Only gamma–tocopherol removes nitrogen oxide [Archive]

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bigjon

08-26-2005, 11:27 AM

<CENTER>Study: Too Much of One Type of Vitamin E is Harmful

The Star Tribune (http://www.startribune.com/) – Associated Press </CENTER><HR>WASHINGTON – People loading up on vitamin E supplements to stay healthy may be making a mistake. Researchers say most pills have only one form of the nutrient and it can be harmful in large doses.

People should take Only modest levels of vitamin E in pills and then eat foods that contain more complete forms of the nutrient, said Stephan Christen, a biochemist and researcher at the University of California, Berkeley.

Earlier studies had shown that vitamin E protects against heart disease and cancer and slows aging by absorbing oxygen free radicals, destructive chemicals that form during metabolism and when the body fights disease.

But a study to be published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests that alpha–tocopherol, the form of vitamin E found in pills, does an incomplete job of neutralizing some compounds.

To get full benefit from the vitamin, people also need garnmatocopherol, found in soybeans, nuts and grains, said Christen, lead author of the study.

The researcher said he hopes vitamin pill companies soon will add that second form of the vitamin to their formulas. It is the main form of vitamin E in the American diet, said Christen, "but it stays in the body only a short time."

Christen said that of the E vitamins, only gammatocopherol gets rid of peroxynitrite, a highly destructive nitric oxide radical found at sites of inflammation. Where there is chronic inflammation, he said, peroxynitrite can start processes leading to cancer and heart disease.

In laboratory tests, Christen said, California researchers found that gamma–tocopherol also was the only one of the E vitamin forms that could permanently trap and remove nitrogen oxide, a chemical commonly found in polluted air.

Additionally, the studies showed that high levels of alpha–tocopherol reduce the levels of gammatocopherol in the blood. Thus, said Christen, high doses of current vitamin E pills actually can block a beneficial natural nutrient.

"The initial evidence is pretty clear," he said. "We should not be taking only alpha–tocopherol in supplements."

Since few pills now contain both the alpha and gamma forms of vitamin E, Christen said people should limit the amount of the supplement they take. Amounts above 100 international units may be harmful, he said.

John Hathcock, of the Council for Responsible Nutrition, a trade association for vitamin pill makers, disagreed. He said high doses of vitamin E have been found to lower the "bad" type of cholesterol in the blood.

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<CENTER>

The Art of Healing Ourselves (http://www.luminet.net/~wenonah/heal.htm)

Using Hydroponics to Understand the Earth's Life Processes (http://www.luminet.net/~wenonah/info/index.html)

</CENTER>

fetwaki

08-27-2005, 09:34 AM

bigjon

08-27-2005, 11:48 AM

More BS. I've been taking 400 IU per day for 5 years. I do agree that the synthetic dl Vitamin E may not be that beneficial. I take the d alpha and have not experienced any problems. They love to bash supplements.

The article comes from a site that is definitely pro-vitamin and doesn't discourage the use of vitamin E, just the use of one version. I believe that tocotrienols are another preferred form of E to use now.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

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I have basically followed Linus Pauling's vitamin regimen for 15 years, but had to quit about 3 years ago, because something is causing me to experience very bad hives and angioedema. The doctors have no answers, just their usual band-aid treatment of suppressing the symptoms by prescribing anti-histamines, which keep it under control.<o:p></o:p>

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Every instruction I have read about vitamin C and E says they work best in conjunction, so I have always taken them together (4-6 grams C and 400 IU E per day). Of late I have been using only C with no E at all and my hives haven’t come back ….yet, knock on wood. The initial onset of my problem was marked by a deep tissue inflammation that itched intensely. The skin where it happened would turn a deep red color.<o:p></o:p>

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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>What are Tocotrienols, and Why do You Need Them?

