The Atkins diet is a low-carbohydrate diet that Dr. Robert Atkins created in 1972 as a means to lose weight. The diet involves avoiding carbohydrate foods, mainly sugars and starches, in favor of high protein intake. In doing this, Atkins maintains you can switch your body from using carbohydrates as an energy source to burning fat, which translates into weight loss. However, this switch represents a greater challenge to your liver because your liver is responsible for processing proteins.
Ketosis
The Atkins diet recommends an initial, or "induction," phase that is designed to stimulate a process in your body known as ketosis. This phase involves eating less than 20 g of carbs per day. When your body does not have enough carbs, it switches to burning fat instead. When your body burns fat, minerals known as ketones are released, a boost that signals a condition known as ketosis. The liver is responsible for breaking down these fats and producing ketones, which are then secreted in your urine. When you follow this part of the diet, Atkins maintains you will turn your body into a fat-burning machine and begin to lose weight.
Proteins
In addition to inducing ketosis and fat burning, the Atkins diet's high protein intake can affect the liver, which is responsible for breaking down proteins, which are then used to repair damaged tissues and to prevent liver cell damage. However, if you eat too much protein, your liver might not be able to break down the proteins as efficiently. This results in the buildup of toxic waste products in the liver and your body tissues, which can affect your brain function. If you do not have a liver condition and can stay within your recommended protein intake -- divide your body weight by two, then consume around that much protein in grams per day -- while following the Atkins diet, then the diet should not harm your liver.
Benefits
If you are overweight, excess fat you have eaten can be stored in the liver. When you follow the Atkins diet to switch from burning carbs to burning fat, you burn excess liver fat. This can be beneficial to your body because extra liver fat contributes to a condition called nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, which can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer. Following the Atkins diet can help reduce your risk for fatty liver disease.
When to Avoid Atkins
If you have been diagnosed with a liver condition, such as hepatitis, cirrhosis or liver cancer, your body might not be able to support the Atkins diet because the Atkins high-protein plan involves taking in too much protein for the liver to process. If you have a liver condition, your physician will likely recommend cutting back on proteins in favor of carbs as your body's main energy source.
References
- Bryn Mawr College: The Atkins' Diet -- Friend or Foe?
- American Liver Foundation: Diet and Your Liver
- Science Daily: Carbohydrate Diet Burns More Excess Liver Fat Than Low-Calorie, Clinical Study Finds
- Atkins.com: Atkins Diet Program Overview
- Medical News Today: Hormone Found in Liver Helps to Induce Ketosis, The Unique Metabolic State Brought About By Low-Carbohydrate Diets
- MedlinePlus: Diet and Liver Disease
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