Keto Revolution: Transforming Lives And Health

The ketogenic diet, or keto, is a low-carb, high-fat diet that has been around since the 1920s. It was originally used to reduce seizures in children with epilepsy, but it has since become a popular weight loss tool.

The keto diet is designed to burn fat by cutting carbs. It involves drastically reducing carbohydrate intake and replacing it with fat. This reduction in carbs puts your body into a metabolic state called ketosis, where it becomes incredibly efficient at burning fat for energy.

The keto diet has been shown to have several health benefits, including:

- Weight loss

- Lowering the risk of certain diseases, such as diabetes, cancer, epilepsy and Alzheimer's disease

- Improving risk factors for heart disease, such as body fat, HDL (good) cholesterol levels, blood pressure and blood sugar

- Reducing symptoms of neurological disorders, such as Parkinson's disease

- Helping with polycystic ovary syndrome by reducing insulin levels

However, there are also some challenges and potential negative effects associated with the keto diet, including:

- It can be difficult to sustain due to stringent food restrictions and the need to closely monitor food intake.

- It can lead to calorie depletion and nutrient deficiency, as it restricts the consumption of fresh fruits, legumes, vegetables and whole grains.

- It may have negative impacts on heart health due to the high consumption of saturated fats.

- It can cause dehydration, constipation and keto flu, which includes symptoms such as fatigue, mental fogginess and irritability.

- It may not be suitable for people with kidney disease due to the additional ketones that their renal system has to process.

Weight Loss

The keto diet is a popular choice for people trying to lose weight. It is a low-carb, high-fat eating plan that has been shown to offer several health benefits. The diet typically involves reducing carbohydrate intake to less than 5–10% of total daily calories, increasing fat intake to around 70–90% of calories, and keeping protein intake moderate at around 20% of calories.

How it works

The keto diet works by forcing the body to use a different type of fuel. Instead of relying on blood sugar (glucose) from carbohydrates, the keto diet relies on the liver to break down stored fat into molecules called ketones, which are then used as the body's main energy source. This process is called ketosis.

There are several proposed weight loss mechanisms associated with the keto diet, although long-term studies are currently lacking.

Reduction in Hunger

The keto diet has been linked to decreased levels of ghrelin, one of the body's main hunger hormones. Reducing ghrelinsuppresses hunger, which can lead to a decrease in calorie intake and subsequent weight loss.

Loss of Water Weight

The significant reduction in carb intake on the keto diet also results in the loss of water weight. Carbohydrates hold water in their stored form in the body, so when carb intake is reduced, stored carbs are released along with additional fluid, leading to weight loss.

Calorie Deficit

To lose weight, an individual must eat fewer calories than they burn. The keto diet is associated with a small increase in the number of calories burned, and the high-fat content of keto meals increases feelings of fullness, which can lead to a natural reduction in calorie intake.

Other Factors Affecting Weight Loss

While the keto diet can be an effective tool for weight loss, there are several other factors that can impact an individual's weight loss journey.

Carb Intake

It is important to keep track of carb intake when starting the keto diet. Eating too many carbs can prevent the body from reaching ketosis, reducing the potential benefits of the diet, including weight loss.

Sleep

Lack of sleep and chronic stress can negatively impact weight loss. Studies suggest that insufficient sleep can negatively impact hunger hormones, increasing appetite and counteracting the hunger-reducing effects of the keto diet.

Physical Activity

Combining the keto diet with a proper exercise regimen can enhance weight loss. Once the body is adjusted to the keto diet, it can use fat as its primary fuel source for exercise, particularly for endurance-based sports.

Sustainability

One of the major downsides of the keto diet is its long-term sustainability due to its restrictive nature. It can be challenging to adhere to the diet, especially when dining out or during social gatherings, and there is a lack of long-term research on its health effects.

While the keto diet has been shown to aid in weight loss, it is important to consider its potential side effects, downsides, and the lack of long-term research. It is always recommended to consult with a doctor or dietitian before starting any new diet, especially a restrictive one like the keto diet.

Reduced Seizures in Epilepsy Patients

The ketogenic diet has been used to reduce seizures in epilepsy patients since the 1920s. The diet is high in fats and low in carbohydrates, which alters the way the brain gets energy to function. The diet is usually recommended for children with epilepsy that continues despite medication. The diet has been shown to be particularly helpful for some epilepsy conditions, including infantile spasms, Rett syndrome, tuberous sclerosis complex, Dravet syndrome, Doose syndrome, and GLUT-1 deficiency.

The ketogenic diet has been proven effective over time to help epilepsy. About 40% to 50% of children who start the keto diet have 50% fewer seizures. And roughly 10% to 20% of children achieve more than 90% reduction in seizures. The diet has also been used in other neurological conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease and autism spectrum disorder.

The mechanism by which the seizures are regulated is poorly understood. Both the low sugar component and high fat component uniquely alter the ‘excitability’ of the brain, thereby reducing the tendency to generate seizures. The ketogenic diet is involved in multiple mechanisms responsible for biochemical alterations, including cellular substrates and mediators responsible for neuronal hyperexcitability.