</TD></TR><TR><TD class=mTdContentBody> </TD></TR><TR><TD class=mTdContentBody>By Dr. Joseph Mercola
with Rachael Droege Vitamin E is comprised of two groups of molecules, tocopherols and tocotrienols, each with four forms (alpha-, beta-, gamma-, and delta-tocopherol, and alpha-, beta-, gamma- and delat-tocotrienol). Research is beginning to focus on specific tocopherols and tocotrienols, rather than just "vitamin E." Nonetheless, the vitamin E most often referred to and sold in most stores is a synthetic form called dl-alpha-tocopherol.

Tocopherols, which are found in corn, soybeans and olive oil, were the preferred form of vitamin E because they have been widely accepted by the medical community as useful for reducing the risk of heart disease and other serious illness.

However, new research is beginning to emerge that says the tocotrienols, found in palm, rice bran and barley oils, could be the most important part of vitamin E, and a form of vitamin E called full-spectrum vitamin E, which contains a mixture of tocopherols (alpha, beta, delta, and gamma) and tocotrienols (alpha, beta, delta, and gamma), may be needed to protect against disease and provide maximum benefits.

For instance, one breast cancer study (http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2002/may2002_cover_vitamine_02.html) found that while standard alpha-tocopherol vitamin E supplements did not appear to reduce breast cancer rates, women who consumed foods rich in other forms of vitamin E reduced their risk of breast cancer by as much as 90 percent. Other studies have also found that tocotrienols inhibit the growth of cancer cells.

Further, studies have shown the antioxidant effects of tocotrienols to be 40 to 60 times more effective than alpha tocopherol. Tocotrienols have also been shown to reduce the risk of stroke by reversing atherosclerosis, and to reduce the level of LDL ("bad") cholesterol.

Tocotrienols and tocopherols are similar in chemical structure, but tocotrienols are more unsaturated, which means they are more mobile and more reactive, while tocopherols tend to cluster.

While I have believed in vitamin E for over 30 years and have been taking it for many of those years, there is clearly some controversy here as to what type of vitamin E is best, and the more I study health, the more I realize we don't know. So it all boils down to the basics again. Eat a healthy diet with minimal grains and sugars, as outlined in the No-Grain Diet (http://www.mercola.com/nograindiet/), and eat foods that are as pure as possible. Ideally, it would also be beneficial to eat for your Metabolic Type (http://www.mercola.com/2003/feb/26/metabolic_typing.htm). Reviewing my nutrition plan (http://www.mercola.com/nutritionplan/) is a great way to get started.

If you do decide to take vitamin E, it would be wise to get a full-spectrum variety to ensure you are getting all eight of the naturally occurring isomers that vitamin E has to offer. Additionally, since vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin, if you take it on an empty stomach very little will be absorbed into your bloodstream. It is best to take vitamin E with a fat-containing food such as fish oil (http://www.mercola.com/forms/carlsons.htm).

<HR>Related Articles: Does Vitamin E Protect Against Heart Disease or Not? (http://www.mercola.com/2003/sep/13/vitamin_e.htm) If You’re Taking Fish Oil, Fat-Soluble Antioxidants are Crucial (http://www.mercola.com/2003/aug/20/fish_oil.htm)

Vitamin E is NOT Good for Everyone (http://www.mercola.com/2001/jul/4/vitamin_e.htm)

Vitamin E May Help Treat Menstrual Pain (http://www.mercola.com/2002/feb/9/vitamin_e.htm)

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fetwaki

08-27-2005, 01:32 PM

Hives is an allergic reaction to something.

I don't trust any of these studies because the human body is too complex. You have to control every variable to arrive at a valid conclusion. This is almost impossible to do with humans unless you can keep them in a cage. I have to go on how I feel. I experiment on myself. My daily dosage: 400 IU d-alpha vitamin E. 100 mcg selenium, 500 mg C, and a B-complex. I feel great. I occasionally take some chromium and part of a One Source. If they have other types of Vitamin E I might try them, but I'm not going to stop taking alpha E because some dork did a study.

I recently had a physical and I passed everything except cholesterol. My cholesterol is sky high. My bad cholesterol is high, my good cholesterol is high, and my triglycerides are high. I don't think there is any proof high cholesterol is a problem. I feel stronger than ever.

