'I followed fad diet to get in shape for my birthday and now I have a fatal disease'

Intermittent fasting
-Credit: (Image: Getty)


A scientist who wanted to get in shape ahead of her 60th birthday believes swapping to a fad diet caused her to develop Motor Neurone Disease.

Dr Vivienne Cox worked as a microbiologist for two leading pharmaceutical companies and co-founded two biotech firms. She believes that following the 5:2 diet pioneered by Dr Michael Mosley led her to developing MND.

She discovered she was carrying a gene mutation that caused her body to create toxic proteins that interfered with the energy metabolism in cells, reports The Telegraph . Her old diet, which included sugar and carbohydrates meant these energy deficits were restored.

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However, Dr Cox claims her decision to get in shape triggered the onset of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a fatal version of MND. She said: “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.

Dr Michael Mosley
Dr Michael Mosley pioneered the 5:2 diet. -Credit:GETTY

“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 found the 5:2 diet as effective for weight loss as following a calorie restrictive diet. While the diet is said to improve overall brain function and reduce the risk of heart disease .

Dr Cox however said that within two years of following the diet, she noticed she had developed a “lop-sided walk”, started to stumble, and even began breaking bones in falls. She being a scientist made her want to “delve-deeper” into the cause of her problems.

She now “strongly believes” that intermittent fasting is “the culprit”. It is often thought people with MND are likely to have a “hypermetabolism” - meaning their body gets through more energy than most.

A study recently suggested this can have major implications on lifespan and disease progression. Dr Cox now believes that her previous carb and sweet treat intake 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.".

It instead promotes exercise and healthy eating. To lose between 0.5kg and 1kg a week, it suggests reducing your calorie intake by 600.