This is my first post, so go easy on me

My friends told me about a low-carb program that was on SKY ONE. I didn't get to see it, but they've told me that somebody is sueing the Atkins organisation because the diet causes osteoporosis, kidney problems and cancer of the colon.

For me personally, the Atkins diet has been great - I've lost weight, gained loads of energy and am more mentally alert. Unfortunately, the above has scared my wife, and I must admit, given me a small niggling fears at the back of my mind.

I don't want to be banned on this site for being a heretic, but I wanted your opinion on the health issues, so that I can point my wife to another thread that shows the research that everything is OK, or if anyone saw this program what they thought.

Thanks

Hi Sapper!

Have a look through this forum as well as the low carb research and studies on the page where you log in. Most of these topics have been discussed over and over. To my knowledge, there have never been any studies that can directly link a low carb lifestyle to osteoporosis, kidney disease or colon cancer. The most recent studies on meat and colon cancer seem to indicate that it's processed meats with added nitrates that cause a problem, not fresh unprocessed beef. As was mentioned in another thread, anyone can sue but that doesn't mean that their case has any merit and the person bringing the lawsuit would have to prove that low carb directly caused all of the above problems. I'd be willing to bet that all of this has been blown way out of proportion and started with PCRM running adds directed at physicians suggesting that they might be sued if they prescribed a low carb diet for any of their patients because they believe (mistakenly in my opinion) that low carb may cause the above problems. To date, they have no sound scientific data to back up their position and the majority of the studies that have been done on low carb seem to directly contradict their opinion, but that hasn't stopped them from trying to intimidate the rest of the population into following their line of thinking.

who, or what is PCRM?

Here's a site for PCRM http://www.pcrm.org/

Vikki

There is no lawsuit, I found the article on sky ones web site. They only say physicians could be sued, which is the pcrm's silly assertion. The pcrm is a is a front for vegan groups, it is supposedly non profit, yet it's board consists of nothing but low fat vegan diet guru's with best selling books, most notably Ornish, McDougall and Banard all militant anti meat people.

In any case their evil little plan is working, people actually now think there is a lawsuit when their is none!

Below is the silly little news story.




Celebrity Diet Slammed





Would-be slimmers have been warned against following a controversial celebrity diet that has been made trendy by a host of stars.

The best-selling Atkins plan, a high protein, low carbohydrate diet, claims to help burn off body fat without the hunger.



Geri Halliwell and Catherine Zeta Jones are among its advocates.

But doctors in the United States are now advising patients that the diet could do them long-term harm.

Lawsuit

Doctors have been warned by medical groups that they could be sued for recommending the diet.

And experts in Britain warn a diet of meat and fat could lead to long term health problems, including kidney problems, heart disease, osteoporosis and even cancer.

"It is far too low in carbohydrates, fruit and vegatable, which lower the risk of intestinal cancer," said Wendy Doyle of the British Dietetic Association.
Advocates of the Atkins diet claim that by cutting out carbohydrates the body burns up it's own fat reserves for fuel.

'Carbohydrate awareness'

They reject conventional health messages that fatty foods cause heart disease and obesity.

Colette Heimowitz said: "When you cut out fat you are forced to increase carbohydrates. We are a sedentary population. We are not burning all those fats we are taking in so it's our mission to bring carbohydrate awareness to the US public and reverse the trend."

That's rejected by dieticians. They say the only way to control weight long term is to eat less, eat healthily and exercise more.



Last Updated: 16:04 UK, Saturday September 14, 2002

the question I have, if anyone out there is better-informed than me, relates to this point:

4. Meat doesn't boost insulin; only carbohydrates do, and that's why they make people fat.

Popular books and news stories have encouraged individuals to avoid carbohydrate-rich foods, suggesting that high-protein foods will not stimulate insulin release. However, contrary to this popular myth, proteins stimulate insulin release, just as carbohydrates do. Clinical studies indicate that beef and cheese cause a bigger insulin release than pasta, and fish produces a bigger insulin release than popcorn.11

the reference they give is
Holt SHA, Brand Miller JC, Petocz P. An insulin index of foods; the insulin demand generated by 1000-kJ portions of common foods. Am J Clin Nutr 1997;66:1264-76.

I ask this since my understanding of atkins is, you only store fat in the presence of insulin, which is stimulated by carbs. Fewer carbs = less insulin = the fat goes through you, rather than getting laid down in your fat cells. This implies otherwise...

My personal experience of atkins, btw, is that I lost 50 lbs in 8 months and have never felt better. I have now been stalled for 4 months but I can live with it. Am doing lc as a wol now so as long as I don't regain, I'm happy.

Maybe we all should just sign up on their register (there is a link) and stuff it full of lc success stories?

Zan

In the absence of carbohydrates, excess protein can be converted into glucose by the body. It's not as efficient a process, 1.6 grams of protein to 1 gram of glucose, as eating carbohydrates. Thus you have a metabolic advantage here to in a low carb diet. Even Atkins now suggests some retrictions on amounts of protein consumed. DLB