Uncle

08-29-2005, 06:00 AM

Large Sarge

08-29-2005, 02:36 PM

the other side of Atkins......(not picking on you uncle....,just thought you would like to know)

Robert Atkins Falls Over of Cardiac Arrest!
- Roger Mason

For those of you who have been reading this column for a long time you'll remember the article last year "Atkins Is a Sickly Old Man". In this column it was explained that Robert Atkins is the best selling diet author in history because he tells people what they want to hear. The secret of success is to tell people what they want to hear rather than what they need to hear. He tells you to eat all the fat your little clogged up heart desires. He tells you to eat endless amounts of beef, pork, lamb, chicken, turkey, eggs, butter, cheese, cream cheese, milk, cream, sour cream, cottage cheese and other artery clogging foods full of saturated fat. Common sense and logic tell you this is the quick road to an early death.

But for God's sake he says not to touch brown rice, whole grain bread, whole wheat pasta, oatmeal, corn on the cob, whole grain cold cereal or any beans at all such as pintos, navy, Northern, lima and the rest. He tells you that all "carbohydrates" are the same and white sugar is the same as brown rice, whole grain bread is no different than a chocolate donut, and candy bars are equal to oatmeal. Obviously this could not be any more asinine, but millions of people read his books and go on this deadly diet. It's hard to believe, but true.

Well, he followed his own advice and FELL OVER OF HEART FAILURE on April 18. Funny, the media didn't report this and I found it on the internet last week. How come we didn't get to read about old Robert falling over and almost dying in the newspapers and magazines? They sure rant about his stupid books all the time. He suffers from a chronic condition called "cardiomyopathy" which means the entire heart is too weak and too far gone to pump blood properly anymore. Folks, I told you last year he was going to be a victim of his own advice and fall over dead. Well, he isn't dead yet, but he sure is close to it as he spent a whole week in the hospital just to be able to go home in a wheelchair. He is only 71 and claims to be a "health advocate". Is this the kind of example you want to follow? And heart disease is not his only problem- he has a lot of health problems he understandably refuses to divulge. If you see him in person (I saw him last year at one of the health shows) he looks like death warmed over. He looks like a corpse who is animated by the Energizer Bunny. I mean you can look in his eyes and see how tired, weak, old and sickly he is.

Then he had the unmitigated audacity to say that his heart failure, "is in no way related to diet"!!! Seriously, he really said that. He said his Total Fat diet had nothing to do with him almost falling over dead. He went on to say, "A controlled carbohydrate lifestyle really prevents risk factors for heart disease"!!! Does this guy have gall or not? What nerve, what audacity! Here is someone who obviously wants company in Hell and wants everyone to be as weak, sickly and miserable as he is. How can anyone with an I.Q. over 50 even listen to him in the first place? Eating a diet without complex carbohydrates (whole grains and beans mostly) puts you into a state of "ketosis" which means your blood is full of ketone bodies. This is a disease state and Atkins brags about his diet KEEPING you in a state of ketosis. Go to the dictionary and look it up for yourself, "a condition of having too much ketones in the body in such disease states as diabetes and acidosis" (a morbid acidic system instead of a normal alkaline one). Do you want to live in a morbid disease state? All the major heart studies especially the largest and longest of all the Framingham Study have proven that the less fat you eat, especially saturated animal fat, the longer you'll live and the less heart and artery disease you'll suffer from. Cholesterol is the strongest indicator of heart health of all. Atkins says cholesterol doesn't matter and a level of 250 is fine. The ideal level is 150 and that is a realistic level if you eat whole healthy foods and avoid or minimize read meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products. Cholesterol equals heart health in the real world and the real world just proved what a misguided individual he really is.

