Keto Genetic: Understanding Carb Limits For Weight Loss

The ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high-fat eating plan that has been used to treat specific medical conditions for centuries. The keto diet typically restricts daily carbohydrate intake to 20-50 grams to reach ketosis, a metabolic state where the body uses fat for energy instead of sugars. While the keto diet has been found to aid weight loss and fat loss, improve blood sugar regulation, and reduce insulin sensitivity, it is not suitable for everyone. For instance, it may be risky for pregnant, postpartum, or nursing women as it could lead to life-threatening complications like ketoacidosis. Additionally, some people may need to consume fewer than 20 grams of carbs to reach ketosis, especially if they have followed a high-carb diet for many years. Furthermore, the keto diet should not be confused with low-carb diets, which typically restrict carb intake to less than 130 grams per day.

Ketogenic diets for weight loss

The ketogenic (keto) diet is a low-carbohydrate, high-fat eating plan that has been used for centuries to treat specific medical conditions. The keto diet is gaining attention as a potential weight-loss strategy due to the low-carb diet craze, which started in the 1970s with the Atkins diet.

The keto diet limits carbohydrates and replaces them with fats, putting the body into a state of ketosis. To stay in ketosis, a person requires up to 50 grams of carbs per day. The average recommended daily protein intake for a person following a keto diet is 46-56 grams, depending on their sex. The keto diet involves moderate amounts of protein, as excess protein can prevent ketosis.

The keto diet includes foods with high levels of fats and very low levels of carbohydrates. The diet excludes some fruits and vegetables, as well as bread, beans, and legumes. However, it includes foods such as cheese, dark green vegetables, fresh meat and fish, nuts, and seeds.

How to Calculate Your Carb Intake

To calculate your net carbs, subtract the amount of fibre from the total number of carbs. If the food is processed, subtract half of the sugar alcohol content. These quantities are available on food labels.

Who Should Be Careful?

The keto diet may be risky for pregnant, postpartum, or nursing women, as it could lead to life-threatening complications like ketoacidosis. It is also important to consult a doctor before starting the keto diet if you have diabetes, as it may lead to hypoglycaemic (low blood sugar) episodes.

Tips for Staying on Track

• Start with the upper limit of 50 grams of carbs per day and gradually reduce your intake.
• Focus on eating more fat from healthy sources like fatty fish and avocados, which will help decrease your carb cravings and improve your energy levels.
• If you engage in intense workouts, you can go over 50 grams of carbs without getting kicked out of ketosis.
• Monitor your blood sugar to check how your stress levels are affecting you.
• Consider implementing stress reduction strategies that complement the keto diet, such as regular exercise and meditation.
• Check your ketone levels 2-3 hours after a meal to see how much protein your body can get away with.
• If you are an older adult, gradually cut carbs instead of doing it abruptly to avoid unpleasant keto flu symptoms.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Eating too many carbs: To get into ketosis, you may need to go under 50 grams of carbs per day.
• Eating too much protein: A well-formulated low-carb diet should be high in fat and moderate in protein. Excessive protein consumption can prevent you from getting into ketosis.
• Being afraid to eat fat: If you don't eat carbs, you must add fat to compensate; otherwise, you may experience hunger and inadequate nutrition.
• Not replenishing sodium: Low-carb diets lower your insulin levels, making your kidneys excrete excess sodium, which can lead to mild sodium deficiency.
• Quitting too soon: It can take a few days for your body to adapt to burning fat instead of carbs, and full adaptation may take several weeks.

In Conclusion

The keto diet can be an effective tool for weight loss and improving health conditions like obesity and type 2 diabetes. However, it is important to be mindful of potential mistakes and consult healthcare professionals before starting the diet.

Ketogenic diets for diabetes

The ketogenic (keto) diet is a low-carb, high-fat eating plan that has been used for centuries to treat specific medical conditions. In the 19th century, it was used to control diabetes, and in 1920, it was introduced as a treatment for epilepsy in children. Today, it is gaining attention as a potential weight-loss strategy, with some research suggesting it may also benefit people with type 2 diabetes.

