Atkins-style diets can be life-threatening, doctors warn



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Ignoramus31542

Guest
Alt.support.diabetes readers can enjoy a reference to "ketoacidosis".

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http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,1732719,00.html

Atkins-style diets can be life-threatening, doctors warn

Owen Bowcott
Friday March 17, 2006
The Guardian

Low carbohydrate diets, such as the Atkins plan, can lead to
life-threatening conditions, a medical journal warned yesterday. The
Lancet described the case of an obese woman who had adhered strictly
to the high-protein diet for a month before being admitted to hospital
as an emergency.

The 40-year-old, who had taken vitamin supplements recommended by the
Atkins plan, needed treatment in the intensive care unit of a New York
hospital. She had ketoacidosis, a condition triggered by the liver's
production of ketones, the acids which appear during periods of
starvation or when there is a lack of insulin in the body due to
diabetes.

Article continues
When first admitted the patient felt nauseous and was dehydrated after
vomiting for several days.

She was short of breath and in "moderate distress". Four days later,
after a dextrose drip, she was well enough to be discharged.

The doctors said the Atkins diet was largely to blame.

Professor Klaus-Dieter Lessnau, who led the team from the New York
School of Medicine, wrote: "Our patient had an underlying ketosis
caused by the Atkins diet ... this problem may become more recognised
because this diet is becoming increasingly popular worldwide."

The Atkins diet maintains that you can lose weight rapidly by cutting
carbohydrates entirely from meals.

For a month before she fell ill the woman admitted to the US hospital
had lived on meat, cheese and salads.

She had also taken vitamins recommended by the diet.

As instructed in the original Atkins diet book, she monitored her
urine twice daily. During this month-long period, she lost about 9kg
(19lbs).

Commenting on the case elsewhere in the Lancet, Lyn Steffen, a doctor,
and Jennifer Nettleton, from the University of Minnesota School of
Public Health delivered a further warning about Atkins and other
carb-cutting diets.

The pair wrote: "While the rapid weight loss seems to be an obvious
benefit of the Atkins diet, bigger questions remain.

"First, is the diet safe? ... low carbohydrate diets for weight
management are far from healthy, given their association with ketosis,
constipation or diarrhoea, halitosis, headache, and general fatigue to
name a few side effects.

"These diets also increase the protein load to the kidneys and alter
the acid balance in the body, which can result in loss of minerals
from bone stores, thus compromising bone integrity."
 
We beat on this last week, Ig (in ASDLC). The Lancet is slipping badly.

Ignoramus31542 wrote:
:: Alt.support.diabetes readers can enjoy a reference to "ketoacidosis".
::
:: i
:: ======================================================================
:: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,1732719,00.html
::
:: Atkins-style diets can be life-threatening, doctors warn
 
On Mon, 20 Mar 2006 10:22:36 -0500, Roger Zoul <[email protected]> wrote:
> We beat on this last week, Ig (in ASDLC). The Lancet is slipping badly.


I will check alt.support.diet.low-carb soon, thanks Roger.

i

> Ignoramus31542 wrote:
>:: Alt.support.diabetes readers can enjoy a reference to "ketoacidosis".
>::
>:: i
>:: ======================================================================
>:: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,1732719,00.html
>::
>:: Atkins-style diets can be life-threatening, doctors warn
>
>



--
223/175.5/180
 
Ignoramus31542 wrote:
> Beav wrote:
>
> >> Alt.support.diabetes readers can enjoy a reference to "ketoacidosis".

>
> > It should've read "ketosis", but you knew that anyway.

>
> Um, I may be wrong, but I think that the patient did have
> ketoacidosis,


Having the article say it and having the patient actually being in
ketoacidosis are two different things. There are lies in the text
of the article so the entire thing could be made up. Also who's
to say the patient had ketoacidosis rather than perhaps
lactoacidosis.

> and what made me mentally note it is that it is not the
> same as ketosis that happens on low carb.


Which was the first red flag. Probably someone who should
never have attempted low carb in the first place. Certainly
someone who never read the book and didn't have the
faintest notion of the right way to do it.
 
Even if this is true, how often to they publish an article about a
patient dying during or after a gastric bypass. Why? Because obesity
surgery is making a bunch of doctors a bunch of $$$. Heaven forbid we
should find a diet that actually works, that we can do on our own (as
opposed to Medifast or boxed diets like Jenny Craig). One should still
have a doctor's supervision, but if your doctor is dead set against
low-carb, I say GET A NEW DOCTOR.
 
