It seems contrary to what might be expected (reducing mass probably reduces need for vitamins), but I can't help but notice that it seems I am deficient in vitamins, even though I get almost enough from diet and supplement liberally with vitamins.

Before Atkins my nails were healthy and strong and rarely broke. I never got bruises. Now my nails split in half (lengthwise, as if the "layers" of the nail bed are weakly held together) and are brittle. I bruise very easily now.

Don't get me wrong, some aspects of my health have improved with atkins. Virtually any aspect of health relating to the endocrine system has been vastly improved by reducing glycemic load and reducing fat mass. However, in many other areas, my health has declined. Not all, but many. My joints hurt in my hip and knee especially - my joints didn't even hurt when I was morbidly obese, believe it or not. My nails are in worse shape than they were before. I've been told I don't look healthy by family members.

I just don't get it. I eat very healthfully. I don't do "fatkins", I do it the right way: multiple servings of veggies a day (and I make sure to eat healthy veggies, not nutrient void stuff like cucumber or iceberg lettuce), many types of dairy, moderate amounts of fruit, and I take vitamins. The only way I can reason this is that the weight loss caused it. I admit I don't eat many calories, but that is only because I must reduce food intake to lose fat. If the poor health is related to a sustained hypocaloric diet only, than you can say my poor health is caused by losing weight. Has this phenomena been documented before (poor health induced by hypocaloric diet/fat loss)? If anyone could toss info my way, I would appreciate it . TIA