I think she's nuts.

Her cholesterol was 260 and she is doing Atkins while taking Lipitor. Her cholesterol is down to 177 and she doesnt care what she eats as long is its ok for the Atkins diet.

Is this diet dangerous?

Her doctor is aware of the diet as well and doesnt seem concerned.

I don't get it.

No, I don't think the Atkins Diet is dangerous. Quite the contrary. In fact, it has helped a great many people lose weight, maintain much better blood sugar control, lower triglycerides, increase HDL, and significantly improve their blood-lipid ratios.

There are a lot of negative misconceptions about the Atkins Diet that are being spread around, especially the crazy notion that people practically live off of nothing but saturated fat. That is absolutely NOT TRUE. Another wild-eyed misconception is the one about not being allowed to have any fruits or vegetables. More poppycock! Plenty of fruits and vegetables are permitted. People seem to forget that the two week induction phase is NOT the diet.

As far as saturated fats are concerned, it was never recommended that anyone consume excessive amounts of them and exclude other beneficial fats. Atkins himself has said: "As for saturated fats, although I've produced plenty of evidence that on a low-carbohydrate diet they're not a critical issue, I do encourage my patients to consume them at a proportionally lower level than other fats. A diet high in fish, and thus high in polyunsaturated fatty acids that contain omega-3, is tremendously beneficial. Unsaturated fats such as linseed oil and walnut, soybean, sesame, sunflower, and safflower oils are also nutritionally valuable. Since fats are stored in the body much as we consume them, a favorable ratio of those fats to such saturated fats as beef, lamb, and butter is certainly to be recommended."

I realize this diet may not be for everybody, but I hope I at least helped clear up some misconceptions about it.

My sister says she been on the "induction phase" for 2 months instead of two weeks because shes not losing weight.

I know nothing about this diet but considering the things she eats....bacon, burgers, etc....I can't see how it could be good for a person. She had also had a problem with moderately high blood pressure so wouldn't all the sodium in this diet be detrimental to her?

She's always had trouble losing weight regardless of the diet she used, and it seems Low-Carb is not helping her either.

She also exercises alot....she runs 4 or 5 miles a day and she said this caused her cholesterol to jump from the 240s to the 260s before going on Lipitor. Is it possible the number increased because perhaps she was starting to lose weight?

My sister says she been on the "induction phase" for 2 months instead of two weeks because shes not losing weight.

I know nothing about this diet but considering the things she eats....bacon, burgers, etc....I can't see how it could be good for a person. She had also had a problem with moderately high blood pressure so wouldn't all the sodium in this diet be detrimental to her?

She's always had trouble losing weight regardless of the diet she used, and it seems Low-Carb is not helping her either.

She also exercises alot....she runs 4 or 5 miles a day and she said this caused her cholesterol to jump from the 240s to the 260s before going on Lipitor. Is it possible the number increased because perhaps she was starting to lose weight?

Strange...she's been on that diet for 2 months and runs 4-5 MILES a day with no weight loss... :confused:..very bizzar.

Gourmet magazine had an article in their June issue that cited that transfat is the real bad fat. Scientists have known it for years but the big food producers came down hard on anyone who tried to share that information with the public. Learn how to read and understand food labels and cut out the foods with non-natural occuring transfats. About all your baked goods, shortening, peanut butter, margarine and lots of fast foods are full of transfat. In 2006 when mandatory labeling begins it will be interesting to see what the percent daily value is and daily recommendation of transfat.

I did Atkin's diet for 4 months, lost 30 pounds, I felt fine. Twice a week I used to jog along with dieting.
I had my annual check-up 2 months ago and according to the bloodwork my cholesterol went up to 230. Bad cholesterol LDL is 124, more than HDL -, good one. My family doctor is against all kinds of diets. We have to eat good , we all need carbs. Atkin's diet is easy but you have to eat lots of fats to loose your weight. Like meat, boiled eggs alot. I like one thing about that diet is eating lots of vegetables. I read that eggs contain saturated fat so we shouldn't eat eggs every day. I ate 2-3 eggs each day while dieting.
To reduce cholesterol we need to reduce intake of saturated fat, get alot of fibre and carbs every day. Since then I 've been starting my day with a bowl of oatmeal rich in fibre, I still eat salad for lunch but i stopped eating eggs too much. I don't eat eggs every day anymore, just once in awhile. But first of all exercizing is the best way of decreasing cholesterol.

Tell your sister to stop dieting, she needs to go to the gym that's the healtiest way of loosing weight and staying healthy.

Georgiehopper,

Let's see now. Your sister runs 4-5 miles every day, and has been on the induction phase of the Atkins Diet for two months, and she still hasn't been able to lose any weight? I don't know. That certainly is puzzling. Is she actually overweight? Anybody who can run 4-5 miles every day can't be in that bad of shape. Maybe she has a sluggish thyroid. Has she ever had that checked?

I agree that it would be a good idea to watch her sodium intake. Hopefully, she is not living off bacon and hamburgers, but is eating a more healthy variety of foods.

Exercise can indeed raise HDL cholesterol, but I'm not so sure it would have much of an impact on total cholesterol. Also keep in mind the fact that cholesterol levels often do fluctuate. I have kept all my lab reports going back 20 years, and I have seen my total cholesterol levels range anywhere from 196 to 249. Yes, and that was without knowingly doing a darn thing differently, or making any changes in my diet or lifestyle habits. Well, actually in more recent years I have made changes, such as cutting down on junk foods, walking more, and taking more supplements. The result has been that my triglycerides have dropped well below 100, and my HDL is now the highest it's ever been. But total cholesterol? Nah, that still fluctuates, but I don't worry about it.

Yes, shes overweight...shes 5'3" and weighs 167. I don't know if she's had her thyroid tested or not. Shes been overweight from the day she was born though.

But she has a sedentary job too...and does her running after work. I don't think she ever counted calories so she may be getting alot more than she thinks.

She is also another advocate of the drugs and feels my cholesterol will not go down just like hers didnt.

Well, it could be that she is overeating, or not properly adhering to the diet. With all of that running that she does, and being on the induction phase for two months, she should have seen some results by now. And you have also said that she has failed on other diets too. Well, maybe it's time she sat down with her doctor and tried to find out just why she is unable to lose weight.

As far as cholesterol is concerned, I've already said that I didn't think your numbers were anything to worry about. I don't know what your sister's numbers were. So, I really can't comment one way or the other. But family history is also important. Do you have a family history of heart disease?

I started on Lipitor BEFORE going on Atkins. The Atkins raised my LDL a little and lowered my triglycerides somewhat (I was never much for sweets) and lowered my HDL a bit.
I'd classify the ATKINS effect on my Lipitor usage as fairly neutral to slightly negative.

Now what my triglycerides and VLDL's looked like AFTER a customary 70% FAT meal I'll never know because all triglyceride tests were done after a fast. I suspect THAT is where the danger of a high fat diet lies! After all we don't spend lots of time fasting in America (except before lipid tests:D)