http://www.carveoutcarbs.com/low-carbs-diets.html Are low carbs diets the way to lose weight? Learn about the side effects of low carbs diets here. en-us Mon, 09 Jan 2006 10:27:53 EST Mon, 09 Jan 2006 10:27:53 EST Weblog Editor 2.0 Hopefully you just read the page about how a low carbs diet works. Now, the bad news. Side Effects of Low Carb Diets Most low carbs diets are an attractive option to people who want to lose weight. But people see what they want to see, and when shopping for a diet, people want to see fast results. They don't want to hear about any downside. But then afterwards, if they are sick from the diet or have had serious health problems because of it, they want to sue someone. Why not do some research first? Look at the pros and cons of any kind of diet (particularly ones that promise fast weight loss) before you try one. Now, low carbs diets have worked wonders for millions of people. And while cutting back on carbs is probably a good idea for most of us, cutting back as drastically as most low carbs diets would have you do can have some bad side effects. For instance, when you begin your low carb diet, your carb intake is so low that it sends your body into a fat-burning state known as ketosis. Most people like being in ketosis because they are burning fat. But ketosis often has unpleasant side effects, such as: Bad breath Moodiness Headaches Nausea Most low carbs diets encourage you to eat a lot of protein, and a good source of protein is meat. But too much meat causes uric acid to be produced, which can cause kidney stones. Other risks of low carbs diets include: Risk of cancer due to the antioxidants, vitamins and minerals you miss out on as a result of most fruits and vegetables being cut from your diet. Risk of heart disease since low fat foods have more carbs than full fat versions. Also, people don't always choose lean cuts of meat on a low carb diet. They see it as a license to eat ribs, bacon, sausage and other fatty meats as often as they like. Constipation--again, due to the lack of fiber you would normally get from fruits and vegetables. Risk of osteoporosis due to the lack of calcium. (Most people on a low carb diet choose not to spend their allotted amount of carbs on milk.) Granted, a lot of these risks can be minimized by taking fiber supplements, calcium supplements, multivitamins, etc. but it's always better to get these nutrients from food. The decision to go on a low carb diet is ultimately yours. Just make it wisely. Mon, 09 Jan 2006 10:27:53 EST