Risks of the Atkins Diet

With all the buzz about the Atkins Diet in recent years, many questions have been brought up as to its safety.  Unpleasant side effects can occur as you burn fat while on the Atkins diet, including bad breath, tiredness, weakness, dizziness, insomnia and nausea. Constipation may also occur as a consequence of avoiding typically high-fiber foods such as fruit, vegetables, beans, whole wheat pasta, brown rice, and whole-grain breakfast cereals.

When it comes to long-term side effects, many health professionals are concerned that the Atkins diet may have serious dangers. The high intake of fat, particularly saturates, may increase the risk of heart disease.  There are also concerns that the unbalanced nature of the Atkins diet may lead to nutritional deficiencies, which cause health problems in later life. For example, lack of bone-building calcium (found in dairy products) in one’s diet may increase the risk of osteoporosis, while lack of antioxidant nutrients (found in fruit and vegetables) in one’s diet have been linked with a host of health problems ranging from heart disease and cancer to premature aging and cataracts. Some experts are also worried that too much protein may cause kidney problems or weaken bones.

The jury is still out on whether the Atkins Diet really does burn fat and most experts agree more research is needed to identify the long-term health risks and benefits.