By Madeline Ellis
Fad diets come and go, but one weight-loss trend that has lasted for nearly five decades is the low-carbohydrate diet. Many types of low-carb diets exist, each with varying restrictions on the types and amounts of carbohydrates, although the theory behind them is essentially the same: by restricting daily carbohydrate intake, the body is forced to break down fat to use as energy, a state known as ketosis. But researchers are discovering that the health benefits of a low-carb diet may extend beyond weight loss. For example, a 2007 study found that a diet low in carbohydrates improved HDL (good) cholesterol and triglyceride levels better than a low-fat diet. And recently, in one of the first studies to compare the benefits of diet alone to taking weight loss drugs, researchers found that a low-carb diet was more effective in lowering hypertension than the drug orlistat—without the side effects.
The study included 146 adults with an average body mass index (BMI) of 39 (30 and above is considered obese) and an average age of 52 who were randomly assigned to a low-carbohydrate diet or orlistat (Xenical) with a low-fat diet. Participants on the low-carb diet were restricted to a carbohydrate intake of less than 20 grams per day, while the group taking orlistat received three 120 milligram doses daily and got less than 30 percent of their calories from fat.
Over 48 weeks, both groups experienced similar weight loss; 9.5 percent in the low-carb group compared to 8.5 percent in the orlistat group. However, nearly half (47 percent) of those in the low-carb group were able to reduce or eliminate their blood pressure medication during the study, compared with about one-fifth (21 percent) of those in the orlistat group. Overall, systolic blood pressure (the top number) dropped an average of 5.9 points among the low-carb group, compared to 1.5 points in the orlistat group. Similar reductions were seen for diastolic blood pressure.
“I expected the weight loss to be considerable with both therapies but we were surprised to see blood pressure improve so much more with the low-carbohydrate diet than with orlistat,” lead researcher Dr. William S. Yancy, Jr., an associate professor of medicine at Duke University Medical Center and a staff physician at the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina, said in a news release.
Yancy says that while weight loss itself typically produces a reduction in blood pressure, the study results suggest that a low-carb diet may have an additional blood-pressure lowering effect, making it a better option than weight loss medication for people who have high blood pressure and a weight problem. “It’s important to know you can try a diet instead of medication and get the same weight loss results with fewer costs and potentially fewer side effects.” Side effects of medication can include nausea and diarrhea.
“This small study reinforces the message that weight loss in obese individuals will have a significant impact on the risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease,” the British Heart Foundation said. “Identifying that you need to lose weight, finding a dietary approach that suits you individually combined with a regular physical activity program will help to reduce your risk of coronary heart disease and stroke.”
Yancy says there are plenty of weight loss options out there, but notes the trick is to choose one you think you “could stick to better,” and work with your doctor to help “target the right intervention for you.” HealthNews has already done the research for you, reviewing some of the most popular diets, including the low-carb Atkins and Zone. Choosing one, of course, is entirely up to you!
The study was published in the January 25 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
http://www.healthnews.com/nutrition-diet/low-carb-diet-lower-blood-pressure-4066.html
