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Low Carb Diet Lowers Blood Pressure

01/27/2010 22:28:00 admin

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A low carb diet may not be the best from the viewpoint of nutrition, although it DOES help patients with diabetes or heart disease lower their blood pressure, according to a new study published Jan 25 in Archives of Internal Medicine.

The study showed two groups of patients, one given a low carb diet and another given weight loss aid orlistat, sold as Xenical or Alli for a period of 48 weeks; the participants from both groups lost similar amounts of body weight.

William S. Yancy Jr. of the VA Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina gave 146 patients with heart disease or diabetes either a low carb diet with less than 20 grams of carbohydrate daily, or 120 mg of orlistat three itmes each day and instruction on eating low calorie and lower fat diet.

At the end of the study, the low carb group lost about 9.5 percent of their body weight while the orlistat group lost about 8.5 percent.

However, the low carb group experienced a 6 percent drop in their systolic blood pressure and a 4.5 point drop in their diastolic pressure. In comparison, the weight loss pill did not lower blood pressure.

Those who adhered to the low carb diet the most strictlyt lost about 14 to 15 percent of their body weight.

Previous studies have shown that low carb diets, such as the one advocated by Dr. Robert Atkins, is effective in short term weight loss; yet, those same studies have shown that it is difficult to maintain the weight loss.

Reporting by Jimmy Downs and Rachel Stockton

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Comments (6 posted):

brian on 01/29/2010 01:33:52

I have been preaching this for years. I am living proof. I started low carb 3 years ago to control Type 2 diabetes. I've been off all medications ever since. I also lost 65 lbs. My doctor tells me that whatever I'm doing keep doing it. Blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol (both), lipids, triglycerides, everything they test, is normal or even better, ideal. I'm so passionate about this we started a low carb website with recipes and tips, facebook fan page, and daily blogs on how I live low carb. Check it out at www.ourlowcarblife.com. Become a FB fan to keep in touch

Smart Lipo on 04/20/2010 06:07:47

This is a universal truth. Its natures rule that whatever are the inputs outcomes would be equally managed. Low carbs bot only lowers down the blood pressure but it also helps in many ways that can be very much helpful and healthier comparatively.

Luck Nugget on 05/26/2010 06:29:31

So I was surprised to read a research study published in the January 25 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine that described how the blood pressure levels of participants who ate a low-carbohydrate diet dropped more than the levels of participants who ate a low-fat diet and took Orlistat, a fat-blocking medication.

jewelry on 06/02/2010 17:47:01

The study showed two groups of patients, one given a low carb diet and another given weight loss aid , sold as official for a period of 48 weeks; the participants from both groups lost similar amounts of body weight.

Low Carb Diet Plan on 08/23/2010 08:03:01

I have been a low carber for many years.

Phentermine on 08/30/2010 05:27:10

This is a fact that almost all the people know about but don't pay much attention too. The reason would be the deficiency of time, but they really start thinking when they are far deep into this trouble. I think that its time we think about it and effectively start following this as it is always said that: "Prevention is better than cure."