How does the Dukan diet work?

The Dukan diet prescribes a high protein intake and a reduction in fats and carbohydrates on the menu. It is divided into four phases, recommendations for each can be found on a specialized website.

Weight loss depends on two factors.

1. An unlimited amount of proteins on the menu – and you can forget about the feeling of hunger. This process is controlled by various substances released by the body during the digestion of food, as well as the fact that an increase in the amount of amino acids in the blood causes a feeling of fullness in itself. Calories are not limited or controlled, but due to the fact that the number of available products decreases, the feeling of hunger is dulled, a person eats less, which in any case leads to weight loss.
2. In the first few days, due to the lack of carbohydrates, the body turns on various processes of “extraction” of energy (for example, activates carbohydrate stores in the muscles), which causes the loss of water reserves from the body and leads to a change in body weight.

As a result, we lose weight at an accelerated rate.

Everything would be fine, but, unfortunately, the Dukan diet has a lot of “buts”.

Together with other acids, with increased protein intake, the amino acid cysteine ​​enters the bloodstream, for the processing of which B vitamins and folic acid are required: their reserves are usually restored with nutrition. Most of these vitamins come from fruits and vegetables, which are reduced in Dukan dieters, which can lead to various problems, including atherosclerosis. Additional problems can be high blood pressure and kidney problems. Of course, all this is dangerous when following this diet for a long time. However, one should not ignore the fact that the British Dietetic Association has put the Dukan diet in first place for several years in a row. top non-recommended diets.

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