High-protein diets such as The Atkins Diet and The Zone may help people to lose weight, but they may also severely compromise long-term health, say experts from the American Heart Association’s (AHA) nutrition committee. Although no long-term studies of the safety of these high-protein diets have been carried out, certain evidence suggests that they can cause heart disease, and kidney, liver, and bone problems. The AHA study of the diets found that each and every one conflicted with food guidelines set by every major health organization in the US. The researchers found that the diets could lead to an increase in blood pressure and LDL or “bad” cholesterol levels, both of which are major risk factors for heart disease. The diets could also increase a person’s risk of osteoporosis as excess dietary protein encourages the body to excrete calcium.
SOURCE/REFERENCE: Reported by www.WebMD.com on the 8th October 2001
