Health Experts Review Latest 'Dangerous Paleo' Research, Find Major Flaws

LOS GATOS, Calif., March 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Paleo diet, arguably one of the most popular diets in the United States, made international headlines after Sof Andrikopolou, the lead researcher of a new diabetes study published in Nutrition and Diabetes, warned that the Paleo diet is dangerous and increases weight gain – a conclusion especially disconcerting to the 29.1 million Americans with diabetes (CDC statistics, 2012). However, the reaction to the media hype among several leading health and medical experts in the field that spoke to Lexicon Health has been unanimously dismissive after reviewing the research, citing that the diet used in the study isn't based on Paleo at all.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160308/342043 
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160308/342044

The University of Melbourne used 9 mice predisposed to diabetes and obesity, which were fed a low-carbohydrate, high-fat (LCHF) diet consisting of 13% protein, 6% carbohydrates, and 81% fat for 8 weeks. The result was that the LCHF mice had rapid weight gain and the diet wasn't suitable for pre-diabetic people.

While the LCHF diet is never actually referred to as Paleo in the published documents, Andrikopolou takes aim at Paleo specifically in the ensuing press release for the study. "We are told to eat zero carbs and lots of fat on the Paleo diet. Our model tried to mimic that, but we didn't see any improvements in weight or symptoms. In fact, they got worse," stated the Assoc Prof and President of the Australian Diabetes Society.

Akil Palanisamy, M.D., a board-certified Integrative Medicine physician for Sutter Health who has treated patients with diabetes and other chronic conditions for over 10 years, weighed in on the research by saying that the public statements made by Andrikopolou are a misrepresentation of the Paleo diet:

"A Paleo diet, which is designed to eliminate carbs from grains and refined sugars, is definitely beneficial for patients with diabetes because it is a lower glycemic diet. That's my clinical experience with patients as well. Paleo doesn't have to be low-carb or high-fat, and contains plenty of carbs from fruits and vegetables.

"The diet that the test animals were fed was not Paleo. Its top four ingredients were cocoa butter, casein (dairy), sucrose (table sugar), and canola oil – none of which are part of the Paleo diet. High doses of cocoa butter are never recommended on Paleo, and canola oil is not a healthy fat."

Dr. Chad Walding DPT, a physical therapist, co-founder of the popular health blog The Paleo Secret and partner at Lexicon Health, has years of experience with clients managing diabetes. "There is a lot of conflicting research out there concerning the best diet for diabetes. There is not a one-size-fits-all solution. The great thing about Paleo is it can be customized," stated Dr. Walding. "We have moved beyond considering Paleo as just a diet, but a lifestyle that fully incorporates healthy and natural choices for diet, mind, and movement. It's the trifecta of good health. To scare people away from a holistic option to manage their heath for the sake of making headlines is irresponsible."

ABOUT LEXICON HEALTH: Lexicon Health is a Health and Wellness publishing company and a premier online consumer resource for the latest innovative solutions related to health, diet, nutrition, and exercise from top industry experts and leading practitioners. The Lexicon Health Family of Brands includes the Paleo Secret™, Sitting Solution™, The Fat Loss Accelerator™, Your Health 360™, the Anti-Inflammatory Cookbook™, and Cooking with Coconut™.  For more information, please visit www.lexiconhealth.net.

ABOUT DR. PALANISAMY: A Sutter Health family physician that has
treated diabetes patients for 10 years. Visit:
http://www.cpmc.org/services/ihh/experts/akilpalanisamy.html

Media Contact:
Stacey Spiegel
Phone: 310-403-7032
Email: Email

SOURCE Lexicon Health