Article: If you are used to consuming carbohydrates, immediate carbohydrate restriction may produce some immediate side effects. Keep an eye out for these symptoms and contact your doctor if they persist or get worse. Dizziness Constipation Fatigue Headache Weakness Be sure to avoid possible nutritional deficiencies that may result from such a restrictive diet. To make up for deficiencies, you can take supplements. Pay particular attention to: Thiamin Potassium Folate Vitamins C, D, and E Magnesium Iron Calcium Sodium The Atkins Diet calls for high intakes of protein, and many dieters opt for proteins that are also high in saturated fats. This high level of saturated fat intake increases your risk for heart disease, especially in women. Diets high in processed meats and red meats also increase your risk for type II diabetes, increase your cholesterol, and increase your risk of certain cancers, coronary heart disease, and chronic obstructive lung disease. Research shows that most people who go on a low-carbohydrate diet will ultimately end up gaining more weight than they lost. This may be due to the high protein component of the diet. Additionally, some studies indicate a correlation between low-carbohydrate diets and increased risk of heart disease. Consuming minimal carbohydrates can put you in a state of ketosis, which is the process of your body burning stored fat in the body rather than sugar while building ketones in your body. Immediate side effects of ketosis are nausea, physical and mental fatigue, headache, mental fatigue, and bad breath (smells like alcohol or like nail polish remover). The long-term effects are unknown.

What is a summary?
Know the possible immediate side effects. Monitor vitamin and mineral levels. Get checked periodically for heart disease. Be on the lookout for weight gain. Monitor your blood sugar.