High protein diets

Do high-protein diets actually work or are they just another fad? And do they have an adverse effect on your health?

High-protein diets were popular in the 1970s, made a comeback in the '90s thanks to Atkins diet and now are doing the rounds on the diet circuit yet again. They are based on eating lots of protein, (meat, eggs, etc) but no carbohydrates.

Initial weight loss is good – up to 6kg (1 stone) in the first week but, unfortunately, this is made up of water loss, not fat. When the body becomes starved of carbohydrates (its primary source of energy) it looks for energy in its glycogen stores, and because 4g of water cling to every gram of glycogen, it is possible to lose a lot of weight (in water) very quickly.

Effects of a high-protein diet
It is only when the glycogen stores are used up that the body starts to dissolve the fat. Because this happens slowly, it seems that the diet has stopped working. One problem with this diet is that it can bring about changes in fat cells, causing them to accumulate even more fat as soon as the person comes off the diet! And over a long period of time there are many adverse health effects.

1. The human body is a complex system that requires a balance of all nutrients: protein, carbohydrates, the essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals and water. All these nutrients interrelate to ensure that a healthy state is maintained.

When the diet is unbalanced the body can no longer operate efficiently and ill health may result. E.g. lack of zinc may interfere with the digestion of protein, insufficient carbohydrates prevents its metabolism at the cellular level, and the list goes on.

The current guidelines for a healthy diet are:
Approximate percentages of daily calories -
Protein: 10 to 15 per cent
Carbohydrates: 55 to 60 per cent
Fats: maximum of 30 per cent

There is danger in a diet that eliminates any one of the nutrient groups.

2. High-protein diets have been associated with mood changes, such as tension and irritability, resulting in cravings for carbohydrate-rich foods and fatty snacks. Interestingly, when a diet is rich in carbohydrates and low in protein, levels of brain serotonin (the 'feel-good' hormone) increase, improving mood and appetite.

3. High protein diets have been shown to increase the risk of osteoporosis; communities with high protein intakes have high rates of this disease. This is almost certainly because protein-rich foods are acid forming.

The body can not tolerate substantial changes in the acid/alkaline balance of the blood and therefore neutralises or 'buffers' this effect, using calcium and sodium. Calcium is therefore taken from the bones and can lead to bone disorders such as osteoporosis.

4. Excess protein produces uric acid and ammonia – again increasing the body's acidity. Our kidneys must then work harder to eliminate the urea. Studies show that vegetarians (diets rich in carbohydrates) have lower incidence of heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

5. High-protein diets are often high in saturated fat. If the protein source is mainly of animal origin (meat and dairy products) then the large intake of saturated fat may lead to increased risk of heart disease.

6. Protein-only diets can cause an abnormal metabolic state called ketosis because there is not enough carbohydrate stored in the liver for the body to use.

See more diet plans on handbag.com

See our BMI calculator on handbag.com

See more about the Atkins diet on handbag.com

See Atkins recipes on handbag.com

Share this Print this