Atkins Diet

The Atkins Diet, a low-carbohydrate, high-protein, and high-fat diet marketed by Robert Atkins, M.D., became popularized in the 1990s and early 2000s. Atkins, a cardiologist, died in 2003, overweight and, according to his autopsy report, suffering from a history of heart attack, congestive heart failure, and hypertension, and Atkins Nutritionals filed for bankruptcy in 2005.

A comparison of the dietary quality of different popular diets scored Dean Ornish’s plant-based plan the highest and Atkins’s low-carb plan the lowest.

Erectile dysfunction and heart disease can be two different manifestations of the exact same root problem: diseased arteries—inflamed, oxidized, cholesterol-clogged blood vessels. Thankfully, atherosclerosis in both organs can be reversed with lifestyle changes that include anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, cholesterol-lowering foods. I profile an illustrative case report in my video see.nf/atkins. The fellow started out pretty healthy, a 51-year-old man with decent cholesterol, no measurable coronary artery plaque, and a working penis. He went on the Atkins Diet and lost a few pounds—and the ability to have an erection. Then he nearly died with a 99 percent blockage to his heart, before a return to a healthier diet was able to reopen blood flow throughout his body.

For substantiation of any statements of fact from the peer-reviewed medical literature, please see the associated videos below.

Image Credit: Photo by CA Creative on Unsplash. This image has been modified.