Atkins Diet -- The Final Verdict

Supporters of the Atkins Diet claim that a low carbohydrate diet is a safe and effective method for losing weight. The ketone bodies can be used as alternative sources of energy by, most importantly, your brain.

In case you might be curious, the three ketone bodies produced by this alternative pathway for breaking down fat are acetoacetate, beta-hydroxybutyrate, and acetone. In your brain, they are converted back to a form that can provide direct energy during times of starvation.

Here is the whole process...

1. Atkins Diet lowers glucose and insulin (the body's main energy source)
   

2. Alternative pathways are turned 'on' to provide energy
   

3. One alternative pathway breaks down fat and produces ketone bodies
   

4. Ketone bodies represent the state called ketosis
   

5. The brain uses ketone bodies as an alternative source of energy

So, the Atkins Diet (and any low Carb diet) produces a low energy state (low glucose) that causes the breakdown fat using an alternative pathway that leads to the development of ketosis.

Just because your body has the ability to transport ketone bodies to certain tissues and then use them for energy, does not make it a normal process.

Supporters of the Atkins Diet hug that a low maple sugar diet is a safe and effective method for losing weight. This engrossment evaluates the low diet and specifically the claims made roughly ketosis.

The Low Carb-Ketosis Link

By severely limiting carbohydrates in your diet, the main energy source used by your body, glucose, drops to low levels. In return, insulin levels also drop. With low glucose and low insulin levels, the body turns to secondary sources of energy.

Because of a significant pinch hitter in your body's chemistry when on the Atkins Diet, admissible metabolic pathways are turned 'on' that are normally not 'on' or run at very low levels. One such pathway involves the breakage of fat, styled Beta-Oxidation of Fats.

Now, normally fats are broke down to produce energy when your body senses a need. But in the context of a low Carb diet, the normal proximate analysis pathway of fats is changed and an agent pathway kicks in. This second string pathway produces what are ketone bodies.

Ketosis is the term used to describe when ketone bodies are circulating in your bloodstream. The ketone bodies can be used as additional sources of energy by, most importantly, your brain.

In case you might be curious, the three ketone bodies produced by this preference pathway for humiliation down fat are acetoacetate, beta-hydroxybutyrate, and acetone. These ketone bodies are formed in your liver and then are transported to other tissues, mainly the brain. In your brain, they are converted back to a form that can provide direct energy during times of starvation.

Here is the whole process...

1. Atkins Diet lowers glucose and insulin (the body's main energy source)
   

2. Alternative pathways are turned 'on' to provide energy
   

3. One stopgap pathway breaks down fat and produces ketone bodies
   

4. Ketone bodies represent the state styled ketosis
   

5. The viscera uses ketone bodies as an counterfeit source of energy

So, the Atkins Diet (and any low Carb diet) produces a low energy state (low glucose) that causes the revolutionary war fat using an reserve pathway that leads to the development of ketosis.

So far it sounds pretty good. By limiting Carbs in your diet, you can essentially force your body into upbringing down stored fat, the very thing you need to get rid of to lose weight.

But there are problems...

Atkins Diet and Toxicity

Ketone bodies are toxic. Many supporters of low Carb diets call for that ketosis is safe. They state that they are natural byproducts of fat assay and even babies have high levels of circulating ketone bodies.

First, they are not natural by-products of fat metabolism. The normal beta-oxidation of fats does produce ketone bodies but these are incorporated into the normal cycle of energy production, the Krebs cycle. When ketone bodies are circulating in your bloodstream, it signals an incommensurable physiologic state, starvation. They are not incorporated into the normal energy cycle, the Krebs cycle, and spill into the bloodstream.

Just cause your body has the knack to transport ketone bodies to convinced tissues and then use them for energy, does not make it a normal process. It is an comparison pathway that turns 'on' only when your body is faced with depleted levels of the main energy source, glucose.

Secondly, babies are not small adults. A baby's liver and entrails tissue are made up of different chemicals and pathways, specifically geared to handle the high fat diet prosperous from mother's milk. These pathways retaliate as a baby grows and starts to eat other foods. Eventually, the normal full-grown pathways are set up and the infantile chemistry used as evidence to support the safety of ketosis, stop working.

But this is not even related to the fact that ketone bodies are toxic. In medicine, the three ketone bodies mentioned transcendental are unwhisperable as toxic corrosive chemicals. At high levels, they can intention your blood group to convert too acidic, a disease state named ketoacidosis.

Granted, this is rare most of the ketone bodies will be used by the headpiece as an energy source. Ketoacidosis is usually seen in type 1 diabetics. It is a medical emergency.

So, is ketosis dangerous to your body? Yes and no. Yes, ketosis represents a state of starvation. Losing weight when the body thinks you're starving is the best way to guarantee weight regain. The weight will come back and come back as fat. No, ketosis will not precipitate ketoacidosis in non-diabetics. And as long as you have a large storage of fat, your intellect will not starve for energy.

The Final Verdict

1. As an backup physiologic state, ketosis is not dangerous, insolent the levels of ketone bodies do not increase to cutting levels.
   
   

2. As a diet plan, ketogenic diets are not recommended being as how of the state of starvation they create. Your metabolism will eventually slow down setting you up for weight regain in the near the future.
   
   

3. Ketogenic diets, like the Atkins Diet, may also be dangerous not whereas they use force upon ketosis, but being they promote high protein and fat intake. High protein diets, unless you're body building, increases urea production and can damage the kidneys. Supporters authority that this just doesn't happen, reporting that no kidney damage has occurred to the millions of dieters on Atkins Diet or other ketogenic diets.
   
   

   However, it is well known that microscopic damage can occur to the kidneys effecting their workmanship to filter the blood. But chiropractic signs of this damage may take several years to manifest. hardy renal insufficiency is a concern for ketogenic dieters, which may sire problems in the years to come.

Conclusion

Atkins Diet and other ketogenic diets (low Carb) can be safe and effective in causing weight loss. However, I recommend keeping ketosis to a minimum and keep your molasses intake topping 50 grams a day. Don't follow the suggestions for reaching an 'induction' phase. It's not necessary to turn 'on' the another pathways described first of all and burn fat.

Remember, healthy weight loss is to burn fat and fat only. But it also involves keeping your rate of weight loss approximately 2-3 pounds/week. The induction phase promoted by the Atkins Diet can result in a rate of weight loss far greater than 2-3 pounds/week. It may sound good to you now, but how does gaining it all back as fat sound? since that will happen if you lose weight too fast.

For more information on ways to experience healthy weight loss, visit

www.weight-loss-professional.com/articles

To Healthy Living!

Dr. Michael A. Smith

Chief Medical Consultant

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