Despite the intuitive truth and developing research to support the Paleolithic Diet, the theory does have some important negative considerations.

For example, assuming that the Paleodiet is the ideal way for an individual to eat, what about the population as a whole?  Producing one pound of meat requires approximately ten times the resources as an identical pound of grain.  With an ever-increasing world population and a decreasing pool of natural resources we must search for sustainable resources and food systems.  While eating free range meat may be the absolute healthiest way to eat, it is surely not the most efficient use of resources.  Unfortunately, these real-world concerns must be considered.

A second counterpoint is that clearly obesity and very possibly diabetes and cardiovascular disease could be treat with exercise and weight loss alone.  If a person was diligent with the balance of calories burned in daily activities versus the energy consumed, obesity would not be an issue.  If a moderate, sensible diet and regular exercise were part of every person's life, obesity would not be an epidemic health problem.  In a similar way, if people lived what is generally considered to be a “more healthy” lives, diabetes and cardiovascular disease would be much less prevalent.  In this case, maybe we would not need a strict food regime like the Paleodiet.

A recent study (Fleming RM , Angiology 2000 Oct;51(10):817-26) indicates that high protein diets may actually worsen coronary artery disease, which is the underlying condition that leads to most heat attacks.  More research needs to be conducted, but this study shows that not all the results of scientific study of high protein diets are positive.

Dr. John McDougall expresses his views on why the theory and practice of high-protein diets are flawed.  In this discussion, he refers specifically to Dr. Barry Sears and the Zone diet.  While the Zone diet and the Paleodiet are not identical, there are many similarities and Dr. McDougall's comments are helpful for a well rounded discussion.  The main point of his argument is that high-protein diets are, in fact, a form of starvation diet.  He presents nutritional analysis to support these claims.  Below is an excerpt of his observations:

Try to . . . see the big picture. If carbohydrates were bad for people then the Japanese living in Japan on a rice-based diet would be fat and sickly. When they moved to the US and switched to a lower-carbohydrate, higher-fat and -protein diet they would become thinner and healthier. The truth is the Japanese are among the slimmest, most energetic, longest lived, healthiest people on earth. Furthermore, they take on common American diseases when they change to the American diet. If high-protein diets, which means meat, egg, and dairy products, were so good for us then people who subsist on these foods (most Americans) would be the thin and healthy, and vegetarians would be fat and sick. In general, the opposite is the case.

The entire discussion can be viewed at: Http://www.drmcdougall.com/debate4.htm

Another well written page recommending moderation and common sense is http://www.fwhc.org/health/high-protein-diet.htm

Others point out that high protein diets provide four times as much protein as our bodies actually need.  Why consume so much more protein than we can use?  Unused protein is exerted quickly in the urine.

Initial weight loss on high protein diets is often simply water.  People who claim to have lost 5 - 10 lbs in days or a few weeks are simply removing water from their system.  Significant changes in diet habits change the way our bodies use and store water.  Initial rapid weight loss is almost always simply pure water, not fat.  The only way to lose weight is to use more calories than you consume.  For most people this means a sensible, low calorie diet with regular aerobic exercise.

Some experts have offered another criticism of free-range meat diets.  When you eat animal meat, you are necessarily ingesting the toxins that were in that animal’s body.  Dioxin is an example of a toxin that is stored in animal fat and you ingest this chemical whenever you eat animal products that we exposed to it.  Advocates of the Paleolithic Diet downplay the importance of this point, but it is worthwhile to keep in mind.

One of the strongest counterpoints to the Paleodiet is when the dietary recommendations it contains would directly worsen a pre-existing medical condition.  Individuals with conditions like liver disease, renal insufficiency or kidney failure or certain metabolic disorders like phenylketouria (PKU) could be caused significant harm by the high protein content in the Paleodiet.  As always, discuss any planned dietary changes with your medical doctor before beginning new eating habits.

References

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Og the Neanderthal by Richard Wilson
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