Dangers Of Other Diets

Dangers Of Other Diets

The high-protein/low-carbohydrate diet also causes other problems, one of which is bone loss. Osteoporosis, which is thinning of the bone due to calcium loss, is getting to be fairly common in our society. By the time we turn fifty we can start to see significant bone loss on X-ray. Our bones thin out causing more bone breaks (fractures) as well as actual loss in height due to thinning and collapse of vertebrae.
This comes about because a high-protein diet increases calcium loss in the urine. In addition, the excess nitrogen and sulfur from the proteins in the blood are acid by¬products of protein metabolism. The acidity literally leaches the calcium out of the bone.
What happens is that a state of negative calcium bal¬ance is produced. It means the body is losing more cal¬cium than it is taking in. Adding calcium to our foods or in supplements does not seem to help reverse the nega¬tive calcium balance and protect bones against more osteoporosis. Getting off the high-protein diet does, however, cause the calcium balance to become positive, i.e., more calcium enters than is lost.
The average American is getting too many of his daily calories in protein. This means that he is risking the loss of the important mineral calcium. As a result he is sus¬ceptible to spontaneous bone fractures and loss of height, both due to thinning of bone.
In addition, other valuable minerals are lost, including zinc, iron and magnesium. We pay for this in our middle age.