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Low carb diets are not the new and revolutionary diet solution they’re often made out to be. The first low-carb dieter was a London undertaker by the name of William Banting who lost 36 pounds in 28 weeks by consuming less bread, pastry, and beer - and that was in 1863.
Low-carb diets are also not as safe and successful as people think. Although cutting carbs and OD-ing on protein may initially help to induce fast weight loss, excessive protein has been proven to have very serious consequences for health and well being. For example:
Low energy. A more accurate description of ketosis is that the body is forced to burn fat because it is deprived of its essential natural carbohydrate energy. This energy from fat is “last resort” energy and does not provide the body and mind with the fuel they need, which is why people on high-protein diets feel easily tired and can suffer exhaustion.
Ketone damage. Ketosis also produces ketone bodies. When too much protein is consumed these ketones build up in the body, causing damage to the liver and kidneys. For some people, ketone levels can become so dangerously high that they result in death if not treated immediately.
Increased uric acid levels and water loss. When protein is broken down and metabolized, it also raises the levels of uric acid in the blood. The more protein you consume, the more of this toxic by-product the body has to deal with. The body pumps a lot of water through the kidneys and urinary tract to try and flush it out. This water loss not only gives a false indication of weight loss, it is also detrimental to the body in many other ways.
Acidosis. Excess protein also causes a condition called acidosis, which can lead to osteoporosis and kidney damage. High-protein foods are acidic, whereas vegetable foods are alkaline, so an overload of protein sets up a serious acid/alkaline imbalance. The body tries to resolve this imbalance by buffering with calcium. As calcium reserves are used for this instead of for building bones, the risk of bone deficiency and osteoporosis increases. During this process the body’s ability to reabsorb calcium is also reduced, causing calcium to be deposited in the kidneys, which can then lead to kidney stones.
As well as serious health problems, a high-protein diet is also accompanied by several unwanted bonuses that are not part of the advertised weight loss package. Bad body odor and breath are just a couple of the problems reported by followers of high-protein diets: if you eat like a carnivore you will smell like one! (The ketone bodies produced by ketosis give off a foul odor). Other common discomforts of a carnivorous diet include constipation, dehydration, dizziness, headaches, mental fatigue, sleep problems and nausea: those are a few bitter pills to swallow with your protein.
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