Low-Carb Diets may Raise Cholesterol|Expert Moderated Ezine Health Articles

The debate continues over the health effects of low carbohydrate diets. Other than the cancer related concern of simple carb high glycemic index foods feeding cancer, low carbs are also generally considered somehow "healthier". Beware. This is NOT always the case, especially if you substitute animal fat for carbs in your diet.

In the latest study out of Switzerland that pooled results from five previous trials comparing outcomes for people on low-fat and low-carb diets, researchers found low-carb diets raise levels of total cholesterol and LDL, or "bad" cholesterol.

Low-carb diets also raise levels of HDL, or "good" cholesterol, and lower triglycerides, ensuring scientists will continue to argue whether these diets, which are high in protein and fat, do more harm than good, or more good than harm.

The authors note dieting is an obsession in America, with 45 percent of women and 30 percent of men attempting to lose weight at any given time. This review of the medical literature involved 447 people in their 40s who were on either low-fat or low-carb diets and followed for at least a year.

Results at six months showed people on the low-carb diets were more likely to still be on them and had also lost more weight than those on the low-fat diets. After a year, however, people still on both the diets lost about the same amount of weight and had similar blood pressure levels. The stick-with-it advantage seen for the low-carb diet at six months also disappeared, with about the same number of people remaining on both diets.

Given the results on cholesterol seen in these studies, the authors believe more research is needed to determine whether higher HDL and lower triglyceride levels attained with these diets cancel out the higher LDL and total cholesterol levels.

"In the absence of evidence that low carbohydrate diets reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, such diets currently cannot be recommended for prevention of cardiovascular disease," study authors say.

This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com, who offers Medical Alerts by e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, go to: http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert/.

SOURCE: Archives of Internal Medicine, 2005;166:285-293

About the Author:
Dr Vasilev is a board certified gynecologic oncologist.