The term "liquid diet" encompasses a broad spectrum of diets. Doctors prescribe clear liquid diets to patients in both pre- and post-surgical periods. Many fasts are also liquid diets that require you to consume only a prescribed liquid for a short term in order to promote cleansing and weight loss. A third type of liquid diet is a meal-replacement diet that relies on shakes or other liquids as a primary source of nutrition. Meal replacement liquid diets usually promise rapid weight loss. All of these types of diets are very low calorie diets, and they all come with risks that are magnified when followed for more than a few days. If you are planning a liquid diet, check with your doctor.
Loss of Lean Body Tissue
Liquid diets are considered very low calorie diets, particularly if you are following a fast or using liquid meal replacements. According to the Diets and Nutrition website, while you will lose some fat on a very low calorie diet, you will also lose lean body tissue. When this happens, the body pulls its nutrients from as many sources as it can, including your muscles, organs and bones. The loss of lean tissue can lead to weakness, illness and osteoporosis.
Reduced Metabolism
As your body loses muscle mass, your metabolism naturally slows down. According to MayoClinic.com, people with more muscle mass burn more calories, even at rest. When you lose lean body tissue with a liquid diet, your body's caloric requirements become even lower. When you return to normal eating, you will need to eat even fewer calories than before to lose weight. Another result of a very low calorie diet is that your body compensates for starvation by slowing its processes. This also causes a metabolic reduction as the body exerts minimal energy to compensate for the lack of fuel it is receiving.
Lack of Nutrition
Liquid diets are often lacking in fiber, which is necessary for healthy colon function. Depending on the type of liquid diet, it also might be lacking in certain vitamins and minerals necessary for optimal health. Fasting, for instance, calls for you to consume the same liquid over and over. Usually there is little or no nutritive value in that liquid. According to Vanderbilt University, in the absence of vital vitamins and minerals, your body begins to break down because cells don't function properly. While supplementation can help, you are best able to process vitamins from natural food sources.
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