How the Keto Diet Works

The keto diet limits carbohydrates and replaces them with fats, putting the body into a state of ketosis. This means the body uses fat for energy instead of carbohydrates or glucose. On the keto diet, you get most of your energy from fat, with very little coming from carbohydrates.

Carb Targets to Stay in Ketosis

To stay in ketosis, a person can consume up to 50 grams of carbohydrates per day, though different keto diets allow for different amounts. The standard keto diet, which has been the subject of most research, recommends 70% fat, 20% protein, and 10% carbs.

Potential Benefits for Diabetes

The keto diet may help manage blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes by allowing the body to maintain blood sugar at a low but healthy level. It may also lead to a reduced need for insulin and other anti-diabetic medications.

Potential Risks and Side Effects

The keto diet can be challenging to maintain due to its restrictive nature, and it may lead to some adverse effects. Short-term side effects include "keto flu," changes in bowel habits, leg cramps, and loss of energy. Long-term effects may include an increased risk of kidney stones, nutrient deficiencies, dyslipidemia, and fatty liver disease.

Additionally, there is conflicting evidence about the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) associated with the keto diet. While some researchers suggest that the additional fat in the diet may increase the risk of CVD, others dispute this claim.

Precautions

The keto diet is not suitable for everyone. It should be avoided by those who are pregnant or lactating, have a history of eating disorders, are taking certain medications, or have disorders of fat metabolism.

It is important to consult a healthcare professional before starting the keto diet, as it may affect blood sugar levels and medication requirements. Regular health monitoring is also necessary to check for any effects on the heart and to monitor for hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).

Alternative Dietary Approaches

While the keto diet may be beneficial for some people with type 2 diabetes, it is not the only dietary approach. A plant-based diet, for example, has also been found to improve blood sugars, A1C, and cardiovascular disease risk factors in people with diabetes.

The Mediterranean diet is another option that has been shown to be as effective as the keto diet in controlling blood glucose. This diet emphasizes vegetables, legumes, fruits, whole grains, olive oil, and fish, and may be easier to follow in the long term.

The ketogenic diet may be a viable option for managing type 2 diabetes, but it should be approached with caution. It is essential to work with a healthcare professional to determine the best dietary approach for your individual needs and to monitor for any potential side effects or complications.

Ketogenic diets for Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the sixth-leading cause of death in the US, with around 6.2 million Americans living with the disease in 2021. The condition is extremely difficult to prevent and cure, but ketogenic diets are being studied as a potential method to help reduce or prevent the onset of cognitive decline in Alzheimer's patients.

The brain typically relies on glucose as its primary source of energy, but in people with AD, the brain is less able to use glucose for fuel. Ketogenic diets can reduce one's reliance on glucose as fuel for the brain and instead use ketones. The liver converts fats into ketones, which can serve as a major energy source for neurons.

A 2021 randomised crossover trial found that a 12-week modified ketogenic diet improved daily function and quality of life in patients with AD. Another study, the Ketogenic Diet Retention and Feasibility Trial (KDRAFT), showed that cognitive scores improved after a three-month intervention on a ketogenic diet. However, test scores returned to baseline after a one-month washout period.

There is also evidence that the modified Atkins diet with medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) and a Mediterranean diet with coconut oil improved the cognitive abilities and quality of life of patients with mild to severe AD. However, more research is needed to determine the true effect of the diet and whether it is the ketosis or the MCTs that cause the cognitive improvements.

Overall, ketogenic diets may hold promise as a viable and effective treatment strategy for AD, but larger and longer studies are needed.

Ketogenic diets for cancer

The ketogenic (keto) diet is a low-carb, high-fat eating plan that has been used to treat specific medical conditions for centuries. The diet has been tested and used in closely monitored settings for cancer, diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome, and Alzheimer's disease. While no major cancer group recommends keto diets for cancer prevention or treatment, there is interest in how it may help treat some types of cancer.

