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High protein diets -- we've all heard about them. Friends, co-workers, and celebrities are losing weight with popular high protein diets. But just how safe are these high protein diets and will they work for you?
High protein diets (HPDs) seem too good to be true - you get to eat high fat food, as much of it as you want! You're encouraged to eat the foods that the doctors have been telling you to cut back on for years. How can this be?
At a glance...
- High protein diets are high in fat -- and high calorie.
- Science and research has shown a high fat diet can result in heart disease,
 osteoporosis, kidney stones, diabetes, colorectal cancer, and even death.
- Studies show protein diets do not result in more weight loss compared to high carbohydrate diets, and they cause the release of harmful ketones in your body.
- HPDs rely on willpower to stay away from carbohydrates. Willpower is a very poor tool to rely on for longterm weight loss.
- Carbohydrates found in fruits and vegetables decrease your risk for cancer and death.
How does a diet help you lose weight?
There are 3 primary energy sources our bodies use:
- carbohydrates
- proteins
- fats
When your body burns calories, it first burns carbohydrates, stored as glycogen in the liver. If you're on a low carb diet and you don't have a lot of glycogen to burn, then your body breaks down proteins (fatty acids) and fats. Breaking down fats is a good thing; this causes you to lose weight. Breaking down proteins isn't so great. When your body breaks down proteins, ketones are released. More about ketones in a minute.
While your body is breaking down carbs and proteins, insulin is released to protect and block the breakdown of fat -- it's just the way our body works. Supporters of HPDs say that having more protein in your system, reduces the release of insulin and therefore lets your body break down more fat. However, scientific studies show this is not true. Proteins and carbohydrates both stimulate insulin release similarly. There really is no benefit to taking in more protein instead of carbohydrates to drop those pounds.
Protein diet risks
When proteins are broken down, excess production of ketones occurs which can have serious medical consequences. For individuals who may have already have kidney problems, ketones may cause further damage. Research shows ketones released into the bloodstream can cause headaches, fatigue, nausea, constipation, bad breath, and dehydration.
Protein diets = HIGH FAT!
Most high protein diets are very high in fat. Peanut butter, steaks, bacon, and cheese are all high protein, but also high fat foods. Individuals on HPDs typically consume more than 50% of their calories from fat. Your risk for heart attacks and strokes increase when you eat that many fats. You don't need doctors to tell you that these foods aren't healthy for you! You know they aren't. The National Cholesterol Education Program recommends that a healthy diet consists of no more than 25-35% of your calories coming from fat.
More risk: heart attacks, stroke, cancer, and even death. 
Doctors have been telling us for years to cut back on these fatty, high protein foods in our diets, and for good reason! Decades of research show that high fat foods will lead to heart disease, colorectal cancer, and even death. Osteoporosis, kidney stones and complications of diabetes are also conditions linked to high protein/high fat diets. A healthy, low fat diet can actually improve your overall health, in addition to weight loss.
Weight loss on HPDs is actually similar to low fat diets
Contrary to popular opinion, HPDs achieve similar weight loss results compared to other diets, as seen in a published study from Duke University. Typically patients lose on average 20 lbs over a 6 month period, which is also seen with low fat diets.
Are carbohydrates bad for you?
No! Carbohydrates are an excellent source of energy for the body.  That's why people on HPDs often complain of fatigue -- they lack the useable energy that carbohydrates provide. Often HPDs lump all carbohydrates together when they tell you to go low carb, however simple refined and complex carbohydrates are very different! There are 2 kinds of carbohydrates:
- Simple carbohydrates can be found in natural foods such as milk products and fruits. However, simple carbohydrates that are refined, or processed foods, found in sodas, candy, and sweets are more problematic. It doesn't take the body much to metabolize refined sugars. These carbs result in an immediate glucose "dumping" into the bloodstream. An excess of refined sugars ultimately results in storage as a fat. The result? Obesity!
- Complex carbohydrates , found in fruits, vegetables, pasta and rice take longer to digest and do not cause large abrupt fluctuations of sugar levels in the bloodstream. Complex carbohydrates are high in fiber, vitamins and nutrients. You need these healthy carbohydrates in your diet.
A recent study compared 2 diets, one with lower carbohydrate to one of higher carbohydrate content. This study showed those who consumed a higher carb diet had a 56% lower death rate and 60% less chance of cancer!
Do high protein diets lower cholesterol?
Proponents of high protein diets claim that these diets reduce cholesterol, but the American College of Cardiology suggests that this decrease is simply due to the weight loss - so you might see your cholesterol drop with weight loss no matter what diet you're following.
There's nothing special about HPDs that causes lower cholesterol - it's more likely that weighing less is causing your cholesterol to drop.
Balanced, low fat diets are the right choice for weight loss! 
If you have weight to lose, you need to find a diet plan that lets you lose weight and improves your overall health. HPDs are difficult to stay on because they restrict your choices and can cause serious side effects. You have to rely on willpower to stay away from high carbohydrate foods, such as bread and pasta. High protein diets may work for a limited time, but are difficult to stay on because it is hard to rely on willpower and tolerate the side effects, not to mention the health risks!
Willpower is a very poor tool to rely on for longterm weight loss and any diet has to be longterm if you're going to keep the weight off.
Remember, consuming too many calories of any kind results in obesity. What really works is a low fat diet that improves your overall health, and is something you can do longterm. A high protein diet is not a diet for life. A diet high in vegetables and fruits and low in fat is the safe, healthy answer!
Shelley C. Giebel, M.D.
Medical Director
Healthy Success Online
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References
Barnard, N. Health Risks of High Protein Diets, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine , Vol. 11, Number 3, www.pcrm.org .
Executive Summary of The Third Report of The National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, And Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol In Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III). Journal of the American Medical Association: 2001;285:2486-97.
Foster, Gary D., et al. A Randomized Trial of a Low-Carbohydrate Diet for Obesity : New England Journal of Medicine: Vol. 348: 2082-2090. No. 21 May 22, 2003.
Gilbert, M.N., High Protein Diets- Are You Losing More Than Weight ? Women's Health Information, www.healthyinstinct.com .
Grundy, S.M. Hypertriglyceridemia, Insulin Resistance, and Metabolic Syndrome. American Journal of Cardiology: 1999;83:25F-9F.
Kraus, R.M., Eckel, R.H., Howard, B., et al. American Heart Association Dietary Guidelines: Revision 2000: A statement for Healthcare Professionals from the Nutrition Committee of the American Heart Association . Circulation 2000;102:2284-99.
Pascual, P., Silberstein, N., Special Report: High-Protein Diets, Consumer Health Interactive , www.blueprintforhealth.com .
St. Jeor, ST, High-Protein Diets, Medscape Diabetes and Endocrinology , November 9, 2000, www.medscape.com .
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