Note: This article DOES NOT talk about the complete Atkins Diet. If you want to read more about the full Atkins Diet, its types and phases, what food to eat, what to avoid, and more, you can check out this article.
Dr. Robert Atkins created the Atkins diet, a low-carb diet that gained popularity after the release of his book “Dr. Atkins’ Diet Revolution” in 1972. The diet is designed for weight loss and involves limiting carbohydrates to induce the body to use stored fat as an alternative source of fuel. It’s important to not only restrict carbohydrate intake but also to avoid consuming too much at once to prevent a flood of glucose in the body, which can result in fat production and storage.
The diet is also friendly to those following a gluten-free diet as recipes can be easily modified. Furthermore, it cuts down on starchy and sugary foods like bread, pasta, rice, beans, and potatoes, resulting in significantly fewer calories from carbohydrates than the federal dietary recommendation.
Its Purpose and Goals
The primary objective of the Atkins Diet is to assist individuals in losing weight and sustaining it over time, while also advocating for healthy lifelong eating habits. The diet claims to be beneficial in achieving a range of health goals, such as improving conditions like high blood pressure or metabolic syndrome and boosting energy levels. People may choose to follow the Atkins Diet because they enjoy the recommended types and quantities of food, want a carb-restrictive diet for weight loss, desire to alter their overall eating habits, or have medical concerns that they believe the diet could address. However, it is crucial to consult with a healthcare professional before embarking on any weight loss diet, particularly if you have any underlying medical conditions such as diabetes.
Benefits and Risks of the Atkins diet
As with any popular diet, there are advantages and disadvantages to adhering to a restrictive eating plan. Let’s take a closer look at some of them specifically related to the Atkins diet.
Benefits:
- Firstly, the diet is known to be relatively easy to adhere to. According to Susan Kraus, a clinical dietitian at Hackensack University Medical Center, people find it simple to follow as it focuses on a few food groups and doesn’t require measuring or leave them feeling deprived.
- Additionally, scientific evidence suggests that replacing processed foods with real-food choices like leafy greens and healthy fats, which is a fundamental principle of the Atkins plan, can significantly improve overall health and reduce the risk of chronic diseases. In fact, a 2020 review published in Nutrients highlighted the need for fundamental changes in food sourcing and manufacturing based on the body of research accumulated over the last decade against processed foods.
- Lastly, a low-carb diet, such as Atkins, may benefit people with type 2 diabetes who need a solution to high blood sugar. Carbohydrate restriction has been shown to deliver health benefits, even if weight loss isn’t the goal. For example, a 2015 review found that carbohydrate restriction can help in the treatment of type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome.
Drawbacks:
- The Atkins Diet warns that extreme carb reduction in the initial phase can lead to some adverse effects, such as headaches, dizziness, weakness, fatigue, and constipation. Some very low-carb diets also limit carbs to such an extent that they fail to provide sufficient nutrients or fiber, which can result in health issues like constipation, diarrhea, and nausea.
- The Atkins Nutritional Approach is not without its downsides. Eliminating a whole food group can make it difficult to achieve a well-balanced diet, potentially leading to nutrient deficiencies. In the long term, this approach may not be suitable for optimal health.
- Fiber is a vital nutrient for feeling full and controlling cravings. Unfortunately, the Atkins diet may not provide adequate fiber intake due to the exclusion of certain food groups. This lack of fiber intake can result in other health concerns.
- Dehydration is another potential risk associated with the Atkins diet. When following this diet, water weight is lost due to the absence of carbohydrates, which can lead to energy loss, lightheadedness, and other related issues. Additionally, this can affect uric acid levels, calcium loss, and increase the workload on the kidneys and liver.
- While high-protein diets like Atkins may be beneficial for some people trying to lose weight, they may not be suitable for everyone. Research has shown that high-protein diets may lead to reduced kidney function in women with prior mild renal dysfunction. Therefore, it’s essential to consult with a healthcare provider before starting the Atkins diet or any other high-protein diet.
What are the outcomes of following the Atkins Diet?
The Atkins Diet can result in weight loss, particularly in the first two weeks of the first phase. However, such outcomes are not typical, and the diet acknowledges that initial weight loss may be due to water weight. The diet claims that weight loss can continue in the second and third phases as long as carbohydrate intake does not exceed one’s tolerance.
While most people can lose weight on any calorie-restricted diet plan in the short term, long-term studies indicate that low-carb diets, such as the Atkins Diet, are no more effective for weight loss than standard weight-loss diets. Moreover, regardless of which diet plan is used, most people regain the weight they lost over time.
The primary reason for weight loss on the Atkins Diet is a reduction in overall calorie intake due to consuming fewer carbs. Some studies suggest that limiting food choices and feeling fuller for longer due to increased protein and fat intake may also contribute to lower calorie intake.
The Atkins Diet claims that its eating plan can prevent or improve conditions such as metabolic syndrome, diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. However, any diet that aids in shedding excess weight can lower or even reverse the risk factors for these diseases. Most weight-loss diets, not just low-carb diets, may improve blood sugar or cholesterol levels, at least temporarily. There is some evidence that the Atkins Diet can lead to better heart health by lowering triglycerides, but no major studies have demonstrated whether such benefits last over the long term or increase life expectancy.
Some health experts suggest that consuming high amounts of animal-based fat and protein, as permitted on the Atkins Diet, may raise the risk of heart disease or some cancers. However, due to the limited duration of studies, it is uncertain what long-term risks, if any, are associated with the Atkins Diet.
Summary
The Atkins Diet is not suitable for everyone. For instance, the diet advises individuals taking diuretics, insulin, or oral diabetes medication to consult their healthcare provider before starting the diet. People with severe kidney disease should avoid the diet altogether. Furthermore, the weight-loss phases of the Atkins Diet are not suitable for pregnant or breastfeeding women.
