What Are The Health Concerns About The Atkins Diet?

There's no doubt that the low-carbohydrate diet works for weight loss.  But there are question marks about it.  Heavy consumption of the most popular foods on the Atkins diet (meat, fats) seems to put a lot of stress on the cardiovascular system and the kidneys.  A diet heavy in meat is also associated with lots of other health problems, such as cancer of the bowel.

The high levels of protein that people on the Atkins diet eat leads to an increase in ketones in the kidneys.    Ketones are effectively a mild poison that the kidneys have to filter out (excreted in urine).  Too much can damage kidney function and put one at risk for kidney failure in the long-term.

Because the Atkins diet allows unlimited consumption of meat and fats, many people on it will find themselves consuming an awful lot of cholesterol.  The relationship between dietary cholesterol and high levels of 'bad' cholesterol in the blood is complicated and may relate to one's individual genetics.  But it seems likely that for some individuals their blood cholesterol levels will soar, in the wrong way, depending on the amount of cholesterol in their diet.

I think my main concern regarding atkins is that it is Way TOO STRICK, i need a little more balance