|
|
Dr Russ Blog - Is a Low Carb, High Protein Diet Good for you?
Is a Low Carb, High Protein Diet Good for you?
Created on 10/13/2009
You might be one of the many people looking to lose weight ina safe way.
You've heard about the low-carbohydrate, high-protein (LCHP) diets out there that everyone seems to swear by. Your doctor was initially sketical, but shares that a number of research trials show that LCHP diets actually help lower cholesterol levels in many people, rather than raise them as might be expected. In addition, people often do lose weight on such diets. Your doctor gives you their blessing and wishes you luck.
You have been on the maintenance phase of the diet for a few months and have managed to lose some pounds and to keep it off. Your cholesterol levels come back lower. This is great! Well, yes and no...
A study published last month in the prestigious Proceeedings of the National Academy of Sciences showed that animals receiving one of 3 different diets for 12 weeks (either a LCHP chow, a "Western-diet" type chow, or standard chow) had very different outcomes. Most notably, mice fed the LCHP chow had significantly more plaque buildup in the aorta (the large vessel leading from the heart from which most blood flow to the body comes) than mice fed either the standard or Western-type chow.
This increased plaquing (or atherosclerosis) could not be explained by the results of testing for cholesterol levels, insulin, glucose levels, of degree of inflammation in the mice. In other words, we don't know why they seemed to do worse, even though their blood cholesterol levels were lower and they had gained less weight than the mice on the other diets.
Okay, you say, no biggie BECAUSE THEY'RE MICE! Yes, they are, but many mouse models of illness have yielded important information about health and illness in humans.
Maintaining an appropriate weight for height is important for optimizing health, as is managing your cholesterol levels. But staying on a low-carb, high-protein diet may not be the answer.
We don't know if the high protein intake caused problems for the mice, but we do know it's pretty easy to get adequate daily protein in the human diet. We don't know if having a low intake of carbohydrates was the problem, but we do know that many carbohydrates (fruits and vegetables) are good for us (it's the highly processed ones you need to watch out for).
What the study really underscores is that cardiovascular disease is a complex process, and reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke must take account of a number of factors. As is often the case, simple "fixes," like just holding to a LCHP diet, rarely truly "fix" the problem.
How to move forward? Use your common sense. Eat a well-rounded diet that emphasizes fruit and vegetables, healthy fats (like omega-3 fatty acids from cold water fish and monounsaturated fats from extra virgin olive oil), lean sources of protein, plenty of clean water and adequate amounts of exercise and sleep. The Mediterranean- and Asian-style diets are likely the healthiest ones on the planet for most of us.
Be well.
Dr. Russ
** Information on this web site is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professional. You should not use the information on this web site for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing any medication or other treatment. **
Back to blog home >
|
View Blog By:
Most Recent:
Archives:
|
|