Friday, August 26, 2005
Atkins 2?
With all the contradictory evidence, I was hoping that the Atkins craze would just go away - I really like my carbs. It may still, but a new study in this month's Journal of Nutrition again claims that the good doctor may have been on to something (besides an excellent marketing campaign).
The problem is, I don't buy it. The study examined two main groups of dieters - those who ate a high-carb diet and those who ate a high protein diet, while keeping lipids equal. Also within groups were those who exercised and those who did not. The study found a trend towards more weight loss in the high protein group, but only a trend: p=.10. The protein group also seemed to lose more fat and less lean weight. But, again, p=.10.
Given the very small n=48 and 4-month timeframe, the findings do warrant further investigation, but I'm not ready to switch my diet around just yet. The author hypothesizes that people on the high protein diet are getting more leucine, that this explains their better performance, and that Americans do not get enough leucine in general. I'm also pretty sure I don't buy that. I am very sure I will not buy Dr. Layman's Brand Leucine Supplements.
The problem is, I don't buy it. The study examined two main groups of dieters - those who ate a high-carb diet and those who ate a high protein diet, while keeping lipids equal. Also within groups were those who exercised and those who did not. The study found a trend towards more weight loss in the high protein group, but only a trend: p=.10. The protein group also seemed to lose more fat and less lean weight. But, again, p=.10.
Given the very small n=48 and 4-month timeframe, the findings do warrant further investigation, but I'm not ready to switch my diet around just yet. The author hypothesizes that people on the high protein diet are getting more leucine, that this explains their better performance, and that Americans do not get enough leucine in general. I'm also pretty sure I don't buy that. I am very sure I will not buy Dr. Layman's Brand Leucine Supplements.
