What Atkins does to your body
Lower than optimal intakes of vitamin C have been linked with cataracts. Fruit is the best source, but on the Atkins diet it is severely limited.
Two studies in the U.S. showed that people on the Atkins diet had improvements in their cholesterol levels. But Dr David Ashton, an obesity expert who runs the UK Women's Heart study, says: "When people lose weight, their liver synthesises less cholesterol. During the weight-loss phase, this reduction in cholesterol would be seen even with a diet high in saturated fats."
Long-term, though, high levels of saturated fats from red meat, cheese and cream would have a negative effect.
Women who eat 90g of fat a day are twice as likely to develop breast cancer as women who eat 40g. But eating 40g of fat a day is possible only if you eat a low-fat diet - the opposite of what Atkins promotes.
High intakes of arachidonic acid - found in beef, pork, lamb, dairy produce and shellfish - result in the production of inflammatory chemicals linked with joint pain.
It takes only a day or so for glycogen reserves in muscle to be lost. The time it takes for you to walk or run to exhaustion is reduced, so exercise is no longer as effective.
Chemicals called ketones are produced as fat and protein (rather than carbohydrates) are used as the primary fuels to supply glucose. But ketones have a 'nail varnish' smell, resulting in bad breath. A side-effect of ketosis is also nausea and an upset stomach.
High protein diets leave behind an acid residue in the body, which is balanced in part by leaching calcium from the bone. Over the longer term, mineral leaching can be expected to lead to a material weakening of the bone, increasing the chance of the bone crumbling disease osteoporosis.
Asthma sufferers are more likely to wheeze on the Atkins diet because animal foods encourage inflammatory reactions in the body. Studies also highlight a link between high antioxidant intake and lowered asthma risk.
Having to process so much uric acid means you could be at higher risk of kidney stones. Atkins does encourage people to drink lots of water - which can be protective against stones - but in practice many people don't do this.
The low-fibre content is likely to make you constipated, which in turn can make you feel bloated. Eating a high-fibre cereal for breakfast has also been associated with better energy levels and mood, so cutting this out could also affect your general well-being. Continuing to eat a low-fibre diet may contribute to colon cancer, as toxins in waste don't move through the digestive tract so quickly.
Most watched News videos
- Shocking footage emerges of a mass brawl onboard a cruise ship
- Staff attempt to break up scuffle aboard Carnival Legend cruise ship
- Row erupts after Labour cancel vote for National Policy Forum
- Swansea Campus evacuated as earthquake hits Western Britain
- Theresa May rejects the call for her to reverse Brexit
- Emergency services at scene of Horsham level crossing crash
- UK's Elise Christie crashes during Short Track semi-finals
- Trump arrives in Florida amid Mueller developments
- House where Florida high school shooter Nikolas Cruz lived
- These are all the victims of the Florida school shooting
- Emotional moment man acknowledges stepdaughter's taken his name
- National Express driver filmed trying to drag passenger off bus