Uskalsin kuitenkin lähteä kokeilemaan Cambridge-ohjelmaa, joka on pussikeittoineen hyvin yksinkertainen ... Riitti, että hän sopeutuu keittoihin ja saa elimistönsä selviytymään säästöliekillä tarpeeksi pitkään.

Abstract

We studied the cases of 17 individuals who died suddenly of ventricular arrhythmia after prolonged use (median 5 months) of very low calorie weight reduction regimens consisting entirely or largely of protein. The deaths appeared to be independent of type of medical supervision received during the diet, daily dosage of potassium supplementation, and biological quality of the protein product used. Factors common to all cases were marked obesity at the onset of dieting, prolonged use of extremely low calorie diets (approximately 300 to 400 kcal daily), and significant and rapid weight loss. Our review of available electrocardiograms and pathological specimens revealed a pattern of cardiac changes previously described in starvation. We conclude that use of very low calorie weight reduction regimens should be curtailed until further studies determine what modifications, if any, can insure their safety.

We describe a 16-year-old girl who had sudden onset of cardiorespiratory arrest while at school. She had recently attempted weight loss using a low-carbohydrate/high-protein, calorie-restricted dietary regimen that she had initiated on her own. During resuscitation, severe hypokalemia was noted. At postmortem examination, no other causes for the cardiac arrest were identified. Toxicologic findings were negative. The potential role of the dietary regimen as a contributing factor to the hypokalemia and subsequent cardiac arrest are discussed.

But experts on very-low-calorie diets say this may not be enough, especially for the minerals potassium, sodium, calcium and magnesium and some vitamins that are lost in significant amounts during rapid weight reduction. A deficiency of potassium could produce heart rhythm abnormalities and sudden death. Diarrhea, which afflicts some adherents to the Cambridge Diet, may add to the mineral losses. The diet, which derives most of its protein from milk, contains lactose, a sugar which many people are unable to digest, resulting in flatulence, abdominal pain and diarrhea.

...''Whatever the reason,'' Dr. Howard reported, ''the maintenance of weight loss remains a major problem in this type of therapy, as it does for those undergoing complete starvation.''

...VLEDs have risks too. Gallstones from overly rapid losses, disproportionate loss of muscle mass, and electrolyte abnormalities. ... While there are true success stories with every approach (including VLEDs), weight lost through suffering tends to come back.