The Atkins Diet is a popular diet that promotes weight loss through the restriction of carbohydrates. While on the Atkins Diet, less than 20 percent of your calories should come from carbohydrates. Because carbohydrates are an important part of a balanced diet, restricting them too much can increase your risk of developing health problems, including the digestive disease diverticulitis.
Constipation and Diverticulitis
One of the major complications of the Atkins diet, and most low-carbohydrate diets, is constipation. Restricting carbohydrate intake also reduces your intake of fiber, which is responsible for helping normalize bowel movements. When you are constipated, you tend to strain to pass a bowel movement. Chronic straining causes increased pressure in your bowels. The increased pressure can weaken the walls of colon, causing bulges in your intestinal wall called diverticula. If these bulges become infected and inflamed, the condition is called diverticulitis.
Symptoms of Diverticulitis
Many people have diverticula in the intestinal tract and are unaware of it. This is because the pouches do not usually cause any symptoms unless they become inflamed. When symptoms of diverticulitis do develop, they may include severe abdominal pain, fever, nausea, vomiting, bloating and, occasionally, rectal bleeding. Some people with diverticulitis also experience diarrhea in addition to constipation.
Prevention
To reduce the risk of developing diverticulitis, it is important to meet your fiber needs. Adult should aim to consume 14 g of fiber for every 1,000 calories. While following the Atkins diet, it may difficult to get enough fiber through your diet alone since the diet restricts a number of fiber sources, including whole grains, oats and fruits. Several over-the-counter fiber supplements are available and may be beneficial to help you meet your fiber needs. Consult your doctor before taking any fiber supplements.
Considerations
A healthy diet consists of a balance of carbohydrates, protein and fat. In fact, the Food and Nutrition Board recommends that most of your calories, around 45 percent to 65 percent, come from carbohydrates. In addition to increasing your risk of developing diverticulitis, a severe carbohydrate restriction can cause fatigue and irritability and may lead to malnutrition if you do not meet your nutrient needs through fat and protein.
The best way to lose weight is to eat fewer calories or burn off more calories, and to employ a combination of a balanced diet and regular exercise.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Diverticulitis; May 21, 2011
- National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse; Diverticulosis and Diverticulitis; July 2008
- Atkins.com: Atkins Diet Program Overview
- "Nutrition and You"; Joan Salge Blake; 2008
