- You are here:
- Home
- Health
- Health information
- Health news
- Low-carb diets may harm arteries
Low-carb diets may harm arteries
August 27 2009: Study shows that mice given low-carbohydrate diet had more gradual build-up of fatty deposits in the walls of their arteries.
Low-carbohydrate diets, popular among people trying to lose weight, may damage your arteries, according to a new study.
Scientists from the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center at Harvard University compared the blood vessels of mice on three different types of diet.
One group of mice were given a low-carbohydrate diet (12 percent carbohydate, 45 percent protein). Another group of mice received a ‘Western' diet (43 percent carbohydrate, 20 percent protein) and the third group were fed a standard mouse diet (65 percent carbohydrate, 20 percent protein).
Over a period of 12 weeks, mice on the low-carbohydrate diet gained 28 percent less weight than those on the Western diet. This is consistent with evidence showing that a low-carbohydrate/high-protein diet can help weight loss.
However, mice that were given the low-carbohydrate/high-protein diet had significantly more atherosclerosis than those on the Western diet. Atherosclerosis is the gradual build-up of fatty deposits (plaques) in the walls of your arteries. The fatty deposits cause your arteries to become narrower, restricting blood flow. This can increase your risk of heart attacks and stroke.
Mice that were given the standard high-carbohydrate mouse diet developed significantly less atherosclerosis than those on the low-carbohydrate and Western diets.
The mice on the low-carbohydrate diet did not have higher levels of cholesterol in their blood or higher levels of other markers normally associated with atherosclerosis. The measurements of these markers were roughly the same for mice fed both low-carbohydrate and Western diets.
However, a difference was seen when the researchers looked at the numbers of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) the mice were producing. These are cells made from your bone marrow that are used to repair damage to blood vessel walls, or to grow new blood vessels. The mice on the low-carbohydrate diet had much lower levels of EPCs compared with mice on the Western diet.
Bupa International’s medical director, Dr Sneh Khemka, said: “This study looked at the effect a low-carbohydrate diet had on mice. We don't know whether people would be affected in the same way. Further research is needed in humans in order to confirm these findings.
“The best way to lose or maintain weight is to eat a healthy balanced diet, and do some regular physical activity.”
Key facts
- Low-carbohydrate diets have become popular because they can help with weight loss. However, this study raises questions over whether these types of diet could have negative effects
- An example of a low-carbohydrate diet is the Atkins diet
-
Atherosclerosis is more likely if you smoke, are overweight or obese, are physically inactive, have high blood pressure and/or high cholesterol levels
Contact us
-
To discuss your needs, please call us on:
+44 (0) 1273 718 306
