Crash diets fool the dieter into believing he is losing weight when in fact, he is starving the body of the proper nutrition needed to be healthy. They can be very risky and dangerous and cause serious health problems, such as mental weakness, anemia and vital organ damage. For a proper diet to work, you should consult your doctor, who can suggest the right diet for your needs.
Vitamin Deficiency
Crash diets cause the dieter to risk not getting enough of the proper vitamins and minerals needed to be healthy. By not eating the proper foods and getting these vital vitamins and minerals, a dieter is at risk for such problems as iron deficiency anemia, vitamin B-12 deficiency, and potassium and sodium deficiency. When a person has iron deficiency anemia or vitamin B-12 deficiency, the body does not have enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen to the tissues. If a person is low in potassium or sodium, it can be very dangerous because these electrolytes are needed by the body to ensure proper nerve and muscle function. Both play an important role in regulating the heartbeat, and when both are low, it can lead to a heart attack, says the website Epigee.
Yo-Yo Effect
Yo-yo diets mess up your metabolism and may raise the levels of bad cholesterol in the blood, increasing the dieter's risk of cardiovascular and heart disease, says the Site website. When weight comes back, it goes back on as more fat and less protein than you started with, which in turn leaves you more unhealthy and out of shape than before the diet.
Mental Health
Crash diets are very hard on the dieter's emotional and mental health. They cause extreme food cravings that can wreak havoc on her mood, leaving her feeling irritable or depressed. Crash diets can also lead to serious mental health problems and eating disorders, such as anorexia or bulimia, notes the Epigee website.
Vital Organ Damage
Crash diets cause carbohydrate and calorie levels to be low. The organs rely on energy from a person's intake of carbs to function properly. When the organs do not get enough energy from these sources, they begin to burn muscle tissue. If the calorie intake becomes too low, the body will begin to burn the muscle tissue that makes up the actual organs, resulting in liver failure, kidney failure, heart attack and stroke, says the Epigee website.
Osteoporosis
Crash dieters' low food intake can lead to calcium deficiency. The body then begins to steal calcium from bones, leaving them extremely fragile and brittle, and leading to osteoporosis.
Lack of Exercise
Many crash diets do not encourage exercise or any other physical activity. Being physically active helps to maintain a healthy weight over the long term. Being inactive can lead to heart disease and stroke, says the American Heart Association.
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