Bad news for folks who religiously follow the Atkins diet: doctors say that strict devotees could get a potentially fatal blood disorder.

The conclusions come after a 40-year-old obese woman who had been on the diet for a month in 2004 began vomiting up to six times a day and feeling increasingly short of breath. At a New York emergency room, doctors diagnosed the woman as having "ketoacidosis," a dangerous build-up of acids called "kentones" in the blood, according to the study in British medical journal, The Lancet.

Under the weight-loss plan, the woman lost 20 pounds after living on nothing but meat, cheese and salads. Lessnau said the woman also took vitamins and supplements, one of the precautions advocated by the program, which stresses low-carbohydrate and high-protein foods.

Other health experts said an underlying medical condition caused the woman's condition, not the weight-loss plan. In fact, one of The Lancet researchers said that mild pancreatitis or a stomach infection may have contributed to the problem, along with the Atkins program.

Ketones are produced in the liver during starvation or diabetes.

"Our patient had an underlying ketoacidosis caused by the Atkins diet," said Dr. Klaus-Dieter Lessnau, a physician and professor at New York University's medical school. "This problem may become more recognized because this diet is becoming increasingly popular worldwide.

"This is something that is not well-diagnosed or may be underreported. The Atkins diet is not a safe diet in everybody. It can cause potentially life-threatening problems."

Obesity experts say that the best way to lose weight choosing and sticking to a healthy eating plan and exercising. Overweight and obese people should adopt realistic weight-loss goals and always consult their doctors. For a recent Nubella article on weight loss plans, click here.

"Low carbohydrate diets for weight management are far from healthy, given their association with ketosis, constipation or diarrhea, halitosis, headache, and general fatigue to name a few side effects," Dr. Lyn Steffen, an obesity expert at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, wrote in an editorial accompanying The Lancet study.

"The low-carbohydrate diet is not a diet for life."

Steffen added that low-carb plans increase the protein load in the kidneys and alter the body's balance of acids, which could lead to loss of minerals in the bones.

However, this is not the first time that scientists have warned of the dangers of low-carbohydrate diets.

In February, a study in the Archives of Internal Medicine linked low-carb diets to higher levels of LDL "bad" cholesterol levels.
To read Nubella's complete story, click here. 

'Don't blame Atkins'

Dr. David L. Katz, director of Yale University's Prevention Research Center and author of The Flavor Point Diet, also said he disapproves of the Atkins and other low-carb diets.

"The Atkins diet is at odds with a strong foundation of knowledge about the fundamentals of healthful eating and sustainable weight loss," he told the media.

Although one case doesn't provide Atkins is harmful, Katz added, "the burden of proof has always been the other way around: diets at odds with conventional dietary wisdom must prove themselves healthful. In my opinion, the Atkins diet never did, and never will, meet this test."

But Gary D. Foster, director of Temple University's Center for Obesity Research and Education, told the media that Atkins itself may not have caused the problems. Rather, he added, the cause may have been the fact she was losing weight quickly.

"This shows that people who are obese and lose a lot of weight quickly should be doing so under medical supervision," Foster said. "It's a bit of a red herring to blame the diet. It's not clear from one case. We have known for a long time that losing weight quickly is a bad idea medically."

Dr. Abby Bloch, a vice president at the Dr. Robert C. Atkins Foundation, which is named after the late cardiologist who created the weight-loss plan in 1989, said the woman's vomiting and possibly an underlying, undetected condition led to ketoacidosis. She said millions of people are on low-carb diets without experiencing health problems and that "many studies" have disputed reported side effects from the plans.

Other scientists support low-carb programs are the best approach health conditions , such as like diabetes and heart-related disease.

Source: The Lancet

This summary by Nubella News is a snapshot of a larger, more detailed study and/or research project. Nubella News encourages all site visitors and readers interested in understanding the material contained within this article at a more detailed level, to perform additional research and investigation into the article topics, references, and any links provided within the material. Nubella News does not intend to offer medical advice. We recommend that all readers ask their doctor or medical professional for additional advice, guidance, and/or recommendations pertaining to this article.