Friday, April 22, 2011

Low Carb Diet Can Increase Levels of Bad Cholesterol

If you are looking to shed those excess pounds you are carrying, then going on a diet that is low on carbohydrates may not be such a good idea. A recent research shows that low carb diets could actually end up with high levels of bad cholesterol.
The research found that people who were on a low carb diet which was high in fats actually ended up losing the similar amounts of weight compared to people who were on a diet high in carbs. However, these people also had increased levels of bad cholesterol, while those on a high carb diet actually experienced reduction in LDL cholesterol.
A person having high LDL cholesterol, which is the bad cholesterol, is at a high risk of getting atherosclerosis and heart disease.
In the last few years, going on a diet low in carbs has become a fad. Anyone who wants to reduce the risk of getting diabetes or wants to reduce their cholesterol levels go on a low carb diet. However, through this study it has now come out that this diet may not serve its purpose.
Thirty-two obese participants were inducted for the study. Randomly some were put on a low carb diet, while others were put on a high carb diet for a total period of 6 weeks. At the end of the 6 weeks, people on both types of diet had managed to shed around thirteen pounds. However, the ones on the low carb diet had elevated LDL cholesterol levels.
In addition, researchers found that participants on low carb diet also had free fatty acids circulating in the blood. These fatty acids are responsible for increasing the level of sugar in the blood and this condition can ultimately lead to diabetes.
From these results it has come out that low carbohydrate diet, which is high in fat, may actually have an adverse effect on the body, a fact that is contrary to all existing beliefs.

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