From: Doug Skrecky (oberon@vcn.bc.ca)
Date: Thu Oct 08 1998 - 22:48:05 MDT
Authors
Amatruda JM. Biddle TL. Patton ML. Lockwood DH.
Title
Vigorous supplementation of a hypocaloric diet prevents cardiac arrhythmias
and mineral depletion.
Source
American Journal of Medicine. 74(6):1016-22, 1983 Jun.
Abstract
We have previously demonstrated that a hypocaloric, nutritionally deficient,
liquid protein diet is associated with potentially life-threatening cardiac
arrhythmias, which increased in frequency and complexity over the duration of
the study. The present investigation was designed to evaluate the metabolic
and cardiac changes associated with a hypocaloric, but otherwise
nutritionally complete, diet. Six healthy, obese females from 154 to 182
percent of ideal body weight were evaluated in a metabolic ward for 48 days.
The subjects ingested a weight maintenance diet during an eight-day period,
which was followed by 40 days of an experimental diet containing 472 kcal of
a mixture of protein (60 percent of calories), carbohydrate (25 percent), and
fat (15 percent). This diet equaled or exceeded the recommended daily
allowances for minerals, trace elements, vitamins, and
essential fatty acids. The subjects were monitored for balances of nitrogen
and minerals, as well as for the appearance of cardiac
arrhythmias by 24-hour electrocardiographic recordings. Nitrogen balance was
positive, and the previously demonstrated negative balances for potassium,
sodium, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus were either reversed or markedly
decreased. In contrast to our previous study, no arrhythmias were observed in
subjects ingesting the present experimental diet, and no significant change
in cardiac rhythm was found in 13 obese, but otherwise healthy, outpatients.
The data, based on a limited number of subjects, suggest that a hypocaloric
diet vigorously supplemented with essential elements, micronutrients, and
vitamins appears to be safer than the once popular, incomplete liquid protein
preparation.
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