Keto Diet: Can It Help You Focus Better?

The keto diet has been used for weight loss, diabetes management, and epilepsy treatment since the 1920s. But did you know it might also improve your mental focus?

The keto diet is a high-fat, low-carb eating pattern that puts your body into a state of ketosis, where it burns fat instead of glucose for energy. This has several benefits for brain health and cognitive function.

Firstly, ketones are the brain's preferred fuel source, providing more energy than glucose. Secondly, ketosis improves memory and brain function, acting like a natural nootropic (cognitive enhancer). Thirdly, it reduces inflammation, a common factor in many diseases, and may lower your risk of developing diabetes, cancer, and heart disease.

However, in the early stages of a keto diet, you may experience brain fog as your body adjusts to burning ketones instead of glucose. This is a common symptom of the keto flu and usually passes within a few weeks.

If you're considering the keto diet, be sure to consult your doctor, as it's not suitable for everyone.

Ketones improve brain function

Ketones are an alternative source of energy for the brain, especially when glucose is sparse. Ketone bodies are produced by the liver during ketosis, which can be achieved by fasting or by following a ketogenic diet. Ketones are particularly beneficial for people with neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's disease.

The brain's utilisation of ketones depends on the concentration in the blood. Therefore, ketogenic diets, ingestion of ketogenic medium-chain fatty acids, or exogenous ketones can facilitate significant changes in the brain's metabolism. These approaches may improve the energy crisis in neurodegenerative diseases, which are characterised by a deterioration of the brain's glucose metabolism.

Ketones can also benefit healthy individuals. For example, ketones can act as direct antioxidants, suppressing mitochondrial ROS production and promoting the transcriptional activity of the antioxidant defence. In addition, ketones can improve mitochondrial efficiency and reduce neuronal hyperactivity.

Ketones can also help with focus by increasing the production of GABA, which reduces stimulation in the body. This can help to improve mental clarity and reduce anxiety and stress.

Ketosis helps you focus

The keto diet has been used for decades to help with weight loss and to manage diabetes and epilepsy. However, it also has another benefit: improving mental performance.

How Ketosis Works

Ketosis is a state the body enters when deprived of carbohydrates (glucose). In this state, the body uses ketones, a natural chemical made in the liver, to burn fat as its primary fuel source. Ketones are produced when the liver converts fat into energy that can be used by the body and brain.

Ketones Improve Brain Function

The brain is an energy-hungry organ, and while it usually uses glucose for energy, it can also use ketones. In fact, ketones are the brain's preferred fuel source as they bypass the blood-brain barrier and can be used as fuel immediately.

Ketones Improve Your Memory

The presence of beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), one of the exogenous ketones the body makes when you enter ketosis, improves memory function. Studies suggest that low-carb diets like keto boost memory now and preserve it in old age.

Ketosis May Improve Gut Health

The link between the gut and brain is known as the gut-brain axis. A low-carb diet like keto, which focuses on quality fats and whole proteins, allows all the systems in your body to work together better. A healthy gut-brain connection keeps you healthy, allows you to absorb nutrients, and fights off diseases.

Ketosis Helps Balance Neurotransmitters

There are several neurotransmitters in the brain, and when they aren't balanced, it can cause your brain to feel foggy. On keto, your body naturally balances out the "chiller" neurotransmitters with more excitatory ones, helping to clear the fog and improve focus and concentration.

Ketosis May Improve Mental Health

A low-carb diet like keto is a proven method for weight loss, and losing weight has been shown to reduce symptoms of serious mental illnesses like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Additionally, a low-carb diet helps your hormones avoid surges and crashes in insulin, ghrelin, and other hormones that impact your brain and emotions.

Ketones improve your memory

The keto diet has been shown to improve memory in older adults with mild cognitive impairment. In a six-week intervention study, older adults with mild cognitive impairment were randomly assigned to either a high-carbohydrate or very low-carbohydrate diet. The results showed improved verbal memory performance for those on the low-carbohydrate diet. Additionally, ketone levels were positively correlated with memory performance.

