Atkin's diet is cannabalism?

[HwaRang777]

Hey guys,

I just thought of something. While the Atkins diet is no longer a fad or a thing that a lot of people are on, I was thinking, carbs are the main source of energy that the body is fueled on. Proteins are the "building blocks" for building new tissue. Is it possible that indirectly, that a lo/no-carb diet is an indirect version of cannabalism? b/c, okay only about 3% of the protein that you eat is actually obsorbed into your body, and your body would normally use them to use for the replication and building of the DNA. And not only that but when someone tries to lose weight by not eating carbs, it goes after some of the protein, then the excess fat. Now while I want to have many replies, I would like it if someone with a medicinal and/or nutritional background would reply.

[Esoteric]

Hmm, no that wouldn't be considered cannabalism. I don't have a medical background, but cannabalism is specifically eating another of the same species. There's probably a term for it, but it's basically a starvation induced atrophy. If the body doesn't get the carb source energy it needs to function, it uses the body's fat reserves. When that's gone, the body resorts to using muscle tissue, and at that point, it's starvation.

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

Its not cannabalism, but the Atkin's diet is not safe either way. It can do more harm than good.

[K. Ayato]

I read somewhere (probably a textbook) that if you eat too much protein, the body will actually deplete itself of calcium.

[Fireproof]

Yeah. The Atkins diet got a lot of attention because it produced fast, noticable results, but it really sucks in the long run, and is pretty unhealthy in general. People on diets would be better served by generic "eat-right-and-excercize" diets, or Weight Watchers style programs.

[Eriana]

Really? I didn't know that. Interesting History fact if anyone cares (can't blame you if you don't but...) Did you know that the Caribbean Sea was named after a tribe of Indians that were cannibals? Disgusting, huh? It makes me look at the Caribbean Sea in a totally different light I'll tell you that much.
And I agree with Esoteric, it is not considered cannibalism so don't worry.

[~Natsumi Lam~]

i think this will blow over just like all forms of diets that go by. I understand your idea... i agree, you are slowly eating your stored proteins and back up sources. I think that is why i never went with any of the "wanna be" quicks fix alternative one type diets. Plus life is just to darn short to always be worring about that kinda stuff.

When i went to college i gained 40 lbs in two semester,,,, that was on the Jack in the Box diet///// not the way to go. But after that i didnt panic when i went from model frame to not so great. You just got to go little by little, cut back on bad stuff, and EXCERSIZE!!! Thats the key... God made food [haha maybe not fast food jk] to enjoy, even chocolate, he also made us able to excersize and burn the bad stuff... do both and be happy with yourself when you look in the mirror.

my personal experience.

~NL~

[HwaRang777]

well I know it's not actually cannabalism, but i'm just wondering if it is indirectly, you know, considering they are eating protein and if the protein goes to the muscle first then it would have to go, etc. you know what I mean?

[Steeltemplar]

Atkin's diet is people!

Wait....no....that's Soylent Green. Never mind.

Anyway.... I have heard that the Atkin's diet is not very good for you and that once you leave it, you easily gain the wait back.

[shooraijin]

Here's an MD take on it, since you asked.

Atkins induces a metabolic state called ketosis which occurs when the body is starved for carbohydrate fuel. At this point, it turns to other sources of energy.

What you're describing is the starvation reaction when no more sources are coming in, and the body is forced into catabolism, i.e., consuming its own proteins (usually starting with blood albumin, and then turning to other sources such as muscle). Fat metabolism requires that your metabolism be ramped up already, which is why fat persists in starving people while their "carcass" proteins are consumed instead -- it's easier and requires less metabolic power. You have to exercise or otherwise be in an altered metabolic state to get rid of fat.

Atkins is *not* a starvation state, although it's certainly not a normal state. It forces you into ketosis by denying the body carbohydrates, but at the same time you get a high protein source through what you eat. So, forced into ketosis, the body instead burns the proteins you're taking in. These are turned into water soluble ketones and used as an alternative source of fuel.

Much to the chagrin of traditional nutrition, Atkins has been repeatedly shown to induce weight loss (long term studies are less clear, but the effect does persist for several months or more) in multiple studies -- i.e., it does work! --, but the mechanism is actually quite simple. Atkins himself theorized that the weight loss was due to the ketones being passed in the urine, so you lose calories literally by going to the bathroom. He also theorized that the proteins take more energy to burn, but if so, why would a starving body resort to that? In fact, a twin study showed that the difference in metabolizing the two was barely around 20 calories, and not a single calorie wound up in the urine (as you would expect -- why would a starving body waste calories?). This research, last I checked, was still in progress.

The real story potentially is, people on Atkins diets ... eat less. It's not the fat, it's the protein. High protein foods seem to induce earlier satiety, and people consume less of them, meaning they're taking in less calories. A Danish study monitoring people on simply a high protein diet had similar weight loss.

Oddly, the fat has not seemed to increase Atkins dieters' risk of heart disease ... so far. However, their cholesterol numbers were bafflingly good for what they were eating.

The jury is out on the diet, and it remains tremendously controversial, but it is not a catabolic state (so not "cannibalism" as it were).

[Kawaiikneko]

There are many many different proteins and none of them are all the same, even from human to human. The proteins we eat aren't the same ones our body makes itself (which is why we eat them instead of make them). So really, its not even close to cannabalism. But that's already been stated..

[Mithrandir]

*copies and saves shooby's text for later*

[Rev. Doc]

Thanks Shoob.

Akins is what worked for me. I was able to lose weight without feeling like I was starving myself to death. My blood pressure improved as did my cholesterol level and blood sugar. I supplemented the diet with vitamins and minerals and calcium. I know everyone likes to imagine those on Atkins or similar diets as sitting around snacking on sticks of butter but for the most part most have not looked into the studies on it, and as Shoob said, the verdict is still out. Something out there is eventually going to kill you. You can't live forever. And if something like Akins has improved my life physically and added a day or two more to it then I'm not going to worry about what others think.

[Fireproof]

Atkin's diet is people!
Wait...No...That's Soylent Green. Never mind.

Sigged.

[Steeltemplar]

:lol: Sigged.

<bow> I have my funny moments.

[Eriana]

Sure are a lot funnier than comments I've made.
Good work Steeltemplar.

[ChristianKitsune]

ROFL! ST! haha

I was once ona low carb diet...but I have since gotten off it. I like meh rice too much..lol..

however.. I do believe that diet and excersise is the best way to go..

>.> <.< yeh..my matablism sucksno matter what I do though -.-

[Eriana]

I love sticky rice! ^_^
That's always been my favorite kind of rice, I think I was intended to be Japanese but somehow got it mixed up in my insides. I'm American on the outside and 100% Japanese on the inside. Anyways that really isn't the topic, i've never been on this diet before and can't see it really working out to well. ^^;;;

[K. Ayato]

Rice is something I can never rid myself of. It's the half Asian in me.

[Technomancer]

I read somewhere (probably a textbook) that if you eat too much protein, the body will actually deplete itself of calcium.

There was a real case involving this. The Karluk expedition of 1913 became stuck in ice, and because of poorly balanced rations many of the crew died of "protein poisoning".

[Eriana]

Rice is something I can never rid myself of. It's the half Asian in me.

I think rice is an addiction. When I first ate normal rice it was good, when I ate sticky rice I knew I could never go without rice again.

[Chocobo777]

MMMmmmmm.... sticky rice. Reminds me of sushi, is that on Atkins? Probably not, but that doesn't matter I don't need to lose weight.