Diabetics sought for tests on controversial Atkins diet

Wanted: 15 overweight people with diabetes.

Sound like a diet ad? It is. Wellington Hospital wants willing subjects for a six-month trial to assess the impacts of the controversial Atkins Diet on patients with type-two diabetes.

Endocrinologist Jeremy Krebs and his team have secured funding and approval for a pilot study believed to be a world first. Researchers had studied the low carbohydrate/high fat and protein diet in the general population, but he was not aware of any studies in patients with diabetes.

Dr Krebs said many people were already using the diet but there was limited evidence to support its use, particularly for people with diabetes. The trial aimed to find out what the benefits and adverse effects were.

Carbohydrates are the body's most easily accessible energy source. They vary from simple sugars to complex compounds in grains, vegetables and potatoes.

For people with diabetes, a high carbohydrate intake could make it difficult to control blood sugar levels. A low-carbohydrate diet could therefore be a good way to lose weight, if proved to be safe and effective, Dr Krebs said.

The diet works by strictly regulating carbohydrate intake. In the first few weeks, patients eat no more than 15-20gm of carbohydrate a day, equivalent to one piece of bread.

They concentrate on high-fat, high-protein foods such as steak and bacon and eggs. In the absence of carbohydrates, the body burns up fat to provide energy.

The diet was the opposite of existing advice, which recommended exercise and a low-energy, low-fat diet, Dr Krebs said.

The team would monitor the potential risks of the diet, including high cholesterol, heart disease and kidney problems, he said. But previous research had suggested benefits of the weight loss seemed to offset the risks.

If the pilot showed strong results, he hoped it could be extended to a large-scale trial.

Pregnant patients and those with kidney, liver or severe cardiovascular disease and psychiatric conditions cannot take part.

- NZPA