Introduction The Atkins Diet was developed in 1972 by cardiologist Dr. Robert Atkins for the purpose of weight loss. This diet allows for the intake of fat and protein with heavy restrictions of carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are the human body’s main source for energy production. The Atkins Diet suggests meals to consist of 60% fat, 30% protein, and only 10% carbohydrates (Sharma and Jain, 2014). Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) suggest carbohydrate intake to be 45-65% and fat intake of 20-35%. The premise of utilizing the Atkins Diet, dramatically decreasing the amount of carbohydrate intake, is the body will use stored reserves of glucose to create energy causing weight loss.
Discussion
The Atkins Diet is composed of four phases. Individuals progress from one phase to the next …show more content…
One pro of Atkins Diet is the rapid results of weight loss. Another pro is the lack of hunger. Atkins Diet is based primarily on eating meat, which takes longer to digest, making one feel satiated longer and least likely to cheat. Also, carnivores love this diet and when one is happy they are more likely to adhere to the program longer. One also needs to evaluate the cons of the Atkins Diet before making an educated evaluation. Some of the cons include the side effects from the body being in a state of ketosis. Ketosis side effects can include bad breath, tiredness, weakness, dizziness, insomnia, and even nausea (Martin, 2008). In addition, the buildup of uric acid and ketones can cause headaches, gout, even kidney problems (Martin, 2008). The diet is low in fiber, which can lead to constipation. The high fat content of the diet could lead to heart complications that include arterial blockage and heart diseases. When researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine studied 18 adults on the Atkins diet they found their LDL cholesterol levels rose by 16 points within one month of being on the diet (Sass,
Discussion
The Atkins Diet is composed of four phases. Individuals progress from one phase to the next …show more content…
One pro of Atkins Diet is the rapid results of weight loss. Another pro is the lack of hunger. Atkins Diet is based primarily on eating meat, which takes longer to digest, making one feel satiated longer and least likely to cheat. Also, carnivores love this diet and when one is happy they are more likely to adhere to the program longer. One also needs to evaluate the cons of the Atkins Diet before making an educated evaluation. Some of the cons include the side effects from the body being in a state of ketosis. Ketosis side effects can include bad breath, tiredness, weakness, dizziness, insomnia, and even nausea (Martin, 2008). In addition, the buildup of uric acid and ketones can cause headaches, gout, even kidney problems (Martin, 2008). The diet is low in fiber, which can lead to constipation. The high fat content of the diet could lead to heart complications that include arterial blockage and heart diseases. When researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine studied 18 adults on the Atkins diet they found their LDL cholesterol levels rose by 16 points within one month of being on the diet (Sass,