RELATED ARTICLES:
<HR style="COLOR: #afc0d7">
The Atkins Diet (http://www.youngagainproducts.com/article_detail.php?article_id=28)
Atkins is a Sickly Old Man (http://www.youngagainproducts.com/article_detail.php?article_id=29)
That Ketogenic/Glycemic/Atkins/Paleolithic Diet (http://www.youngagainproducts.com/article_detail.php?article_id=160)
Low Carb = Low Intelligence (http://www.youngagainproducts.com/article_detail.php?article_id=235)
Atkins Empire is Collapsing (http://www.youngagainproducts.com/article_detail.php?article_id=236)

Halophyte

08-29-2005, 05:29 PM

FWIW.

Tried Atkins some time ago. Were having problems with weight and cholesterol, all three way-up. Had cholesterol tested before and after.

Been on Atkins about 2 mo. Lost 14kg (about 30 pounds). No exercise.

Cholesterol normal after.

Now I cycle a bit (40 min,3x/week) with Polar hart-rate monitor and eat way less carbs. Never felt better. I feels natural to me to eat a lot of veggies and some meat. I stay away from sugar and bread. Small helpings of potato or similar once or twice a week, never for dinner.

Before anyone starts flaming Atkins I'd suggest you try it first or at least cut down on your carbohydrates and see the results.

Other positives. Sleep better, gout gone, wake-up without feeling hung-over. Used to feel hung-over even when nothing consumed. Skin cleared up.

Now just something to do about the mouth-taste when burning fat.

Golden Regards
Uncle

I stick with veggies, beans and grains, rolled oats for breakfast cereal (not the instant kind - large flake livestock feed kind), rice instead of usual carbs. I like stir fried and making crock pot soups/stews.

Very little meat. Not much dairy products either. I don't drink, not even beer, makes me sick.

My recumbent bike's loaded on my service truck almost 24/7, ride a lot without back, shoulder and neck pain. I can keep up with my 11 year old on long trips, not too bad for pushing 50.

Feel pretty good.

.

Infidel

08-29-2005, 08:12 PM

On the other hand only nitrogen oxide leads to erections

bigjon

08-29-2005, 08:59 PM

More BS from the medical bandits!!!

Atkins slipped on an icy sidewalk and landed on the back of his head.:banghead:

bigjon

08-29-2005, 09:07 PM

Statements on Atkins' death The widow of diet doctor Robert Atkins and the head of the Atkins Physicians Council released statements Tuesday on the doctor's death last spring. The full text of their statements follow.
Statement by Veronica Atkins on the illegal distribution of personal medical information regarding her late husband Dr. Robert C. Atkins

New York, NY, February 9, 2004—I have always assumed that my husband's personal medical history is private and of no concern or relevance to the media or general public. Prior to today, I have not seen any reason to share Dr. Atkins' private information with the public. I am sure that any one of you would be offended and perhaps even horrified to have complete strangers intrude into your personal family matters, especially with regard to something as intimate as your medical records or those of your loved one.

It has now become clear to me that if I don't speak out, unscrupulous individuals will continue to twist and pervert the truth in an attempt to destroy the reputation and great work of my late husband. These individuals have gone so far as to obtain my husband's personal and confidential medical information from the New York City Medical Examiner's office for distribution to news organizations in direct and knowing violation of federal law. Obviously such people will have no trouble picking and choosing bits and pieces of fact and supposition to mislead the world.

But here is the truth: my husband's medical records have been reviewed by knowledgeable doctors and his medical condition discussed with cardiac specialists. It is clear that Dr. Atkins developed a condition called cardiomyopathy approximately three years prior to his death. It is also true that when Robert developed cardiomyopathy his coronary arteries showed only minimal and clinically insignificant signs of coronary artery disease, consistent with what would be expected in a 69-year old man. Cardiomyopathy is a serious and progressive condition and was, I have been told, in Robert's case, caused by a viral infection. Though this condition significantly weakened his heart, its cause was clearly related to an infection and not his diet.

All of this was well documented and openly discussed by Robert himself on national television. Additionally, as Dr. Atkins explained on Larry King Live and other public appearances, he did have a witnessed cardiac arrest in April of 2002. All accounts and records related to this event, and the insight of his treating cardiologist, are consistent with conditions arising from his cardiomyopathy, rather than a lack of blood flow. While Robert did have some progression of his coronary artery disease in the last three years of his life including some new blockage of a secondary artery that was remedied during this admission, he did not have a heart attack.