Ketone bodies are an alternative energy source for the brain when glucose levels are low. During ketosis, the liver converts fats to ketone bodies, which can then be used as energy for the body and brain. This process has been shown to improve memory function, especially in individuals with Alzheimer's disease.

The keto diet can also raise the concentration of beta-hydroxybutyrate acid (BHB) in the body, which has been linked to improved memory function. Studies in aging mice have found that a cyclical keto diet prevented memory loss and improved strength and coordination.

Furthermore, ketones may improve memory by increasing the production of mitochondria and ATP in the brain's memory cells. A rat study showed that subjects fed a diet high in ketones performed better in physical and cognitive tests than those fed a high-carbohydrate or typical Western diet.

Overall, the keto diet has been shown to have potential benefits for memory and brain health, especially in older adults or those with cognitive impairments.

Ketosis may improve gut health

The ketogenic diet, or keto diet, is a high-fat, very low-carbohydrate diet that has been used to treat epilepsy and is popular for weight loss. While the keto diet has been linked to several health benefits, its impact on gut health is less clear. Here's what we know so far about how ketosis may improve gut health:

Impact on Gut Microbiome

The gut microbiome refers to the diverse community of microorganisms living in our guts, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi. These microbes play a crucal role in digestion, immune function, and overall health. The keto diet may influence the composition and diversity of the gut microbiome, but the effects are mixed. Some studies suggest that the keto diet may reduce the diversity of gut bacteria and favour the growth of certain bacteria, such as Akkermansia and Parabacteriodes, which have been linked to anti-seizure effects. However, other studies have found that the keto diet may decrease the abundance of beneficial bacteria, such as Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus, and increase pro-inflammatory microbes. More research is needed to understand the long-term effects of the keto diet on the gut microbiome.

Reduction in Inflammation

Chronic inflammation is associated with various digestive disorders, including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. The keto diet has been shown to reduce inflammation in both human and animal studies. In a 6-month study, participants following a low-carb diet experienced greater reductions in inflammatory markers compared to those on a low-fat diet. This anti-inflammatory effect may be due to the reduction of certain bacteria associated with chronic inflammation, such as those promoted by a typical Western diet high in fat and sugar.

Benefits for Digestive Disorders

The keto diet may also provide relief from certain digestive disorders. In a study of 13 people, a very-low-carb diet improved symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), including gas, stomach cramps, and diarrhea. Additionally, the keto diet naturally limits foods rich in FODMAPs (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols), which are known to trigger IBS symptoms. In a case study, a combined keto and paleo diet was found to relieve symptoms of Crohn's disease in a 14-year-old boy. More research is needed to confirm these findings and understand the potential benefits of the keto diet for other digestive disorders.

Keto decreases brain fog

Brain fog is a vague term, and the symptoms can vary from person to person. However, common descriptions include "forgetful", "cloudy", and "difficulty thinking, focusing, and communicating". It can also lead to low mood, low energy, physical and mental fatigue, irritability, headaches, anxiety, confusion, low motivation, hopelessness, memory loss, memory problems, and trouble sleeping.

Brain fog can be caused by several factors, including hormonal changes, chronic fatigue syndrome, depression, Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, poor diet, environment, stress, and lifestyle factors such as sleep deprivation, physical inactivity, and ultra-low-fat diets.

The keto diet can help decrease brain fog by reducing oxidative stress in the brain, providing more energy to neurons, and boosting neurotransmitters that benefit mental health and function. Ketones, which are produced when the body is in a state of ketosis, are used by the brain as an alternative energy source to glucose. This can help improve mental focus and reduce anxiety and stress.

Additionally, the keto diet can lead to a more robust brain by increasing brain mitochondria, which are known as the "powerhouse" of a cell. The keto diet has also been shown to improve brain function in older and obese rats.

While the keto diet can initially cause brain fog as the body adjusts to using ketones instead of glucose, this is typically temporary, and most people find that brain fog disappears once they are fully adapted to the diet.

The keto diet may also improve mental health by promoting weight loss, which has been shown to have a positive impact on body image and mental health. Additionally, the keto diet helps to stabilise blood sugar levels, leading to fewer fluctuations in energy and focus throughout the day.

Frequently asked questions