Risks Of A Low-calorie Diet

Low-calorie diets are among the most common ways people try to lose weight. A low-calorie diet consists of a caloric intake of between 1,500 and 1,800 calories per day, while people on a very low calorie diet may consume as few as 800 calories per day, according to The Diet Channel website. Although a low-calorie diet may help some people lose weight, it also poses several risks. Check with your doctor before adopting a low-calorie diet for weight loss.

Gallstones

According to the National Institutes of Health's Weight Control Information Network, adhering to a low-calorie diet, especially a very low-calorie diet, carries the risk of gallstones. Gallstones, which are tiny, obstructive stones in the gall bladder, are common in obese women; however, the risk increases during rapid weight loss. The cholesterol that forms in the gall bladder may impede the organ's ability to flush out bile. Gallstones may produce pain in the abdomen, between the shoulder blades, and behind the right shoulder.

Heart Disease

Rapid weight loss through a low-calorie or very low-calorie diet can also affect the heart, according to Dr. James F. Balch, author of "Prescription for Nutritional Healing." Because rapid weight loss raises cholesterol levels in the body, the veins and arteries may become blocked, forcing the heart to work harder than necessary to pump blood. This risk of heart disease may be as great as the risk of heart disease from obesity, notes Dr. Balch.

Other Side Effects

Low calorie diets may also produce other side effects, according to the Diet Channel website. Dieters may experience nausea, constipation, diarrhea and fatigue. These side effects tend to diminish over time.

Rapid Weight Re-Gain

Although a low-calorie or very low-calorie diet can facilitate weight loss, it is typically not sustainable. According to Dr. Balch, people who stray from these diets after losing weight typically gain back the lost pounds quickly. This is because these diets may cause changes in the thyroid gland, slowing the body's metabolism. This not only facilitates rapid weight re-gain, it makes it more difficult for people to take the weight off again.