CHAT Transcript

NutritionADM
Welcome Dr. Eades and Dr. Eades!

TheDrsEades
There are two of us here - Dr. Michael Eades and Dr. Mary Eades

NutritionADM
DrsEades - thanks for coming. Many anxious folks ready for questions

Garry
We have heard about too much protein causing kidney damage...why is this NOT true (with references, if possible)

TheDrsEades
The idea that protein causes kidney damage is a medical myth. There are a number of carefully controlled studies showing this. An article by Blum, etal in 1987 Archives of Internal Medicine is a classic and often quoted study showing that people who consume high amounts of protein compared to those that eat extremely low amounts of protein have no difference in kidney function over the age spectrum. A more recent study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and an another in the International Journal of Obesity just two months ago showed the same thing. Body builders consume huge amounts of protein, more than we would ever recommend and do so over low periods of time and suffer no kidney damage. If it were true, that protein damages kidneys, we would see long lines of body builders outside of dialysis centers.

Elle
Hi! I love Protein Power! I've lost 20 pounds and am very close to my goal! I'm a regular reader/poster on your Bulletin Board on your site and 2 questions keep repeatedly popping up..... Do we count every carbohydrate gram from every source? And how much over your protein requirements are you allowed to go? There must be a recommendation, isn't there? I'd like to report to the Bulleting Board your answers!!

TheDrsEades
In theory, you count every carbohydrate gram, but only every usable carbohydrate gram, so certainly not the fiber and not any carbohydrates that are not absorbable. For example - sugar alcohols are not fully absorbable and while it is true that there is a small amount of carbohydrate in an egg or in shell fish, the amounts are miniscule and I wouldn't worry about them.

TheDrsEades
In regard to the amount of protein, just eat your minimum amount of protein at least and then as much as you want to satisfy your hunger, there is not much danger of eating too much. If weight loss has stalled however -- then we would recommend to scale back to the minimum required amount until weight loss picks up.

Cathy
I am a Registered Dietitian and my question is regarding the glycemic index. I have read parts of your book and it seems that your basic theory is in line with the glycemic index theory. Could one eat a higher carbohydrate diet (50 - 60%) choosing lowglycemic index foods and get the same benefits as your diet?

TheDrsEades
Probably not. Even low glycemic, if they represented 50-60% of caloric intake, would be capable of running insulin up and in an insulin resistant person, that is going to spell failure. In a very athletic person without metabolic problems, it might work for maintenance. The sugar fructose has a very low glycemic index - about 27 and as a consequence is thought to not stimulate glucose and insulin elevation and is used as part of a low glycemic diet, however fructose is a dangerous sugar that increases fat in the blood and promotes insulin resistance. We have found in our years of practice, that limiting the available carbohydrate irrespective of what kind is the best way to bring about the changes we seek.

Bjparent
I have fibromyalgia & was directed to your plan by others that were treating health problems with it. I do feel better than I have for years after only 8 weeks! Are there any particular supplements that I should be using along with the plan for the FM? I take a Multi-Vit, Vit E, B Complex, Calcium+D, magnesium/zinc, chromium and selenium.

TheDrsEades
Yes. Make sure that you take magnesium malate, take at least four to six hundred milligrams at bedtime. Find a pharmaceutical grade of 5 HTP take 100 Milligrams with the evening meal and 200 milligrams at bedtime and that can go up to 200 at evening meal and 400 at bedtime. That should help. Also, even though you are taking magnesium, that you want to make certain that it is malate - because malate acid, itself has been shown to help FM.

Luckyvano
I've been on protein power for 7 months but never once tested positive for ketones. I've lost 70 pounds though. Why?

TheDrsEades
Because this is not a hard core ketogenic diet. We allow enough carbohydrate to minimize ketosis - giving you the tremendous results that you've seen without the bad breath, insomnia, headaches, and other potential side effects. Congratulations!

Garry
When can we expect a randomized controlled trial on low-carb/high-protein diets? That'd be some good press!

TheDrsEades
There have been a number of them in the medical literature - in fact - well over 100 over the years. It’s just a matter of digging them out. In a recent study, published February '96 or '97 in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, a study comparing a low carbohydrate and high carbohydrate diet of equal calories was published. The reason this particular study is important is that it was done in a hospital metabolic ward, under carefully controlled conditions. The study showed in six weeks, on a fixed calorie, low carbohydrate diet that insulin levels fell by 46% in the higher carbohydrate diets of equal calories. Insulin levels fell only 8% blood sugar, cholesterol, and triglycerides also fell markedly on the low carbohydrate diet, compared to the high carbohydrate diet. And the all-important HDL cholesterol went up on the low carbohydrate diet, whereas it stayed about the same on the high carbohydrate diet. We are in the process of undertaking a large controlled study at Colorado State University which should be published next year.

Karrie
What measures should one take if one is following the diet and not losing weight? What things should one look at changing? Does going on and off the diet make it harder to succeed when one starts the diet and stays on it finally?

