A scientist who decided to get fit before her 60th birthday has been left convinced that a fad diet led her to develop Motor Neurone Disease (MND).
Dr Vivienne Cox is a former microbiologist with two top pharmaceutical companies and a co-founder of biotech firms. She believes the renowned 5:2 diet, by Dr Michael Mosley, for led her to developing MND.
She discovered she was carrying a genetic mutation conducive to creating harmful proteins that compromise cell energy metabolism, as reported by The Telegraph. She suggests her previous diet balanced these energy shortfalls due to its sugar and carbohydrate content.
Yet, Dr Cox alleges that striving for fitness brought upon her amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a lethal type of MND. She explained, “I led a carefree and indulgent life up to my late 50s and enjoyed good food, booze and sweet treats.”
“I was pretty fit, from an outdoorsy life with gardening and country walks my main pastimes. Then Michael Mosley’s intermittent fasting idea became the fad diet of the period.”
“I had gained a little weight, so signed up to the 5:2 diet with great enthusiasm. I lost a stone immediately and felt pretty good. I cut out refined sugar and limited carbohydrates.”
The 5:2 diet is a form of intermittent fasting. It sees people eating regularly for five days of the week and then reducing their total calorie intake to just 25 percent for two non-consecutive days.
A US study once foundthe 5:2 diet as effective for weight loss as following a calorie restrictive diet. While the diet is said to improve overall brain functionand reduce the risk of heart disease.
However, Dr Cox noticed that after two years on the diet, she developed a “lop-sided walk”, began to stumble, and even started breaking bones in falls. As a scientist, her instinct was to investigate the cause of her problems.
She now firmly believes that intermittent fasting is to blame. It’s often suggested that people with MND are likely to have a “hypermetabolism” – meaning their body burns more energy than most.
A study recently suggestedthis can have significant implications on lifespan and disease progression. Dr Cox now thinks that her previous intake of carbs and sweet treats was “keeping the disease at bay”.
The NHS says people who want to lose weight should: “Avoid fad diets that recommend unsafe practices, such as fasting (going without food for long periods of time) or cutting out entire food groups.”
Instead, it encourages exercise and healthy eating. To lose between 0.5kg and 1kg a week, it suggests reducing your calorie intake by 600.