There is no evidence to suggest otherwise and for any physician to suggest so would be irresponsible, unethical and represent nothing more than an attempt to tarnish the reputation of a man who dedicated his life to solving one of medicines greatest challenges — the obesity epidemic. Let me state emphatically that I have been assured by my husband's physicians that my husband's health problems late in life were completely unrelated to his diet or any diet.

It is also clear that my husband's death resulted from a serious head injury that occurred April 8th, 2003. Hospital records obviously and unequivocally detail the unfortunate clinical course that transpired following arrival of Emergency Medical Services through the entirety of hospitalization, confirming that after losing consciousness en route to the hospital, Robert's condition failed to improve despite emergency neurosurgical treatment for bleeding within his head. In life, Dr. Atkins was adamant about not wanting life support and when his wishes were honored, and ventilator life support was withdrawn on April 17th, he passed away as has been widely reported in the media.

But it has become clear to me that something as simple as the truth will be perverted and manipulated by dishonest individuals who will stop at nothing and will proceed without any regard for medical ethics or the previously private medical history of Dr. Atkins in an attempt not only to discredit my husband's work but to profit from his death. Work, I might add, that has been consistently and repeatedly vindicated by 18 independent scientific studies over these past three years. I now find myself in the uncomfortable position of having to relive his horrific accident and defend my late husband from people who would convince you that stolen and irrelevant bits and pieces of Dr. Atkins' medical history carry more validity than published scientifically controlled and peer reviewed research out of Harvard, Duke University, the American Heart Association and the National Institutes of Health.

It is for these reasons that I realized that I must put aside my grief and pain and speak out. Make no mistake about it, Dr. Atkins, at the end of life, was struggling with the effects of his cardiomyopathy and did not hide that fact. Despite repeated, often pathetic and now even illegal attempts by his most bizarre and extreme detractors to make the health of this 72 year old man THE central issue in the all important obesity debate raging in this country and around the world, it is not and never will be relevant. It is a sad and distracting sideshow, taking time away from an intelligent debate of the known science.

We should all ask, is caring about what someone else eats so important that some doctors are willing to betray their most basic of oaths, to protect a patient's dignity and confidentiality? It is time to forget the myths and urban legends perpetuated by extremists like those who acted unethically in disclosing my husband's records and pay more attention to the real issues and all available peer reviewed science.

I will do my utmost to put an end to this nonsense so that responsible physicians can focus on a debate rooted in fact and moderation and objectivity. We will not engage in espionage, tabloid journalism, or try to shout louder than these shameless individuals and I look forward to the day when Dr. Atkins' soul can rest in peace and I can grieve uninterrupted.

Statement by Stuart Trager, M.D., Chair, Atkins Physicians Council on February 10, 2004

Report on Dr. Atkins Weight at the time of his death

New York, NY, February 10, 2004—Today's Wall Street Journal ran a story on the health of Dr. Robert Atkins and grossly distorted and inaccurately reported information that Dr. Atkins was obese at the time of his death. In fact, up until the time he became comatose and lay in the hospital for two weeks. Dr. Atkins' average weight was actually 60 pounds less than reported in the Journal. The newspaper article was based on incomplete personal medical records that were illegally delivered to the newspaper in violation of federal law, coming from a known group of Vegan and animal rights extremists.

Dr. Atkins' weight was consistently and frequently documented in the years and months prior to his fall; as he was suffering from cardiomyopathy, his health was monitored closely. Due to water retention, this robust 6-foot plus man, who competitively played tennis frequently during the week, had a weight that varied between 180 and 195. During his coma, as he deteriorated and his major organs failed, fluid retention and bloating dramatically distorted his body and left him at 258 pounds at the time of his death, a documented weight gain of over 60 pounds. How and why the Journal reported that he was obese, remains the only unanswered question in this pathetic situation.

