Ukmedix has been studying the results of a 12 weeks clinical test by the University of South Florida in which rheumatologists have concluded that low carbohydrate diet plans do not have an effect on bone quality. In the research that can be viewed in the Osteoporosis International Journal participants were required to eat according to an Atkins diet plan.

Many nutritionists have criticised the low carb approach by saying that it depletes the body of essential nutritional requirements and that it is not good for you in the longer term. They say that when the energy from carbs is reduced and lots of protein is added to the diet instead, it is possible that the acid base of the body may become unbalanced. This can result in a negative bone turnover meaning that the depletion of bone is occuring faster than the formation of bone and this can mean that the chances of getting weak bones and osteoporosis is increased.

However in the clinical research the low carb diet appeared to have the same bone density and strength at the end of the weight loss diet as at the beginning of it. The low carb diet made all the participants lose weight. This was not the expected result according to the research team as other tests done using animals had shown that bone density could be affected with a low carb and high protein approach.

The researchers were also keen to point out that there were other health risks associated with using an Atkins diet over the long term as the kidneys would have to work harder to purify the blood and also the problem of protein containing saturated fat and higher levels of cholesterol that could block up arteries.

The study was done with thirty overweight participants of which 15 were given an Atkins diet and the others were given a healthy and normal balanced diet. At regular interval the participants were subjected to blood tests and urine tests to check for the bone reduction levels and is was found that with regard to the bones there was no significant differentiation in the results between the two. However those on the low carb diet did lose significantly more weight than those on the normal balanced diet.

The researchers felt that more research over a longer term was needed to verify if the longer term effects on bone density and quality of a low carb diet were to be properly studied and evaluated.