Aren't low carb diets dangerous? Don't low-carb diets force your body into a state of ketosis. And can't this dangerously lower the ph of the body. Metabolically speaking carbs spare protein from being metabolized. So in essence when one is on a low carb-diet you are in a catabolic state. Your body is literally feeding off your own skeletal muscle to fight to maintain crucial glucose levels. Sure you lose tons of fat while carb fasting but your also catabolizing skeletal muscle and creating a toxic by-product (ketones) in the body. You can drink all the water you want to try to rid yourself of those ketones but your kidneys are still working overtime to get rid of those nitrogenous by-products. It just doesn't seem worth it to me...Especially coming from an athletic background. I think eating a nutrient dense diet with moderate carbs. is the best choice. If you guys can allay my concerns over low carb diets please do so..I'd like some opinions.

Everything there is to know about the low-carb lifestyle, specifically the Atkins Nutritional Approach, can be found in the most recent edition of Dr. Atkins' book, Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution. Also, you may research the facts at various locations on this website. Or at www.Atkins.com

Other plans are similarly explained in their respective books, available through your local library.

The "scientific" community and nutritional experts have mixed opinions, which you can research yourself by means of a search engine.

Best wishes as you decide which nutritional approach works best for you.

Barb L.
Started Atkins January 2003
162/137/130

Ummm... ok.

If you are so opposed to this woe (way of eating) then WHY are you scoping out a low-carb website???

First of all, your logic is full of fallacious reasoning.
You have some things *partly right*, but "a little knowledge is a dangerous thing."

Your body is MOST LIKELY to cannibalize it's own muscle tissue if it is not getting adequate protein. There is virtually NO low-fat diet out there that ensures adequate protein because to do so would eliminate the "low-fat" aspect!
I have been a weight lifter and kickboxer for about 15 years now (albeit, I'm not currently doing either as I am 7 months pregnant ).
When I did Jenny Craig, and Weight Watchers, and ALL the *other* diets I tried, my atheletic performance suffered. My cholesterol also skyrocketed! I just assumed it was bad genes and kept doing what I was doing...

When I was diagnosed with type II diabetes (2.5 years ago) -- after eating "low-fat" for most of my life -- I decided enough was enough.
I started researching this way of eating and grilling my husband (an M.D.) about the **facts** concerning low-carb eating. I decided to give it a shot; it was either that, or go on Glucophage (Metformin) to get my blood sugar under control.

I have since lost 50 pounds -- and while I still have a ways to go -- I have also significantly lowered my cholesterol to unbelievably good levels (LDL -- 106/ HDL -- 61). My blood pressure has also come back down to what it was during my teen years (110/65), but BEST OF ALL, I have **reversed my diabetes** and am medication-free.

Soooo... my question for ALL critics of low-carb diets is this: IF LOW CARB EATING IS **SO UNHEALTHY** FOR US, THEN WHY DO OUR BODIES RESPOND SO **HEALTHFULLY** TO IT???
It just doesn't make sense.

AND if you spend **any** amount of time researching this way of eating, you will find that more and more physicians are concurring with this conclusion.
My dh went on this *diet* with me 2.5 years ago (to be supportive, not to lose weight) and his fellow physicians scoffed and mocked him. Not 4 months ago when they were all at a benefit dinner, 7 of the 9 physicians were following SOME form of low-carb diet.

I strongly recommend 2 books for you to read...
The Schwarzbein Principle, by Diana Schwarzbein, MD -- a renowned endocrinologist and author and Protein Power by Michael Eades, MD and Mary Dan Eades, MD.
These 2 books do the absolute best job of explaining WHY this way of eating is not only safe, it is HEALTHIER in the long run.

I have been eating this way for 2 years. This is my way of life now. I will NEVER go back to low-fat or low-calorie. I feel better eating this way and I look better eating this way. My health is improved, my performance is improved, and quite frankly, I'm a nicer person now.

Oh, one more thing... I developed PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) while eating "healthy, & low-fat." I was told by my endocrinologist that I would likely not be able to have any more children...
I'M DUE IN MARCH. 'Nuff said.

HTH,

Summer


www.herstorygirl.com

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Metabolically speaking carbs spare protein from being metabolized. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
I'm not sure where you heard this, but it's completely false. If it were true, then high carb diets are even dangerous to your health.



Always eat your veggies first!
LCE member since March 2002

Jam - Summer and Barb hit on all the relevent points. I would like to add, however, that there is some indication that lowering your carb intake can actually improve long-term atheletic performance and endurance. This does not mean sustaining a 20g per day intake , but certainly under 100g per day, in most cases.

Most of us who converted to this WOE (way of eating) experienced increase energy almost immediately. My atheletic ability has certainly improved, and I fell phenomenal. Blood pressure is down and cholesterol has improved.

I think youneed to do a lot of research before you decide what kind of eating plan you want to follow. All I know is that high carb, low fat diets made me fat.

Jen
175/129/120

There are several research links at the top of this website. I would incourage you to take a look at them. There are also a few posts on here that go into detail about the science behind low carb eating.

We don't mind a debate, but it would be better if you knew the facts first. Get the books Summer mentioned and then we can go from there.

Jen

Atkins since 11/11/03

5'3" 140/130/115


I used to be indecisive...But now I'm not so sure!

