How the Atkins Diet Enables Weight Loss

Bryan D Holekamp

In 1963, at a weight of 224 pounds, Robert Atkins was sick and overweight. Years of stress, work load, and poor eating habits had taken their toll. As an American physician and cardiologist, he knew that he needed to lose weight to become healthier. And success was not far off. In less than two years, Dr. Atkins not only lost weight himself, he helped over 65 patients reach their ideal weight. Fueled by a determination to correct his own overweight condition, Atkins could not imagine that the low-carb diet he popularized would soon take the world by storm.

Menopause on the Atkins Diet

  The Atkins diet has indeed proven effective at shedding pounds and keeping them off. But like anything, the Atkins diet has its benefits as well as its trade-offs. The Atkins diet should not be undertaken by women on menopause unless expressly given permission by their physician. (Note: Anyone thinking of starting any new diet should first consult with their physician to discuss possible side effects.)

  The Atkins diet is not recommended for women experiencing menopause because of calcium depletion. Because the Atkins diet advocates limiting processed carbohydrates like sugar and flour, the body must derive more of its energy from other sources such as stored fats.

  This process of converting stored fats into energy and the digestion of more non-carb sources of food causes more acid to be produced. The increased acid is offset by calcium. When there is insufficient calcium in the food ingested, the body will get the calcium from alternate sources--such as the bones. Therefore, people on the Atkins diet generally need to increase their calcium intake naturally or via supplements.