scariest article I've ever read!!

[fozzie99]

After recently going 7 plus months on less than 900 cals a day I found this!
Minnesota Starvation Study do a google search It's mentioned on this forum but I bet very few members have heard of it. Really eye opening!

[Dottie]

Here's the wiki page:
Minnesota Starvation Experiment - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[fozzie99]

Thank you Dottie for the link.

I've read several articles now most just reiteration of WIKI but a few add a little more info. Interesting to note one of the Dr.s involved with this study also gave us the False cherry picked study linking dietary fat and heart disease

[Dottie]

In the wiki article they don't say how low calorie they went but they mention around 1500 cals, which isn't starvation, so I'm not sure if they went lower or not, from the info they gave.

[Leo41]

I don't see anything of value in this study for us today, since the low calories are not the issue, IMO, but the malnourishment. Since they were trying to replicate the poor diets of war victims, they ate mainly high carb and very low protein. The lack of protein causes significant problems for human beings.

When I did JUDDD, I e-mailed Dr. Michael Eades about my low-calorie days, and he advised me to focus on 'high-quality protein.'

I know that the results of this study would have been very different had the participants been fed a nutritious diet.

[LoriAS]

I think the thing most notable is the diet the participants were forced to eat " Their meals were composed of foods that were expected to typify the diets of people in Europe during the latter stages of the war: potatoes, rutabagas, turnips, bread and macaroni."

Really?? This would not be beneficial for me either!

[abby!]

Originally Posted by Leo41

I don't see anything of value in this study for us today, since the low calories are not the issue, IMO, but the malnourishment. Since they were trying to replicate the poor diets of war victims, they ate mainly high carb and very low protein. The lack of protein causes significant problems for human beings.

When I did JUDDD, I e-mailed Dr. Michael Eades about my low-calorie days, and he advised me to focus on 'high-quality protein.'

I know that the results of this study would have been very different had the participants been fed a nutritious diet.

Exactly!
From the wiki article: 2.Semi-Starvation Period (24 weeks): During the 6-month semi-starvation period, each subject’s dietary intake was cut to approximately 1,560 calories per day. Their meals were composed of foods that were expected to typify the diets of people in Europe during the latter stages of the war: potatoes, rutabagas, turnips, bread and macaroni.

Just carbs, no fat or protein, very very little vitamins/minerals and trace nutrients.

[snowmop]

I stopped reading at Ancel Keys.....

[svenskamae]

Excellent points about the poor nutrition of the study participants. Limiting calories through intermittent fasting, alternative day calorie cycling, etc. have been shown to have health benefits for many, so I don't think the problem was calorie restriction. Very low fat diets (such as the Ornish diet) have been linked to depression and other emotional problems, and the lack of fat (as well as low protein) may have been instrumental in the negative outcomes.

[svenskamae]

Originally Posted by Leo41

When I did JUDDD, I e-mailed Dr. Michael Eades about my low-calorie days, and he advised me to focus on 'high-quality protein.'

Thanks for sharing the information about your communication with Dr. Eades, Leo. I've been doing JUDDD myself and wondering about this. If I don't eat protein on my JUDDD down days, I'm super hungry on my JUDDD up days, so I'm going back to eating more lean protein on DDs.

[fozzie99]

Short term low cal is no problem neither is intemittent fasting.......long term could be a problem. You need to check nutrition available in the foods they were allowed not as bad as you make out probably better then some of us before we came here. Not everyone is "broken" and can't stand carbs. and it's refined carbs that are the real killer. We all love green veggie carbs. While I was doing the <900 cals I noticed some of their symptoms but didn't associate it with starvation. I was eating clean with plenty of protein and fat.

[PaminKY]

Originally Posted by snowmop

I stopped reading at Ancel Keys.....

Me too.

[domin8trx]

I believe I read somewhere that the definition of "starvation" has changed drastically throughout the years. I remember being on a 500 calorie diet years ago and for a big girl that is definitely starvation. But by some definitions (WHO might be one) even 1500 calories is starvation. I believe you all have hit on the key though and that is what those 1500 calories is comprised of. If it's mostly starchy foods rather than nutrient dense items, your body is starving no matter how much of it you eat. I mean let's be real, we eat certain things because we like the taste or whatever. But in truth, your body needs certain things it can only get from protein (certain amino acids) and fats. Carbohydrates are the ONLY "food group" (if you will) that your body can produce entirely on its own from other foods.

[fozzie99]

As it hapens potatoes are only missing 2 essential vit. A and D needed in your diet. I'm not defending this type of eating. I'm just saying the sites and people who say to eat to bmr aren't neccessarily out of their minds. How many of us do?...or even get close.

[hockey_gal]

Originally Posted by snowmop

I stopped reading at Ancel Keys.....

Yep, exactly.