Question Title: Adkin's Diet

I would like your opinion on the safety of the Adkin's diet for a person who is at risk for heart disease. I hear that people will lose weight with this diet, but the kinds of food eaten seem very unhealthy. Thank you for your time.

Dear Ann,

I do not recommend the Adkin's diet to my patients because it is not a plan that 1) provides a real lifestyle change and 2) can be dangerous particularly in patients with kidney dysfunction. This diet promotes a starvation state in the body and causes ketosis(the build up of ketones) and acidosis (the buildup of acid_ in the body.

In general, I recommend an AHA step I or II diet ( available at www. amhrt.org) and the adoption of a helathy lifestyle with a limitation of fats and meats. MOderation is usually the key to a lasting weight reduction.

I hope you find this information useful. Information provided in the heart forum is for general purposes only. Only your physician can provide specific diagnoses and therapies. Please feel free to write back with additional questions.

If you would like to make an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center, please call 1-800-CCF-CARE or inquire online by using the Heart Center website at www.ccf.org/heartcenter. The Heart Center website contains a directory of the cardiology staff that can be used to select the physician best suited to address your cardiac problem.