The ketogenic diet is a good alternative for non-surgical pharmacoresistant patients with epilepsy of any age, taking into account that the type of diet should be designed individually and that less-restrictive and more-palatable diets are usually better options for adults and adolescents.

Improved Diabetes Management

The ketogenic diet has been shown to improve diabetes management, especially in those with type 2 diabetes. The diet is low-carb, high-fat, and moderate-protein, and it can help to lower blood sugar and insulin levels. This is because the diet forces the body to use fat, rather than sugar, as its primary energy source. This process is called ketosis.

The keto diet can also reduce the need for insulin and other diabetes medications. One study found that people with type 2 diabetes who followed a keto diet had reduced their need to take anti-diabetic medication compared to other diet treatments, but only until 12 months.

The keto diet may also lead to weight loss, which can be beneficial for people with type 2 diabetes. One study found that people with type 2 diabetes and obesity who followed a keto diet had better weight loss than other diet strategies for up to 6 months.

However, the keto diet can be hard to follow in the long term because it is highly restrictive. It may also lead to adverse side effects, such as keto-flu, noticeable changes in bowel habits, leg cramps, and a loss of energy. It is important to discuss the keto diet with a doctor before making any drastic dietary changes.

Lowered Risk of Certain Cancers

The ketogenic (keto) diet is a very high-fat, low-carbohydrate way of eating. It can help with weight loss by forcing the body to burn fat instead of carbohydrates as its main source of energy. While no major cancer group recommends keto diets for cancer prevention or treatment, there is interest in how a ketogenic diet may help treat some types of cancer.

How Keto May Affect Cancer

One theory is that cancer feeds on the sugar you eat, but a high-fat diet starves the tumors. Cancer cells are rewired to get most of their energy by quickly breaking down lots of glucose, a form of carbohydrate. A keto diet may shortcut the feeding because some cancers can’t use ketones to grow. This has led to hopes that a ketogenic diet may help boost the powers of chemotherapy and other cancer treatments.

What the Research Says

Studies have suggested some possible benefits of a very low-carb diet in cancer therapy. Research on mice and small trials on humans show that a keto diet may work in several ways:

• Protect healthy cells from damage from chemotherapy or radiation treatment
• Help anti-cancer drugs work faster or better
• Ease inflammation, which can encourage cancer growth
• Help prevent weight gain during and after chemotherapy for breast cancer. Extra weight raises the chance that tumors may come back.

There have not been any large studies in humans yet, so we don’t know for sure if and how keto diets work against cancer. Several clinical trials are ongoing.

Types of Cancer

Research so far suggests that if and how the keto diet helps fight cancer may depend on the type of cancer. Some of the strongest reports of keto’s possible benefits have come from glioblastoma, a very aggressive brain cancer. But it doesn’t seem to work on other kinds of brain cancer. There has been very limited evidence that a high-fat, low-carb diet may help suppress solid cancers in the prostate, breast, stomach, and liver.

How Keto May Fight Tumors

Researchers aren’t sure what a diet high in fats and very low in carbs does to cancer cells; they aren't even sure if it helps or causes harm. But they think starving the cancer isn’t the only way. For example, studies have shown that keto may also change the expression of your genes, which in turn controls the way your cells behave.

Improved Brain Health

The keto diet has been shown to have a range of benefits for brain health, from improving memory to reducing symptoms of neurological conditions.

Memory and Cognition

The keto diet has been shown to improve memory and cognitive function, particularly in older adults. One study found that a low-carb diet improved secondary memory and verbal paired-associate learning task performance in older participants with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Another study found that a ketogenic diet improved working memory in overweight and obese individuals.

Neurological Conditions

The keto diet has been shown to be beneficial for people with Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, and traumatic brain injury.

Alzheimer's Disease

The keto diet may reduce symptoms of Alzheimer's disease and slow its progression. Ketogenic diets have been found to improve memory and brain function in people with Alzheimer's disease.

Parkinson's Disease

There is some evidence that the keto diet can improve symptoms of Parkinson's disease. One small, randomised control trial found that the ketogenic diet improved pain and other non-motor symptoms of the disease.

Epilepsy

The keto diet was originally developed in the 1920s to treat epilepsy in children. It has been shown to cut the frequency of epileptic seizures by more than 50%.

Traumatic Brain Injury

Animal studies have suggested that the keto diet can reduce the volume of damage and improve recovery from traumatic brain injury.

Other Benefits

The keto diet has also been found to have the following benefits for brain health:

• It can help with congenital hyperinsulinism, a condition that causes low blood sugar and can lead to brain damage.
• It may provide relief for people with migraines.
• It may improve symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome.
• It may help with chronic inflammation and high blood sugar levels.
• It may improve symptoms of autism spectrum disorder.
• It may help with multiple sclerosis.
• It may improve symptoms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Frequently asked questions