—the rest of your life—of service to America. That's what I asked—4,000 hours."