TheDrsEades
Karrie.. hard question. When people are having difficulty loosing, we ask them to meticulously fill out a diet diary: every bite, every sip, everything. Gauge by counting whether they are within their carbohydrate limit and if they are then look at the caloric density of the low carbohydrate foods they are eating. There are three types of food that tend to undermine weight loss, particularly in women: they nut butters, cheese, and nuts themselves. Even though these foods are very low in carbohydrates are quite dense in calories. And unfortunately - in order to loose fat - the body must have deficit of calories. It is easy with cheese and peanut butter and foods like that to have so many calories coming in the front door, that there is no reason for the body to turn to its fat stores for energy. Even though by keeping insulin low, from the reduced carbohydrates, you have created a situation that favors fat loss hormonally. You won't actually unpack the fat from storage, unless you create a deficit. For small people this can be a problem.

Karrie
So one could be in ketosis, but burning dietary fat - not body fat?

TheDrsEades
Yes Karrie… bingo on your burning dietary fat.

Elle
I read today and many other times that long-term low-carbing (even maintenance levels) causes the metabolism to slow down...it this true? I've been low-carbing for 4 1/2 years and it does seem that I have to eat less and less to maintain my weight and I gain sooooo fast. I lift weights and walk and do Yoga. I exercise 6 days per week.

TheDrsEades
Metabolism falls off with age, anything over the long term is going to coincide with a slight decrease in metabolic rate.

Elle
I am only 35 and I started when I was 31

TheDrsEades
Of all the foods, the food that has the highest rate of metabolism boosting is protein. So, it seems unlikely that a higher protein diet will cause a long term decrease in metabolic rate in excess of the normal decrease as part of the aging process. You might want to look at some other potential causes of metabolic sluggishness: such as female reproductive hormone balance and making sure thyroid is okay. You might even want to check to see if you are a person who stores iron to excess by a test called serum ferritin.

Callan
Thank you so much for all you've done to improve nutrition for so many! What is your opinion of the Atkins diet and its strengths and weaknesses?

TheDrsEades
There are two problems that we see with the Atkins diet. #1 it is so limited in carbohydrates, that people seem to get bored very quickly and it doesn't need to be that limited to work well. People just need to restrict the foods that tend to raise insulin levels. Many foods don't particularly raise insulin levels and promote insulin resistance. These are foods such asparagus, berries, zucchini, spinach, cauliflower, tomatoes and a whole host of others that are restricted to relatively small amounts on Atkins diet. The second problem is that because people don't get these foods, they tend to load up on higher fat foods that tend to provide most of the body’s energy needs and therefore the body doesn't need to get rid of its own stored fat. So in a nutshell, the two problems with the Atkins Diets are that it is boring and people tend to plateau early and often. The advantages are that it is simple and it works a whole lot better than any of the multitude of higher carbohydrate diets that abound.

Cathy
Drs. Eades, Could you please comment on the adequacy of phytochemical content of your diet and also the long-term health effects (good and bad) of your diet?

TheDrsEades
It is rich in phytochemicals from colorful vegetables, as well as berries, which have the highest oxygen radical absorptance capacity of any food. We have had patients in our practice on our program for 15 years with no problems. The medical literature doesn't have any real papers one way or another on this issue, but certain societies live their entire lives on diets similar to ours and suffer no long term ill effects.

Cellala
I have been working my way up to a protein power style diet, but am looking into whether metformin will help my PCOS insulin block...do you work with people who are taking this? Or should it become almost unnecessary if I drop my carbohydrates lower?

Garry
Note: metformin = glucophage

TheDrsEades
Metformin is our drug of choice for people who have blood sugar problems, uncontrollable by diet. We, in most cases, are able in time to get our patients off of metformin - but a small percentage are unable to every come off. With our program, they can keep the dosage as low as possible. With PCOS, specifically, the addition of a substantial amount of magnesium may be helpful. At our clinic we would even administer the magnesium intravenously to get the levels up quickly, failing that a dose of chelated magnesium in a dose of about 400-600 milligrams over time should help.

Bill
Are low doses of DHEA helpful in support of the exercise/muscle-building part of the program (I'm 50, and been on the diet for 1 yr)?

TheDrsEades
On this diet a little DHEA may help. The danger arises in people on a high carbohydrate diet with elevated insulin since in those people DHEA may not be converted into the appropriate hormone for gender. In men with insulin resistance, DHEA will end up as estrogen and that is not the point. But on our plan in low dose it should be fine.

Garry
Bill - It may not be a bad idea to have your DHEA levels checked, along with some other hormones (e.g., cortisol). This way, you know if you need it or not.

TheDrsEades
We agree, Garry.

Chandler
I have been on Atkins for about 7 weeks and have lost maybe 4 #. I only have about 20 to go. I have been told that Protein Power Lifeplan is better for us that have small amount of weight to lose? True? More so than on Atkins?

TheDrsEades
Yes, that is true because the Protein Power Lifeplan, while providing adequate protein to maintain lean body mass, keeps the calories lower than an Atkins Style diet and should result in more rapid weight loss.

NutritionADM
Due to time restrictions – we must call it a night. Dr. Eades and Dr. Eades, thank you for coming.

TheDrsEades
We were delighted to chat with you all. We would be happy to do it again in the future.

Thanks, Voyager. I think I'm going to have to read Protein Power. It sounds a lot like TSP.

;-Deb

Thanks...great post!