Keto Flu: Can It Cause Depression?

The keto diet is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate, and adequate-protein diet that triggers a metabolic process called ketosis, causing the body to burn fat instead of carbohydrates for energy. While the keto diet is widely used as a weight loss tool, it was initially developed to manage seizures in people with epilepsy. The keto diet has also been found to have positive effects on the brain and nervous system, leading to its investigation as a potential treatment for mood disorders, including depression. However, some people may experience adverse effects when starting the keto diet, known as the keto flu, which can include symptoms such as headaches, sleep disturbances, cramping, and fatigue. These symptoms can be difficult to manage and may contribute to feelings of depression. Therefore, it is essential to understand the potential link between the keto diet and depression and whether the keto flu can be a sign of depression.

Keto flu symptoms can cause depression

The keto diet is a high-fat, low-carb, and adequate-protein diet. Eating this way triggers a metabolic process called ketosis, which causes the body to burn fat instead of carbohydrates for energy. While the keto diet is currently a mainstream weight-loss method, it was initially developed to manage seizures in people with epilepsy.

The keto diet can be difficult to adjust to, and some common early symptoms of your body switching into ketosis—known as the "keto flu"—can be hard to manage. The keto flu can involve headaches, sleep disturbances, cramping, and fatigue. Dealing with these symptoms may lead to feelings of depression.

The keto diet is extremely restrictive, requiring the avoidance of sugar, starch, legumes, and carb-rich fruits and vegetables. This excessive restriction may also cause feelings of depression, whether from avoiding comfort foods, making abrupt changes to your diet, or even nutrient deficiency. Not getting enough zinc, magnesium, or selenium in your diet may contribute to depression.

Additionally, the social isolation that may come with the keto diet can also lead to feelings of depression. If many of your social gatherings revolve around food, cooking at home more often to stick to your keto diet may result in depressive episodes if you become more socially isolated.

If you're feeling depressed on keto, it's important to remember that there's a difference between feeling depressed occasionally and having a depressive disorder. If the former starts to feel like the latter, it's best to seek professional help. If you feel that the keto diet is causing you to feel depressed, you should discontinue the diet.

Keto may increase GABA levels

The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat, and moderate-protein diet. It was initially used to help manage seizures in people with epilepsy, but it is now widely used as a weight-loss tool. When on a keto diet, the body enters a metabolic state called ketosis, in which it burns fat instead of carbohydrates for energy.

Being in ketosis can have some positive effects on the brain and nervous system. It can positively impact epilepsy, migraines, other seizure disorders, and Alzheimer's dementia. Some scientific evidence also supports the use of the keto diet to help treat mood disorders, including depression.

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a neurotransmitter that plays a crucial role in managing stress, anxiety, and mood. Low GABA levels have been linked to clinical depression. Animal studies have shown that a ketogenic diet may increase GABA levels in the body, potentially improving depressive symptoms.

GABA is synthesized from glutamate by the enzyme glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD). The GAD enzyme requires vitamin B6 as a cofactor. The keto diet can help facilitate the conversion of glutamate to GABA by increasing the availability of certain metabolites and substrates.

The body's metabolism of glucose produces ATP (units of energy) and reactive oxygen species. In contrast, the metabolism of fat molecules produces twice as much ATP and only half the amount of reactive oxygen species. This means that, with the keto diet, you will not only have more energy but also reduce oxidative damage at the cellular level.

Additionally, ketosis can lead to marked alterations in brain energy metabolism, with ketone bodies partially replacing glucose as fuel. This may contribute to the anticonvulsant and neuroprotective effects of the keto diet.

Other Benefits of Keto

• Improved mitochondrial function: Mitochondrial dysfunction has been linked to depression. Ketogenic diets may improve mitochondrial function by making it easier to produce ATP, which is an energy-providing compound.
• Decreased oxidative stress: Oxidative stress refers to cellular damage caused by free radicals. High levels of oxidative stress have been observed in people with depression. Ketogenic diets can improve antioxidant status and help repair damage caused by free radicals.
• Regulated insulin function: Insulin resistance has been linked to weight gain, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and depression. Ketogenic diets can help improve insulin sensitivity by stabilizing blood sugar levels.
• Reduced inflammation: Chronic inflammation has been associated with depression and various other health issues. The ketogenic diet has anti-inflammatory properties and can help reduce chronic inflammation in the body.