Any implication that Dr. Atkins was obese or fat prior to his coma, shows a blatant disregard or even worse, lack of understanding of the medical facts surrounding this case, or of the physiology of severe heart failure and the degree of fluid retention that occurred during this hospitalization. None of us would expect the physicians at PCRM to reveal this in light of their past and their current motivation ... but surely as physicians they understood that this was not obesity, I guess it just didn't support the point they cared to convey ... so they chose to ignore it?

:cool1:

Uncle

08-30-2005, 11:00 AM

the other side of Atkins......(not picking on you uncle....,just thought you would like to know)

Like I've said Sarge, perhaps first try it. According to regular blood tests, and my physical feeling as well as a host of other indicators, it works.

Why worry about how he died ? It will only apply if

- a mechanics' car is in tip-top condition,
- a GP is never obese and doesn't smoke,
- a CA has his personal assets under control and live within his means,
- a builders' house received a coat of paint within the last year, (excl TnAndy)

Changing my diet was not such a big move. We do eat rather healthy but snacks, occational bread, refined starches and sugar do have an impact.

The first-time, about 2 years ago, I took a strick Atkins approach for three months. This was my first diet ever. Now I just watch what I eat and largely cut out all snacks, bread etc. I have four meals a day, starting with oats in the morning, meat and veggies for lunch, some fruit in the afternoon. Dinner is usually something smallish.

I used to snack regularly. I was a cyclist in my younger days and picked up a few bad eating habits. Now I only have meals, no snacks. It is quite easy to start making small allowances that grow into lots of smaller ones that translates into blubber.

Exercise is also a critical component of healthy living. I was very active when younger but have allowed my body to degenerate. I now force myself (time-wize) to do something at least 3x/week.

I agree that in the long-term Atkins in most probably not an ideal but it really works to shed pounds, real fat and not just water, and to gain some motivation for continued healtier living.

Golden Regards
Uncle

Uncle

08-30-2005, 11:24 AM

My recumbent bike's loaded on my service truck almost 24/7, ride a lot without back, shoulder and neck pain. I can keep up with my 11 year old on long trips, not too bad for pushing 50.

I used to cycle to school and back, about 9 miles either way. Get back in the afternoon, have a rest, some lunch and then go out and do another 25-30 miles. Competitive cycling on weekends.

It was strange seeing someone else with a "proper" cycle when I started seriously at age 14 (23y ago). Also, when doing competition and getting a flat, usually 2-3 other guys will pull-off with you and help you get back on the road within 5 minutes, at times with their spares. The last races I've competed in was a contact-sport with shouldering etc, basically the fun left the sport when it went from amateur to professional.

I'd like to cycle again but the roads in my vicinity is way too dangerous, even for work and back. I have a spinner and Polar hart-rate monitor but it's not quite the same as being outside just after a thunderstorm during summer.

My wife is a meat-head and I'll arrive at home at least twice a week with the meat (chops, rib, boerwors) already on the braai or almost finished (I think you guys call it a cookout ?, but we don't braai burgers). I try to eat less meat but it is difficult. We do have free-range chicken and some pork as much as possible but the wife likes her sheep chops/ribs.

Golden Regards
Uncle

Large Sarge

09-01-2005, 01:05 PM

I am unsure on who is telling the truth regarding Atkins eventual death.....

"he said - She said"

The diet has its merits, but I think from a short term stand point, to get your body weight down.....

once you get your target weight, you need to modify your diet/ lifestyle to keep the weight you want.....

the downside of the diet is obviously the nutrition (or lack there of).....

I did the diet years ago, I felt ok, although my endurance seemed lower....

