Both fast and excessive weight-loss programs can cause serious health issues. They are, unfortunately, widespread and easily available to the general public. Fad diets are constantly being developed by so-called doctors, and so-called natural weight-loss supplements are available without prescription at health food stores. Meanwhile, on programs like "The Biggest Loser," audiences cheer contestants who show weekly, double-digit weight losses.
Time Frame
The Mayo Clinic advises people to set a weekly weight-loss goal of 1 to 2 lb. This can be accomplished by a daily 500-calorie reduction, by burning an extra 500 calories a day or by a combination of the two. Significantly overweight people may experience faster weight loss during the first weeks of a program, but it's unrealistic to expect this to continue. In fact, continued fast weight loss can result in even faster weight regain.
Types
There are six basic types of unsafe weight-loss programs. Fasting is often promoted at yoga studios as a means of weight loss or "cleansing" the system. Fad diets can involve eating one type of food, restricting other types of foods or purchasing a specially designed meal plan. Diet drugs and supplements, such as ephedra, curb the appetite and increase energy. Extreme caloric restriction involves eating fewer than 500 calories a day. Bulimia is a binge-and-purge method, which involves overeating followed by forced vomiting or laxative abuse. Exercise bulimia works on a similar principle as bulimia. Instead of vomiting, the person performs an excessive amount of aerobic exercise.
Effects
When little or no calories are consumed, the body feeds off its own muscle tissue. Thus the weight lost through fasting or extreme caloric restriction is muscle weight. Since muscle has a higher metabolic rate, losing muscle tissue will ultimately lower your metabolic rate and hasten weight gain. Certain food restriction programs prohibit important nutrients that are crucial to preventing osteoporosis and other diseases. Some of these diets can cause amenorrhea (skipped periods) in women, which may lead to infertility. Bulimia can cause dehydration, and excessive aerobic exercise can cause muscular-skeletal injuries.
Expert Insight
As the director of the Program in Women's Health at the MIT Clinical Research Center, Judith Wurtman has performed extensive research about carbohydrate restriction and mood swings. Wurtman argues that carbohydrates are crucial for producing serotonin, a mood-regulating brain chemical. Her studies found that women on low-carbohydrate diets were subject to depression and mood swings. Serotonin is also responsible for appetite control. If a low-carbohydrate diet ultimately leads to depression and increased appetite, it may not be the safest diet plan.
Warnings
In 1999, Anne Marie Capati was a member of Crunch Fitness, a popular national health club chain. August Casseus, her trainer, advised her to supplement her diet and exercise plan with ephedra, a supplement that was available at health food stores. While working out with her trainer, Capati suffered from a fatal stroke. Her doctors claimed it was a result of taking the ephedra supplement. Ephedra, as well as the diet drug known as Phen Phen, has also been linked to pulmonary hypertension, arrhythmia and sudden death.
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