Former Australian cricketer Shane Warne's untimely demise at the age of 52 has put the spotlight on liquid diets, after his manager in an interview revealed the spin wizard would resort to liquid-only diets to shed excess weight.
Warne was found unresponsive in a villa while on holiday at Koh Samui in Thailand on March 4, 2022, leaving the cricketing world in shock and grief.
He is reported to have died of a heart attack. News reports citing Thai authorities said the autopsy report showed that he had died due to natural causes and ruled out foul play.
The Thai police also revealed that Warne had recently visited a doctor to examine the frequent chest pains that he was experiencing.
Warne's manager James Erskine in an interview to Nine's Today said that the leg-spinner had just weaned off a 14-day liquid diet and had previously undergone this dietary routine three to four times, in order to lose weight. Warne's son also told Daily Mail that Warne would also follow 30-day fasting tea challenges.
Erksine also shot down rumours claiming that Warne was on drugs or drinking alcohol at the time of his death.
In this liquid diet, the cricketer would strictly stick to consuming various liquids or occasionally consume buns with butter, and lasagne stuffed in the middle, his manager added. This was his go-to routine to shred any weight that he had previously gained.
BOOM spoke to Mansi Shah, nutritionist and founder, Health Medley to understand if these diets are recommended for weight loss.
What Are Liquid Diets?
A liquid diet comprises of only consuming liquids for a specific period of time for specific health reasons. Consumables include water, broth, soups, juices, and shakes.
"People are asked to restrict the consumption of solid foods and replace it with anything present in liquid form or even semi solid foods that can be eventually melted into liquids at room temperature, " Shah said.
While the diet has some nutritional benefits such as being rich with antioxidants, and being easily digestible, it can even lead to nutritional deficiencies such as anaemia. Constant hunger pangs are also known to be a side effect.
"Liquid diets lead to a person not following a complete nutritious diet. They are obtaining minerals and vitamins but also losing out on nutrients like proteins, fats, and fibers", the nutritionist told BOOM.
The diet can also be a cause of constant irritability, fatigue, and low physical and mental energy levels. Owing to these reasons, several nutritionists and doctors only recommend the diet under specific conditions and for a specified duration.
Should Weight Loss Be A Reason To Adopt The Diet?
Warne adopted the liquid diet to quickly reduce weight which could have affected his metabolism and cardiovascular health, his own manager believes.
Shah, the nutritionist told BOOM that she would recommend it to people with mandated medical conditions. "I would recommend it only pre or post surgeries, when somebody has a difficulty in swallowing (dysphagia) or chewing, has had recent dental procedures, absence of teeth, or has gastrointestinal complications. "
According to the Mayo Clinic, a liquid diet is recommended mostly when a patient is supposed to undergo a treatment that requires their stomachs and intestines to have no traces of any food. Pregnant women, and patients with diabetes, should however, avoid taking up these diets or have to be continuously monitored. As these liquids tend to be rich in blood sugar glucose level, diabetics are expected to be careful while adapting to the diet.
A study by scientists at Sweden's Karolinska Institute showed that people who followed very low calorie diet which could be through liquid diets were at a higher risk of being diagnosed with gall bladder stones. This could also lead to these people undergoing subsequent cholecystectomy.
In conclusion, Shah told BOOM that these diets should not be followed for weight loss purposes since it is detrimental to people's health in the long run.
"Only if the patient is facing immense gastrointestinal issues, apart from the other dental or surgical issues, would I recommend them to follow this for a very very short duration, " she added.