Overview – Information purposes only
Over the past few years, the Atkins diet gained considerable traction. The diet mainly focuses on reducing your carbohydrate (i.e., sugar).
Researchers pinpointed several health benefits to following the Atkins diet, including weight loss, optimization of cardiovascular health, and reduction in blood sugar levels.
In this article, we will tackle the main benefits of the Atkins diet.
The benefits of the Atkins diet
Weight loss
Obviously, people adopt the Atkins diet to lose weight.
Researchers found that this diet promotes weight loss through several physiological mechanisms, including:
- Decreased appetite
- Accelerated metabolism
- Caloric deficit
The first factor – suppressed appetite – is by far the most influential one, which is the result of stimulating hunger-suppressing hormones (e.g., leptin).
Balanced lipid panel
As you may know, high levels of LDL (i.e., bad cholesterol) and triglycerides place patients at risk of numerous diseases (e.g., coronary artery disease, high blood pressure).
The good news is that the Atkins diet optimizes lipid metabolism, leading to lower LDL and triglycerides while increasing the levels of HDL.
Reduced blood sugar level
By lowering your blood sugar levels, the Atkins diet reduces the risk of diabetes mellitus. If you are already diabetic, this diet can prevent severe complications such as diabetic ketoacidosis.
In a 2008 study, diabetic patients (type two) were able to reduce the dose of their hypoglycemic medications or eliminate them within 6 months of adopting the Atkins diet.
Lower blood pressure
Chronic high blood pressure is a progressive disease that wreaks havoc on the body’s blood vessels. Over time, the vessel walls become thin, scarred, and weak, which increases the risk of strokes.
Additionally, when there is high resistance in the blood vessels, the heart needs to work harder to push blood. As a result, the risk of left-sided heart failure becomes more prominent.
Per this study, the Atkins diet reduced both the systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
Takeaway message
The Atkins diet may be a good option to lose weight and adopt a healthier lifestyle. Combining this diet with smart exercise will help guaranteed results.
Hopefully, this article managed to shed some light on the important aspects of the Atkins diet. As with any diet or exercise routine, first check with your doctor to ensure that it is the best fit for you. Dr. Crawford, his staff, or facilities do not advocate, prescribe, suggest, or sponsor the Adkins diet. This article is purely for informational purposes only.
Links:
https://drkevincrawford.com/
https://www.lubbocksportsmed.com/lubbock-sports-doctors/dr-kevin-crawford