Mitochondrial function may be improved

Mitochondria are the part of our cells that generate the energy needed for the cell to function. Mitochondrial dysfunction, such as producing inadequate amounts of energy for the cell to function properly, has been implicated in depression.

People with depression have lower levels of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) – an energy-providing compound – in their brain than people without depression. Ketogenic diets may make it easier to produce ATP in people with mitochondrial dysfunction.

Ketogenic diets increase reliance on mitochondrial respiration and may induce mitohormesis. Mitohormesis is a phenomenon where moderate levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) induce upregulation of mitochondrial capacity and endogenous antioxidant defence.

Ketogenic diets are likely to have a profound effect on mitochondrial function. The well-established increase in fat oxidation induced by a ketogenic diet clearly indicates a prominent connection with mitochondrial function and, in turn, oxidative stress and mitohormesis.

Ketogenic diets have been proven to induce mitochondrial biogenesis and slow down disease progression in the Deletor mouse, which develops a gradually progressive myopathy due to a mutant form of the mitochondrial helicase TWINKLE.

Insulin function may be regulated

Insulin is a hormone that helps regulate blood sugar levels. It is produced by beta cells in the pancreas and released into the bloodstream, where it can reach different parts of the body. Insulin plays a critical role in controlling how the body uses carbohydrates, specifically by allowing cells in the muscles, liver, and fat (adipose tissue) to take up glucose and use it as a source of energy. This process is essential for maintaining normal glucose levels in the bloodstream and ensuring that the body functions properly.

Insulin function is tightly regulated in healthy individuals to balance food intake with the metabolic needs of the body. This regulation involves a complex interplay between various hormones, including those produced by the gut and pancreas. When food is consumed, glucose is absorbed into the bloodstream, leading to a rise in blood glucose levels. In response, the pancreas releases insulin, which facilitates the movement of glucose into cells, where it is used for energy production. As a result, blood glucose levels return to normal, and insulin release slows down.

Maintaining stable insulin function is crucial for preventing health issues such as weight gain, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. A diet high in sugar and refined starch can lead to insulin resistance, where the body becomes less responsive to insulin. On the other hand, a ketogenic diet, which limits sugar and starch intake, can help improve insulin sensitivity by keeping blood sugar levels stable.

In summary, insulin function is intricately regulated to maintain blood sugar homeostasis and ensure adequate energy supply to cells. The keto diet, by stabilising blood sugar levels, may play a role in regulating insulin function and potentially offer benefits in managing conditions associated with insulin resistance.

Oxidative stress may be decreased

The keto diet is a low-carb, high-fat, and moderate-protein diet that was initially used to help manage seizures in people with epilepsy. However, it is now widely used as a weight loss tool. The diet triggers a metabolic process called ketosis, where the body burns fat instead of carbohydrates for energy.

One of the ways the keto diet may relieve depression is by decreasing oxidative stress. Oxidative stress refers to cellular damage caused by free radicals, which are unstable compounds that people are exposed to daily. These free radicals can damage cells if they build up in the body and are associated with various diseases and health conditions, including depression.

Following a ketogenic diet may help improve markers of oxidative stress, enhance your antioxidant status, and aid in reversing some of the damage caused by free radicals. This, in turn, has the potential to improve depressive symptoms.

For instance, a study involving Taekwondo athletes found that a ketogenic diet for three weeks resulted in an elevated HDL level, which is associated with increased blood antioxidative capacity. Another study on rodents showed that a ketogenic diet decreased oxidative stress and improved mitochondrial respiratory complex activity.

In summary, the keto diet's ability to decrease oxidative stress may be one of the mechanisms by which it potentially alleviates depression. By improving antioxidant status and reducing cellular damage caused by free radicals, the keto diet may contribute to the improvement of depressive symptoms. However, more research is needed, especially in human subjects, to fully understand the relationship between keto, oxidative stress, and depression.

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