Rumors suggest that Doctor Atkins died of a heart attack. People assume that this was because he followed the tenets of his high-protein diet. This rumor, however, is false. The cause of death was a traumatic brain injury. Atkins became injured when he fell on ice and hit his head, according to the New York Times. While his medical history reveals he had a history of heart problems, it was not the cause of the death. The rumor persists because there are dangerous to a high protein, high cholesterol diet. Although the diet is still popular, the doctor never intended for people to cut out carbohydrates entirely.

The Atkins diet works. Although there are many books that give complicated medical explanations as to why it works, it relies on two basic tricks. The first weight loss trick is what makes all diets work. The person on the diet has to eat fewer calories than he or she consumes. The second trick is that protein does make a person feel more full. A person who feels more full is less likely to eat. This is also true for diets that include large amounts of fiber.

Few doctors would recommend the Atkins diet to their patients under ordinary circumstances. Although losing weight is a good move for people who are overweight, most doctors recommend a balanced diet. The balanced diet normally includes eating far less meat than most Americans do already. The Atkins diet, however, may work for Americans who do not want to use any other method. Many of the country’s most popular foods can be eaten on the diet. As long as the person transitions back to eating normally after a short period, doing the high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet should not pose a problem.  It may temporarily increase a person’s cholesterol.