Had that funny taste in my mouth.....

like i said, I am unsure on what caused his death.....

you could make the case "even if the cardiomyopathy was caused by Viral infection, wouldn't his immune system have been better eating fresh fruit and vegiies etc", perhaps enough of an increase to beat the virus.....

regarding cholesterol in the arteries, I have always maintained that these are infections in the bloodstream........
when the bacteria attack the artery walls, the body's response to the attack is "Cholesterol"

think of it almost like hardening of the arteries as a "Scab" inside the artery wall......

so people that have high cholesterol have high blood infections......

and the correlation between eating less cholesterol and having less in your blood stream is purely related to the benefits construed to the immune system from eating a better diet, a better diet = a better functioning immune system = less blood borne pathogens/infections = lower cholesterol.......

Cause and effect.....

bigjon

09-01-2005, 06:49 PM

The statement that you cite LS, is from a group with an axe to grind against the Atkin's diet.

I have also done the diet and at first I too noticed a lack of stamina, but after not giving in to my urges to get a candy bar/sugar/carbs, my body essentially said "oh all right, I will burn those deep storage fat cells I've been putting away". Once past the initial lack of stamina I felt I had much better stamina than before.

I went from 285 down to 245 where I hit a plateau that I couldn't get off of. The lack of any further weight loss and the boredom of steak and eggs did me in. I went back to my old habits and back to 285 pounds.

=================================

(CNN) -- The widow of low-carb diet guru Dr. Robert Atkins said Monday that she was "outraged" at charges her husband was obese at the time of his death and denied his heart problems had anything to do with the protein-heavy diet he espoused.

"I was outraged when I first read that because it's totally not true," Veronica Atkins said from Miami, Florida.

"He was not overweight. He did not have heart failure," she added.

Atkins slipped and fell on an icy street April 8, suffering a severe head injury, and remained in a coma until life support was withdrawn April 17. He was 72.

The Wall Street Journal published a story based on a medical examiner's report saying that Atkins had a history of heart disease and heart attacks, and that at the time of his death, the more than 6-foot-tall doctor weighed 258 pounds -- considered obese by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's body-mass index calculator.

Veronica Atkins said her husband gained as much as 60 pounds after entering the hospital after the accident.

"The physicians told me it was because of all the liquids they were giving him," she said of the intravenous feedings her husband received.

She also denied reports that a heart attack caused her husband's fall.

"He did not have a heart attack, he definitely did not have a heart attack. That comes from his cardiologist," she said.

Atkins' injuries from the fall were critical, his widow said.

"Half of his head was gone, half his brain had to be taken off, practically," Veronica Atkins said. "The cranium certainly was gone. I mean, it was a severe, severe, severe trauma to the head."

Mrs. Atkins said her husband had developed a condition called "cardiomyopathy" about three years before his death and suffered a heart attack in April 2002, which he discussed openly in interviews.

In an interview on CNN's "Larry King Live" in January 2003, Atkins himself said the heart attack may have been related to the cardiomyopathy -- a serious disease of the heart muscle. Atkins said his cardiomyopathy came from a viral infection, a common cause of the disease.

A group called the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) provided the medical examiner's report on Atkins' condition at his death to The Wall Street Journal, the group said.

A statement on the PCRM Web site said it obtained the report from a doctor not connected to the group.

Ellen Borakove, spokeswoman for the New York City office of the chief medical examiner, said the records were erroneously sent to Dr. Richard M. Fleming of the Fleming Heart and Health Institute in Omaha, Nebraska. She said the medical examiner's office is filing a complaint with the state of Nebraska.

She said the records would not be released to anyone else, but said they clearly indicate that Atkins died from the head injury.

Veronica Atkins called PCRM "enemies of us," saying they were "ultra, ultra vegetarians," adding she is considering a lawsuit against the group for its use of the medical examiner's report.

"Let Dr. Atkins rest in peace, for heaven's sake, and let me grieve in peace," she said.

PCRM has been criticized by the nonprofit National Council Against Health Fraud as "a propaganda machine" for vegetarianism, with strong ties to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, which opposes using animals for food. The Atkins diet encourages people to eat meat.

PCRM insists it is independent of PETA.

nutrovitasub

04-28-2006, 04:58 AM

:spam4::spam4::spam4::spam4::spam4::spam4::spam4: