Keto diet: Benefits and Nutrients

The diet works by reducing the body's sugar stores. As a result, it will begin to shed fat for energy. This results in the formation of molecules called ketones which the body uses for fuel. When the body burns fat, it can lead to weight loss.

There are a variety of ketogenic diets, including the standard ketogenic diet and the Cyclic ketogenic diet.

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In this article, we explain the benefits of the Keto diet, as well as its risks.

Benefits of the Keto Diet

1. Supports weight loss

The ketogenic diet helps a person lose weight.

The ketogenic diet can help promote weight loss in a variety of ways, including increasing metabolism and reducing appetite.

The ketogenic diet contains foods that replenish a person and can reduce appetite-stimulating hormones. For this reason, following a ketogenic diet can reduce your appetite and promote weight loss.

In a 2013 meta-analysis of 13 different randomized controlled trials, researchers found that people who followed a ketogenic diet lost 2 pounds more than those who followed a low-fat diet for 1 year.

Similarly, another review of 11 studies found that people on a ketogenic diet lost 5 pounds more than those on a low-fat diet after 6 months.

Here, learn the difference between the Keto and Atkins diet plans.

2. Improves acne

Acne has many causes and can be related to some people's diet and blood sugar.

Eating a diet rich in refined and processed carbohydrates can upset the bacterial balance in your stomach and cause your blood sugar to rise and significantly decrease which can negatively affect skin health.

According to a 2012 study, to reduce carbohydrate intake, a ketogenic diet can reduce acne symptoms in some people.

3. May reduce the risk of certain cancers

Researchers have examined the effects of ketogenic diets to prevent or even treat certain cancers.

One study found that a ketogenic diet may be a safe and appropriate add-on treatment for people with certain cancers to use in combination with chemotherapy and radiation therapy. This is because it causes more oxidative stress on cancer cells than normal cells, causing them to die.

Another recent study from 2018 suggested that a ketogenic diet lowers blood sugar so it can also reduce the risk of complications from insulin. Insulin is a hormone that regulates blood sugar and can be linked to some cancers.

Although some studies suggest that a ketogenic diet may have some benefits in treating cancer, studies in this area are limited. Further research is needed by researchers to fully understand the potential benefits of the ketogenic diet in the prevention and treatment of cancer.

4. Can improve heart health

When a person follows a ketogenic diet, it is important to choose healthy foods. Evidence shows that eating healthy fats such as avocados instead of low-fat foods such as pork can improve heart health by lowering cholesterol.

A 2017 review of animal and human studies on the ketogenic diet showed that some people had significant reductions in total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or bad cholesterol, and increased levels of triglycerides and high-lipoproteins. Concentration (HDL) or "good" cholesterol.

High cholesterol levels can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. The low effect of the ketogenic diet on cholesterol, therefore, can reduce a person's risk of heart complications.

However, the review concludes that the positive effects of diet on heart health depend on the quality of the diet. Therefore, it is important to eat a healthy and nutritious diet while following a ketogenic diet.

5. Can protect brain function

Some studies, like this 2019 review, suggest that the sources produced during the Keto diet provide neuroprotective benefits, meaning they can strengthen and protect nerve and brain cells.

For this reason, the ketogenic diet helps a person prevent or control a condition such as Alzheimer's disease.

However, more research is needed on the effects of the Keto diet on the brain.

6. Potentially reduces seizures

The ratio of fat, protein, and carbohydrate in the ketogenic diet changes the way the body uses energy, resulting in ketosis. Ketosis is a metabolic process in which the body uses ketones for fuel.

The Epilepsy Foundation suggests that ketosis may reduce seizures in patients with epilepsy, especially those who have not responded to other treatment modalities. More research on its efficacy is important, although it appears to have had the greatest impact on affected children.

A 2019 review supports the hypothesis that a ketogenic diet can help people with epilepsy. Ketogenic diets can reduce epilepsy symptoms through a variety of processes.

7. PCOS improves symptoms

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal disorder that can lead to excess male hormones, ovarian dysfunction, and polycystic ovaries. A high carbohydrate diet can negatively affect a person with PCOS, such as skin problems and weight gain.

There are not many clinical studies on the ketogenic diet and PCOS. In a 2005 pilot study, five women were tested in 24 weeks. Researchers have found that a ketogenic diet improves some of the characteristics of PCOS, including:

Weight loss

Hormonal balance

The ratio of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)

Fasting insulin levels

A separate review of the 2019 study found that the Keto diet has beneficial effects for people with hormonal disorders, including PCOS and type 2 diabetes. However, they also cautioned that the treatment of PCOS as a general treatment was too varied. to recommend the ketogenic diet.

People with polycystic ovary syndrome learn what foods to eat and what to avoid.

Risks and complications

Ketogenic diets can have a variety of health benefits. However, long-term ketogenic diets can have adverse health effects, including increased risk of the following health problems:

Kidney stones

Excess protein in the blood.

Mineral and vitamin deficiency.

A buildup of fat in the liver.

The ketogenic diet can cause adverse side effects that many people know as the keto flu. These side effects can include:

Constipation

Fatigue

Low blood sugar

Nausea

Vomiting

Headaches

Low tolerance for exercise

These symptoms are especially common at the beginning of the diet because the body adjusts to its new source of energy.

Some people should avoid the ketogenic diet, which includes:

Insulin-dependent people with diabetes

People with eating disorders

Infected with kidney disease or pancreatitis

Women during pregnancy and lactation

People taking a type of medicine called a sodium-glucose corticosteroid 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor for type 2 diabetes should also not follow the ketogenic diet. This drug increases the risk of diabetic ketoacidosis, a dangerous condition that increases the acidity of the blood.

BOTTOM LINE:

It is important to discuss any regular diet plan with a trusted doctor, dietitian, or healthcare provider, especially for people who are trying to manage health problems or illnesses.

People should see a doctor if they want to start a ketogenic diet and check for diabetes, hypoglycemia, heart disease, or any other health conditions.

Note that studies on the long-term benefits of ketogenic diets are lacking. It is also not clear that sticking to this diet for a longer period of time is more beneficial than less restrictive healthy eating patterns.

A ketogenic diet limits or severely restricts carbohydrates. However, some sugars provide health benefits. For a less regulated diet, people should follow a diet that includes sources of nutritious protein and healthy fats, as well as a variety of nutrients, fibrous carbohydrates, such as fruits and vegetables.

Article source healthline.com