On Tue, 30 Dec 1997, John C. Pavao wrote:

> Remove the carbohydrates and do
> the study again.  Then let me see the result.  All this study says is that
> saturated fats seem to cause more trouble in the standard American diet.

There is other information that saturated fats cause trouble even
in diets other than SAD.  Remember that Atkins now concedes that
about a third of his patients experience worsening of blood
lipids on his diet, which is nothing like SAD.  That's a
significant number, and even though it's not a formal study there
is every reason to pay attention to it, given the dearth of
formal studies on low-carb diets.

The Karsten Andersen phenomenon is also as important a data point
as the Vilhjalmur Stefansson data point.  I am still shocked by
the fact that while Atkins, Eades, Audette and Gilchrist all
point to Stefansson for confirmation of their theories, none of
them describe Andersen's experience.

So, not to make too much of my own experience, there is a
reasonable amount of evidence to suggest that a diet high in
saturated fat, even though low in carbohydrates, is not benign
for a significant percentage of people.  Although I am
speculating here, I would guess that it is those of us with the
"familial" pattern of elevated blood lipids who have become
genetically disadapted to saturated fat intake.

My ethnic background is mainly celtic and mediterranean.  It is
quite possible that my ancestors adapted thoroughly to a diet of
primarily marine protein sources and, in the process of
adaptation, lost the ability to deal with large amounts of
saturated fat.  Maybe some of us need to be thinking in terms of
being naked with a sharp stick and a tidal basin.

Todd Moody
[log in to unmask]