The Atkins diet - when it first was published in public in 1972, more than 30 years ago, many nutrition and diet experts was stunned to read recommendations of this popular plan and named it as Atkins Nightmare diet. It's hard to tell how successful it is or was but about popularity and advertisement there is no doubt at all.

Millions have tried and still are trying it around the world even today. It's estimated that about 3 million people have tried it in 2003 in the UK only.

In the first Introduction phase which continues about two weeks user may consume freely high fat foods as cheese and stakes, eggs, cream, mayonnaise, fish, chicken, red meat and butter. Although it looks like dream diet but in fact it's far from being so. Eating all the food above sounds maybe great but the user is not allowed to have no bread or salad, no fruits and no vegetables in his meals - And that's the meaning of carbohydrate free diet.

According the Atkins theory taking carbohydrates out off the menu will force our body to burn stored fat to obtain energy needed during the daily activities. This means that you have to forget about bread and pastries, potatoes, pasta, milk, rice, fruit, vegetables (well, there are a couple you can still eat) and, obviously, junk food and soft drinks.

And all this is going to be your only food for the first two weeks during the Induction Phase.

On the second Ongoing weight loss phase, user increases carbohydrate intake, from his starting amount of 20 gram per day, by 5 grams per day. The user have to find how much carbohydrates may be added before the body stop Ongoing weight loss phase has to last until almost desired weight is achieved.

The third stage Pre-Maintenance is started when 5-10 pounds left to achieve the desired weight. In this stage the user increases carbohydrate intake by 10 grams per day to slow down weight loss process.

On this stage the user have about 30 grams per day of pasta and that is really not so great.

Final, fourth stage is called Lifetime maintenance. On this stage user have to eat no more than 90 grams of carbohydrates each day and that's for rest of the life. Lowering carbs from 250-300 grams per day to less than 100 may turn life time to real challenge for many people.

And that's the so called Atkins "nightmare" diet in short.

Atkins Diet Health Risks

Many nutrition experts have wrote articles and did researches about Atkins diet. Almost every dietetic and nutrition organization that care about public health made their statement to inform and warn the public from increased health risks because of Atkins diet.

It was called as "Massive health risk" because of the consequences of long term use of this diet. In Europe hospitals started banning Atkins diet. The American Heart association states that following Atkins diet is a risk and the results will be dangerous to health:

1. Lack of minerals and vitamins;
2. Potential of cardiac, renal (kidney), bone and liver abnormalities;
3. Development of Type 2 Diabetes
4. May cause "Disease of kings" - increasing of uric acid levels 
5. Constipation
6. Muscle cramps - losing too many electrolytes: calcium, magnesium and potassium
7. Cognitive impairment - worsening of mental processing and mental flexibility
8. Ketosis can cause damage in the fetus ( during pregnancy) - baby might be born mentally retarded

So as we can see the side effects of Atkins diet can be really dangerous. To be honest we have to admit that some people really did fine of this diet but there were reports about cases of infections of the kidney, heart problems developed from fat food eaten. Dizziness, tiredness and weakness were reported during the diet.

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When the body is going through carbohydrate starvation those side effects are natural and although predictable. Too much fat changes the whole metabolic cycle and absence of high fiber fruits and vegetables with necessary nutrition substances, may cause to type 2 diabetes appearance too. 

Also, the lack of dairy products leads to a significant drop in the amount of calcium absorbed by the body and may cause osteoporosis or other bone conditions. Later on Constipation and muscle cramps might be developed. Most dangerous Atkins diet might be for pregnant women. It can cause irreversible damage to fetus to mental retardness in newborn.

American Medical Association calls Atkins theory "Naive", "biochemically incorrect", "inaccurate" and "without science merit?".

As diet users no one cares if it is physiologically right or scientifically proven

The real question that bothers us is - Is the Atkins diet really working or not?