Though it was originally developed to treat patients with epilepsy,
interest in the ketogenic diet has taken off in recent years as we've
learned more about its therapeutic and health benefits. Here’s what you
need to know about ‘keto’ and why some health experts believe it's good
for your body — especially your brain.
Fast
forwarding a bit, Dr. Rawle Geyelin gave a 1921 presentation to the
American Medical Association in which he reported on the remarkable
outcomes of several children who had benefited from fasting; his
patients were having fewer seizures — and the effect appeared to be
long-lasting.
Geyelin
continued this work, and he developed a tolerable and reproducible
high-fat and low carbohydrate diet now formally known as the ketogenic
diet. For the next two decades, it was used by physicians to minimize
seizures in their patients. Once modern antiepileptic drugs were
introduced, however, the practice declined dramatically.
But
interest in keto was renewed about 20 years ago as a number of
scientists began to study it more closely — and not just for its ability
to treat epilepsy. As we’re now learning, and despite its reputation as
a “starvation” diet, a keto regimen has been shown to confer a variety
of benefits.
The state of ketosis
The ketogenic diet is essentially a way to get our bodies to enter into a condition known as ketosis.
Normally,
our bodies rely on glucose for fuel — the result of our moderate to
high-carb diets. Carbohydrates are broken down to glucose, which gets
converted into energy and transported to our muscles and organs.
 |
| www.aiwo.com-ketones bodies-ketogenic diet |
But when carbs are restricted, and when there’s a lack of glucose, our liver starts to produce ketones
— a process that shifts our body towards fat utilization. This new mode
of metabolism, or ketosis, can come about in several different ways,
including starvation, type 1 diabetes, and even alcoholism.
While in
this state, the levels of ketones in our blood starts to rise. Ketones
are acidic chemicals that include acetone, acetoacetate, and
beta-hydroxybutyrate. Needless to say, this can lead to some serious
problems; starvation is obviously not good! If left unchecked, ketones
can increase blood acidity, which can affect urine and cause serious
liver and kidney damage.
But, when done correctly and responsibly, the keto diet can be used to effectively treat a number of health conditions.
How to do keto
A keto diet
can take on many forms, but it typically involves the restriction of
carbohydrates to no more than 50g per day. Sources should typically come
from whole foods like vegetables, nuts, dairy, and so on. Refined
carbohydrates, like bagels, pasta, and cereals, should be avoided, as
should refined sugars (including high-sugar fruits and fruit juices).
Meals,
therefore, should mostly be comprised of protein and some healthy fats
(like olive oil, coconut oil, and avocados). A good rule of thumb is to
follow the 60/35/5 rule in which 60% of calories come from fat, 35% from
protein, and 5% from carbs. Protein should be set at about 1.5 to 1.75g
of protein for every kilogram of your ideal body weight.
Why it works
Actually, we’re not entirely sure why it works so well. But some theories are beginning to emerge.
As already
noted, the keto diet is associated with increased circulation of ketones
in the body, which is a more efficient fuel for the brain. Ketones may
also increase the number of brain mitochondria — the power packs inside
of cells.
It’s
possible that the boosted energy production capacity created by these
effects is what gives our neurons an enhanced ability to resist
metabolic challenges. Other biochemical changes — namely ketosis, high
fat levels, and low glucose levels — may contribute to neuronal
protection through a number of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory
actions.
Neuroscientists attribute the keto diet’s brain-protective qualities to a number of things:
-
Ketone bodies serve as an alternative source of energy during metabolic stress
-
Ketosis diminishes the toxicity produced by glutamate acid, a problem when a brain injury happens
-
It enhances GABA levels (γ-Aminobutyric acid) — an important inhibitory neurotransmitter
-
It has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory qualities
-
The diet protects against various forms of cell death
-
Restricting carbs protects against oxidative- and glutamate-stress, among other things
Cancer
The keto
diet may also help in fighting off certain types of cancer and various
tumors. It seems to do a good job treating brain tumors, likely a
consequence of its neuroprotective qualities.
A
2011 pilot study
indicated that the ketogenic diet is suitable for even advanced cancer
patients, claiming that “It has no severe side effects and might improve
aspects of quality of life and blood parameters in some patients with
advanced metastatic tumors."
Weight loss
The
ketogenic diet is also being considered as way to help people lose
weight, though evidence of its efficacy and safety are mixed.
A 2006 study
comparing ketogenic and non-keto diets concluded that both diets are
useful for weight loss, but the researchers found that the keto diet was
associated with metabolic and emotional effects. "The use of ketogenic
diets for weight loss is not warranted," the authors write.
Another study
indicated that keto diets work great for the first three to six months
compared to other dietary routines, but that the difference is no longer
apparent after a year. The researchers found that keto is associated
with favorable changes in triglyceride and HDL cholesterol levels
(that’s the good kind), but that it results in higher LDL levels than
conventional low-fat diets.
Nancy Krebs’s
2010 study
is probably the most favorable in terms of its application to weight
loss. Her team concluded that a high-protein, low-carb keto diet may be
effective for severely obese adolescents in the long term.
Exercise
The keto
diet has also been used in conjunction with exercise and athletics. And
in fact, a growing number of athletes and bodybuilders swear by it,
including
many CrossFitters and other strength-and-conditioning types.
Formal studies are far-and-few on the subject, but
a 2011 Italian study suggested that keto could be used as a way to lose weight in conjunction with exercise.
Diabetes