On 20 Mar 2006 13:33:12 -0800, [email protected] <[email protected]> wrote:
> Even if this is true, how often to they publish an article about a
> patient dying during or after a gastric bypass. Why? Because obesity
> surgery is making a bunch of doctors a bunch of $$$. Heaven forbid we
> should find a diet that actually works, that we can do on our own (as
> opposed to Medifast or boxed diets like Jenny Craig). One should still
> have a doctor's supervision, but if your doctor is dead set against
> low-carb, I say GET A NEW DOCTOR.
>


I would like to read tha Lancet article, it could be that journalists'
interpretation of it makes it sound dumber than it really was. The way
the news articles make it sound makes me wonder how it could be
admitted for publication. Maybe the Lancet article was about something
else entirely -- such things are known to happen.

i
 
On 20 Mar 2006 13:22:42 -0800, Doug Freyburger <[email protected]> wrote:
> Ignoramus31542 wrote:
>> Beav wrote:
>>
>> >> Alt.support.diabetes readers can enjoy a reference to "ketoacidosis".

>>
>> > It should've read "ketosis", but you knew that anyway.

>>
>> Um, I may be wrong, but I think that the patient did have
>> ketoacidosis,

>
> Having the article say it and having the patient actually being in
> ketoacidosis are two different things. There are lies in the text
> of the article so the entire thing could be made up. Also who's
> to say the patient had ketoacidosis rather than perhaps
> lactoacidosis.


I would like to read the Lancet article. Its reproduction by media
sounds a little bit too stupid to be true, so to speak.

i
 
Ignoramus31542 wrote:

>
> I would like to read tha Lancet article, it could be that journalists'
> interpretation of it makes it sound dumber than it really was. The way
> the news articles make it sound makes me wonder how it could be
> admitted for publication. Maybe the Lancet article was about something
>else entirely -- such things are known to happen.


No, the Lancet article was a case history of one patient who developed
ketoacidosis while eating some bizarrely and calling it "Atkins."

By the same logic there should be a ton of articles about how "Atkins
diet causes pregnancy" and "Atkins diet burns down home".


--Jenny

http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes Diabetes Info

http://www.alt-support-diabetes.org/newlydiagnosed.htm Get Your Blood
Sugar Under Control
 

>
> This was also my thought, I'm wondering why The Lancet doesn't write
> articles about people who die while on heart meds or when wearing red
> slippers or...?
>
> --
> Sherry



Omigod! My mother has red slippers!!!!
 
"Jenny" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> No, the Lancet article was a case history of one patient who developed
> ketoacidosis while eating some bizarrely and calling it "Atkins."
>
> By the same logic there should be a ton of articles about how "Atkins
> diet causes pregnancy" and "Atkins diet burns down home".


This was also my thought, I'm wondering why The Lancet doesn't write
articles about people who die while on heart meds or when wearing red
slippers or...?

--
Sherry
364/290/195 (4/3/05)
http://lowcarb.owly.net
 
Ignoramus31542 wrote:
> I would like to read tha Lancet article, it could be that journalists'
> interpretation of it makes it sound dumber than it really was. The way
> the news articles make it sound makes me wonder how it could be
> admitted for publication. Maybe the Lancet article was about something
> else entirely -- such things are known to happen.


Well, I saw at least one hint in your quote. Anyone who calls
Atkins a high-protein diet is either a liar or has never read
an Atkins book.

--
Wes Groleau

Trying to be happy is like trying to build a machine for which
the only specification is that it should run noiselessly.
-- unknown
 
On Tue, 21 Mar 2006 03:36:03 GMT, Wes Groleau <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
> Ignoramus31542 wrote:
>> I would like to read tha Lancet article, it could be that journalists'
>> interpretation of it makes it sound dumber than it really was. The way
>> the news articles make it sound makes me wonder how it could be
>> admitted for publication. Maybe the Lancet article was about something
>> else entirely -- such things are known to happen.

>
> Well, I saw at least one hint in your quote. Anyone who calls
> Atkins a high-protein diet is either a liar or has never read
> an Atkins book.


I agree. I call it a dumbass test. Anyone dumb or dishonest enough to
call Atkins a high protein diet, certainly does not deserve my
attention.

i
 
On Mon, 20 Mar 2006 18:52:41 -0500, Jenny <[email protected]> wrote:
> Ignoramus31542 wrote:
>
>>
>> I would like to read tha Lancet article, it could be that journalists'
>> interpretation of it makes it sound dumber than it really was. The way
>> the news articles make it sound makes me wonder how it could be
>> admitted for publication. Maybe the Lancet article was about something
>>else entirely -- such things are known to happen.

>
> No, the Lancet article was a case history of one patient who developed
> ketoacidosis while eating some bizarrely and calling it "Atkins."
>
> By the same logic there should be a ton of articles about how "Atkins
> diet causes pregnancy" and "Atkins diet burns down home".


Jenny, do you have the article or at least a link to its abstract?

i
 
Ignoramus31542 wrote:
>
> I would like to read tha Lancet article, it could be that journalists'
> interpretation of it makes it sound dumber than it really was. The way
> the news articles make it sound makes me wonder how it could be
> admitted for publication. Maybe the Lancet article was about something
> else entirely -- such things are known to happen.


I would like to read it too, at least the summary. The timing of the
news article was what hit me. On the same day two Atkins bashing
articles came out. One lying about a patient being on Atkins, the
other written by the liars at PCRM. To me the timing makes it look
like someone's donation check cleared and they could afford a
media assault. Or maybe they finally managed to snooker The
Lancet into publishing one of their plant stories so they did a media
release when it came out to fire from both barrels.