How Keto May Affect Cancer

The standard diet recommendation is to limit fats to no more than 30% of your calories, with carbs making up half or more of your daily total. In contrast, the keto diet flips this formula, with up to 90% of your diet consisting of fats and very few carbs. Without enough carbs, your body switches to burning fat for fuel, a process called ketosis.

Cancer cells are rewired to get most of their energy by quickly breaking down glucose, a form of carbohydrate. A keto diet may starve the tumors by depriving them of this energy source. This has led to hopes that a ketogenic diet may boost the powers of chemotherapy and other cancer treatments.

What the Research Says

Studies on mice and small human trials have suggested some possible benefits of a very low-carb diet in cancer therapy. This includes:

• Protecting healthy cells from damage caused by chemotherapy or radiation treatment
• Helping anti-cancer drugs work faster or better
• Easing inflammation, which can encourage cancer growth
• Helping prevent weight gain during and after chemotherapy for breast cancer

However, there have not been any large studies in humans yet, so the effectiveness of keto diets against cancer is still uncertain. Several clinical trials are ongoing.

Unanswered Questions

Research suggests that if and how the keto diet helps fight cancer may depend on various factors. Some key questions that scientists are trying to answer include:

• What types of cancer can keto help ease?
• How exactly does the keto diet help fight tumors?
• How much and what types of fat work best against cancer?

Additionally, some keto-friendly foods like red meat can raise your chances of cancer, and the diet may be challenging to stick to due to limited food choices. It is important to consult with a healthcare professional before starting a keto diet, especially if you are considering it as a potential treatment for cancer.

Ketogenic diets for epilepsy

The ketogenic diet has been used to treat epilepsy since the 1920s, particularly in children whose seizures have not responded to medication. The diet is high-fat, low-carbohydrate, and can be entered into several categories:

The Classic Ketogenic Diet

This is a special, strict, high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet that helps control seizures in some people with epilepsy. It is usually prescribed by a physician and monitored by a dietitian. The diet typically provides 3-4 grams of fat for every 1 gram of carbohydrate and protein, which is about 90% of calories from fat. The total calories are matched to the number of calories the person would normally consume. The classic ketogenic diet is stricter than the modified Atkins diet, requiring careful measurements of calories, fluids, and proteins. Foods are weighed and measured.

The Therapeutic Ketogenic Diet

This is the classic ketogenic diet used to treat epilepsy and other conditions such as cancer. It follows a 3-to-1 or 4-to-1 ratio of fat to carbohydrates and protein. Someone following this diet gets 90% of their daily calories from fat, 5% from protein, and 5% from carbs.

The Medium-Chain Triglyceride (MCT) Ketogenic Diet

This diet allows for more carbohydrates and thus may offer more variety. It includes some fat from naturally fatty foods and some fat from a supplement of MCT oil or emulsion, which is only available on prescription. The MCT diet is calculated by the percentage of energy (calories) provided by these types of fat.

The Modified Atkins Diet and Modified Ketogenic Diet

These diets are often considered more flexible than the classical or MCT ketogenic diets as more protein can be eaten, and approximate portion sizes may be used instead of weighed recipes. They use a high proportion of fats and a strict control of carbohydrates.

Low Glycaemic Index Treatment (LGIT)

This diet focuses on how carbohydrates affect the level of glucose in the blood (the glycaemic index), as well as the amount of carbohydrate eaten. Approximate portion sizes are used rather than food being weighed.

The ketogenic diet is not recommended as a primary anti-seizure option because patients are often averse to drastic changes in their food intake or have trouble staying on the diet due to its strict requirements and potential side effects like nausea, constipation, and fatigue. However, it has been shown in many studies to be particularly helpful for some epilepsy conditions, including infantile spasms, Rett syndrome, tuberous sclerosis complex, Dravet syndrome, Doose syndrome, and GLUT-1 deficiency.

To enter and remain in ketosis, a person needs to eat less than 50 grams of carbohydrates each day. This is a significant difference from other low-carb diets, which typically restrict carb intake to less than 130 grams per day.

Frequently asked questions