I think the others told you everything you need to know.
However, i would like to add one thing. Everybody on this website is very supportive. If you are here to honestly find out about this wol then great. Welcome and good luck to you.
However, if you decided to drop in to tell us it doesn't work or it is wrong. Please don't. Everyone here believes in the wol and have benifited from it. We are not asking the world to join us, but would like the world to let us enjoy our new lifestyle.

Look at all the results people on this website have attained! It's amazing! This woe helps people who are unhealthy due to being overweight turnt their life around.

I wish you luck on whatever you decide to do for your diet. Just do some research and believe in what you are doing or it won't work for you!

Good luck all!!
Seesko

starting date 1/5/04

242/237/135

"What my mind can envision; my body can master!"

Well said, Seesko.

Jen
175/129/120

Furthermore, there is no change in blood pH. The blood pH remains at 7.4 as long as the ketone body concentrations don't exceed 7-10 mmol. Ketogenic diets usually produce ketone levels of 5-6 mmol.

Started Atkins on 9/20/03
235--&gt;190; 150 goal

Jam
Welcome, glad you could stop by.

From The authors of Protein Power in answer to the question:
Can the body break down muscle mass and turn that protein into carbohydrate?

Yes, if it has to. The liver can, by reassembling certain amino acids, manufacture about 200 grams of glucose per day to meet the needs of the few tissues in the body that can burn only glucose for fuel-the red blood cells and certain cells in the eye, kidney, and brain.

In a state of starvation, the body will break down its own muscle mass to meet this need, but with an adequate amount of dietary protein, it
will spare its muscle mass and make glucose from the dietary protein. As long as you keep your dietary protein at or above the recommended minimums in the Protein Power Plan, your liver will take those proteins and reassemble them into blood sugar as needed in a slow, controlled fashion. End quote

Long term studies of low carbohydrate diets are currently underway. Shorter term studies have indicated a larger percentage of muscle preservation with low carb diets than with conventional calories control diets. as long as protein consumption is adequate. I grant you that more study is needed and will be welcomed by all of us here at Lowcarbeating.

There's so much information out there on both sides and I hope you discover what most here have already. This way of eating works better than any other that we've tried. Losing weight on low fat and calorie control had me starving 24/7. And I kept the weight off 3 years and was hungry 90% of that time. But You will make up your own mind. The balls on your side of the net.

Rob
310/233/180

Me, a skeptic? I trust you have proof.

I couldn't have said anything posted above any better.

Summer, again , you took the words right out of my mouth. I have read Schwarzbein, Protein Power and Atkins. I am now reading the New Glucose Revolution AND one of Suzanne Sommer's books which was prefaced by Dr. Diana Schwarzbein. You can't make a decision about this way of life if you don't have the facts.

It peeves me continually when the subject of ketosis comes up. There is a difference between ketosis and the dangerous condition of ketoacidosis. Don't confuse the two.

I would suggest that you do a little more research by reading the above mentioned books, which were all written by DOCTORS. (except for Suzanne's books, but were conferred upon by doctors.)

Oh and by the way, my blood pressure has gone from dangerously high to normal, without medication. I'm VERY happy to stay off the drugs, thank you very much.

Barb - 30 lbs gone FOREVER!
www.iwsgroupinc.com - website design and development


Atkins-3/14/03
174/144/135 5'2"
"A little knowledge is a dangerous thing."
Knowledge is POWER

atheletic performance.


The English cricket team can't win a coin toss never mind a match.

The English Rugby team just won the word cup.

Guess who was on the Low-carb Diet?

BigLez Soon to be Littlelez

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

Your body ONLY uses muscle glucose stores for states of high adrenaline. Its the so called fight-or-flight phenomenom that occurs when you're exercising intensely over a long period of time or are in a state of heightened awareness. Your body keeps a suficient supply of glucose in the liver to use for most things it needs energy for. It only turns to muscle skeletal glucose metabolism as a last resort. If fact, the pathway involved for that type of glucose storage breakdown can only be activated in high states of adrenaline release - when your body needs a large amount of ATP and it needs it fast. Why? Because you actually need an adreneline precursor to activate it. It will NOT be active in a normal metabolic state. That method of glucose breakdown is highly inefficient, costing a good deal of energy to even use, and it results in the build-up of lactic acid (why your muscles get sore after exercising for a long period of time).

Your body can get the glucose it needs from your diet. If it can't get from your diet, it turns to fat breakdown. The break-down of fatty acids is relatively energy efficient and provides a more than ample supply of glucose to sustain your body.


__________________________________________________ ________

But once in awhile the odd thing happens,
Once in a while the dream comes true,
And the whole pattern of life is altered,
Once in awhile the moon turns blue.~ Auden

In NONE of the controlled studies done so far, has anyone died, gotten a serious metabolic imbalance, suffered brain damage from ketosis, had their kidneys fail, or lost so much muscle that they couldn't hold themselves upright.

That about does it for me.

By the way, I've lost 100 lbs so far.

Jam:

Well, I can only speak for what has worked for me. The low carb regimen I've been following since July 1, 1998 has not been dangerous for me. Moderate carbs, as you state, are what I ingest. I consider anything from 50 - 80 carbs per day as moderate.

I'm glad you're here, asking for opinions. Thank you for joining.

April
352/211.5/180
Down 140.5 pounds
31.5 to go...