How does the atkins diet work

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A research study carried out by the Weight and Eating Disorders Program at the University of Pennsylvania, reported in May 2003 that the Atkins diet raised levels of HDL (or "good") cholesterol by an average of 11% and reduced the amount of triglycerides in the bloodstream by 17%. In the study, conventional dieters' HDL cholesterol raised by only 1.6% while their triglyceride levels did not improve significantly. Weight loss was also statistically greater in the Atkins dieters after three and six months compared with the conventional dieters (although this did not remain statistically significant after a year). The study followed the diets of 63 obese men and women. (See New Scientist, May 21 2003) Two other large-scale studies are planned, one funded by Atkins's nonprofit foundation.

Authored by Dr. Robert C. Atkins, the diet regimen is a low carbohydrate, high protein diet. According to the popular way of following this diet you are allowed to eat as much fat as you like as long as you consume very little carbohydrates. The magic behind the short-term success of low carbohydrate diets lies in their effect on the body: the body's preferred energy source is glucose. When carbohydrates are significantly restricted, the body runs short on its constant supply of glucose, the breakdown product of carbohydrate. The body anticipates these situations by storing glucose (glycogen) in the muscles and liver. For every gram of glycogen the body stores, it must store with it three grams of water. If carbohydrates are significantly limited, the body will break down these glycogen stores to obtain glucose for energy. When the glycogen is broken down stored water is released and excreted. The more aggressive the carbohydrate restriction, the more dramatic this effect. Hence, water loss.

The Atkins diet has generally been considered by most medical and nutritional experts to be unsound or even quackery. Opponents of the diet mention that the initial weight loss upon starting on this diet is a phenomenon common with most diets, and is due to reduction in stored glycogen and related water in muscles, not fat loss. They claim that no evidence has surfaced that any diet will cause weight loss unless it reduces calories below the maintenance level. Reports have also indicated that successful weight loss due to the Atkins diet has been the result of fewer kilojoules (calories) being consumed by the dieter, rather than the lack of carbohydrates. [2]