The PCRM has stooped to lying before to bad-mouth Atkins.
 
On Tue, 21 Mar 2006 10:40:23 -0500, Jenny <[email protected]> wrote:
> Ignoramus29446 wrote:
>> Jenny, do you have the article or at least a link to its abstract?
>>

>
> Not at hand. Try searching for "Atkins ketoacidosis Lancet" on Google
> Scholar. If it isn't there now it will be by next week.


I could not find it on google scholar and also could not find it on
medline yesterday.

i
 
On 21 Mar 2006 07:04:53 -0800, Doug Freyburger <[email protected]> wrote:
> Ignoramus31542 wrote:
>>
>> I would like to read tha Lancet article, it could be that journalists'
>> interpretation of it makes it sound dumber than it really was. The way
>> the news articles make it sound makes me wonder how it could be
>> admitted for publication. Maybe the Lancet article was about something
>> else entirely -- such things are known to happen.

>
> I would like to read it too, at least the summary. The timing of the
> news article was what hit me. On the same day two Atkins bashing
> articles came out. One lying about a patient being on Atkins, the
> other written by the liars at PCRM. To me the timing makes it look
> like someone's donation check cleared and they could afford a
> media assault. Or maybe they finally managed to snooker The
> Lancet into publishing one of their plant stories so they did a media
> release when it came out to fire from both barrels.
>
> The PCRM has stooped to lying before to bad-mouth Atkins.


We don't really know who inspired what, but surely I would not trust
PCRM with anything.

i
 
Ignoramus31542 wrote:
:: On 20 Mar 2006 13:22:42 -0800, Doug Freyburger <[email protected]>
:: wrote:
::: Ignoramus31542 wrote:
:::: Beav wrote:
::::
:::::: Alt.support.diabetes readers can enjoy a reference to
:::::: "ketoacidosis".
::::
::::: It should've read "ketosis", but you knew that anyway.
::::
:::: Um, I may be wrong, but I think that the patient did have
:::: ketoacidosis,
:::
::: Having the article say it and having the patient actually being in
::: ketoacidosis are two different things. There are lies in the text
::: of the article so the entire thing could be made up. Also who's
::: to say the patient had ketoacidosis rather than perhaps
::: lactoacidosis.
::
:: I would like to read the Lancet article. Its reproduction by media
:: sounds a little bit too stupid to be true, so to speak.

Anyone know which issue of the Lancet the article appeared in?

::
:: i
 
Roger Zoul wrote:
> Ignoramus31542 wrote:
> :: On 20 Mar 2006 13:22:42 -0800, Doug Freyburger <[email protected]>
> :: wrote:
> ::: Ignoramus31542 wrote:
> :::: Beav wrote:
> ::::
> :::::: Alt.support.diabetes readers can enjoy a reference to
> :::::: "ketoacidosis".
> ::::
> ::::: It should've read "ketosis", but you knew that anyway.
> ::::
> :::: Um, I may be wrong, but I think that the patient did have
> :::: ketoacidosis,
> :::
> ::: Having the article say it and having the patient actually being in
> ::: ketoacidosis are two different things. There are lies in the text
> ::: of the article so the entire thing could be made up. Also who's
> ::: to say the patient had ketoacidosis rather than perhaps
> ::: lactoacidosis.
> ::
> :: I would like to read the Lancet article. Its reproduction by media
> :: sounds a little bit too stupid to be true, so to speak.
>
> Anyone know which issue of the Lancet the article appeared in?


It's in their current issue, vol 367 number 9514. There's additional
information about the incident at :

http://www.theheart.org/
 
Beverly wrote:
:: Roger Zoul wrote:
::: Ignoramus31542 wrote:
::::: On 20 Mar 2006 13:22:42 -0800, Doug Freyburger
::::: <[email protected]> wrote:
:::::: Ignoramus31542 wrote:
::::::: Beav wrote:
:::::::
::::::::: Alt.support.diabetes readers can enjoy a reference to
::::::::: "ketoacidosis".
:::::::
:::::::: It should've read "ketosis", but you knew that anyway.
:::::::
::::::: Um, I may be wrong, but I think that the patient did have
::::::: ketoacidosis,
::::::
:::::: Having the article say it and having the patient actually being
:::::: in ketoacidosis are two different things. There are lies in the
:::::: text of the article so the entire thing could be made up. Also
:::::: who's to say the patient had ketoacidosis rather than perhaps
:::::: lactoacidosis.
:::::
::::: I would like to read the Lancet article. Its reproduction by media
::::: sounds a little bit too stupid to be true, so to speak.
:::
::: Anyone know which issue of the Lancet the article appeared in?
::
:: It's in their current issue, vol 367 number 9514.

Thanks. I can't yet get this one online.

There's additional
:: information about the incident at :
::
:: http://www.theheart.org/